Vol.1
This album is a profound homage by the greatest piano composer to greatest organ composer in the history of music. In an article Liszt published on February 16, 1851, he emphatically referred to Bach as the greatest musician Germany had produced and predicted that the Master's monumental compositions will remain the object of admiration and amazement for centuries to come.
It was in Weimar that Liszt became deeply acquainted with Bach's works, and during this period, he wrote three important compositions; the Prelude and Fugue on the name B-A-C-H, the Prelude after Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen and the Variations on the basso ostinato from the first movement of Weinen, Klagen etc coupled with the Crucifixus from the B minor Mass.
All three pieces feature on this disc, taking up a large portion of playing time. The remaining four items are three short works based on BWV 21, 38 and 1017 respectively and Bach's Passacaglia in C minor, BWV 582 in an arrangement by Liszt's great friend Johann G. Topfer.
Michael Schönheit is one of today's foremost interpreters of such repertoire and these renditions are a testimony not only to his great empathy with these composers but also to his caring love for the organ itself. At times, I was given the impression that Schönheit was not playing but caressing the instrument. The Merseburg Cathedral Organ is not only steeped in history, but its sound is sonorously and majestically rich, perfectly suited for such eloquent works.
The annotations by Axel Schröter and Peter Ramm are absolutely riveting, particularly the latter one on the history of the organ. An excellent first lap of what should be an outstanding series.
Vol.2
The second volume of MD&G's project of the complete organ music by Franz Liszt includes 3 short pieces, namely 'Tu es Petrus' from the 'Christus' oratorio, the 'Ave Maria' von Arcadelt and an arrangement of Mozart's 'Ave Verum'. The rest of the CD is dedicated to two much longer pieces, the substantial 'Evocation à la chapelle sixtime' and the gigantic 'Fantasy and Fugue' on the chorale 'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam'.
The first group, in spite of their brevity, are very attractive pieces, particularly the Mozart arrangement which is a prime example of meditative simplicity. The 'Evocatum' dates from 1862 when Liszt was in Rome and is a sensitive and personal work evoking Allegri's 'Miserere' and once again, Mozart's 'Ave Verum'.
The way the composer alternates these pieces is indeed remarkable as his objective to describe the conquest of God's love over evil and death is strongly portrayed. The 'Fantasy and Fugue' is one of the greatest organ frescoes of the 19th century. Composed in 1850, after Liszt attended the performance of Meyerbeer's 'Le Prophete' in Dresden, it is 36 minutes in length and opens with an air of noble majesty followed by a peaceful adagio full of soothing sounds. Liszt's fertile imagination is very evident in the manner with which he creates a short virtuosic prelude that leads into the fugue; which in reality is only a fugato that introduces a shimmering 'finale' full of radiance and heartfelt expressiveness.
The historic Merseburg Cathedral Organ is a brilliant instrument with a vast tonal variety that makes it perfectly suited for this lofty repertoire. Michael Schönheit renders these pieces the justice they deserve with interpretations of great emotional intensity and concentrated commitment. Worth buying, if only for the 'Fantasy and Fugue'.
曲目:
Vol.1
1. Franz Liszt - Praeludium und Fuge ueber das Thema B-A-C-H - 14:35
2. Franz Liszt - Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen - Praeludium nach J.S. Bach - 7:57
3. Franz Liszt - Variationen ueber "Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen" - 19:07
4. Franz Liszt - Bach Bearbeitung "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir" - 5:25
5. Franz Liszt - Bach Bearbeitung Adagio - 4:00
6. Franz Liszt - Bach Bearbeitung "Ich hatte viel Bekuemmernis" - 6:03
7. J.S. Bach - Passacaglia BWV 582 C minor - 14:42
Vol.2
1. Tu es Petrus - 6:25
2. Ave Maria von Arcedelt - 4:33
3. Ave Maria (WA Mozart) - 2:58
4. Evocation a la chapelle sixtine - 20:40
5. Fantasie und Fuge uber Ad nos: Fantasie - 25:38
6. Fuge - 10:54 VIP用户可直接查看以下付费内容,报错点这里