Liszt : Les Préludes, Hungarian Fantasy & Ce qu'on entend sur la montagne

Chronique

For this Warner Classics release, Zoltán Kocsis and the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra present two of Franz Liszt's most popular tone poems, Les Préludes and Ce qu'on entend sur la montagne (otherwise known as the Bergsymphonie), framing a performance of the Hungarian Fantasy with pianist Gábor Farkas. Because 2011 marked the bicentennial of Liszt's birth, this live album joins countless others in the world-wide celebration, but the focus on the composer's Hungarian heritage and legacy is of particular interest here, for the concert was the opening gala of the Liszt Year at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall in the Palace of Arts, Budapest. If the tone poems seem to be performed with more zest than usual, or if the bravado of Farkas' playing reveals more than a little national pride, then this album is wholly in keeping with Liszt's still-vital spirit, and the dedication of the musicians shows that the anniversary is of special significance to them. Indeed, their commitment and emotional connection to the music must have been felt by the Budapest audience, for the enthusiasm of the applause after each piece shows their appreciation. The high quality reproduction and engineering demonstrate a special care in production that such a celebration requires, and the vibrant results make the listening experience even more exciting. One can't help but feel that the length of this CD is too short for the importance of the occasion, and listeners may wish that at least one more work could have been included to fill out the program. But this is still a worthwhile disc to hear and a respectable tribute to the composer, even at under an hour in duration.

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