Classical Music for Aficionados

 @twoleftears     I have been listening to Alice Sara Ott playing Liszt's Transcendental Studies and have been impressed by her maturity and deftness. These pieces have been much maligned over the last century but only because of players who just don't have the technique to convey the pieces properly ( I know because I have been at recitals which have been cringe worthy. It is no wonder Liszt got such slights thrown at him, as Schumann once said after a performance by Liszt that these pieces were written for maybe four or five pianists in the whole world. As Alfred Brendel once said If you don't like Liszt's music then blame the pianist and that sentiment still applies today. My personal favourite recorded performance is by Arrau who makes each piece a masterpiece in itself . His playing is lithe, masterful and his tone is golden and orgiastic at times . The very surprising thing about them is he was 75 when he recorded them. At times you would think he was 35.

This is Vlast , "My Land"

This and its composer are icons in Czech lands.

Smetana had something in common with Beethoven . he was deaf when he wrote it.

One reason I’m playing this is played by a German Orchestra which is seldom on

here or on any were else , with a Czech leader .

Bamburg is a small city , but perhaps the most Lovely one in Germany and IMO

has a very good Orchestra .

I enjoy this Mahler 5 better than any I have found, Old cut not the best sound, but IMO Barbirolli is the man.

I, too love Barbirolli’s Mahler 5th. A little on the slow side but very effective.

I find the sound both on CD and streaming to be quite good.