Busoni: Elegies - Liszt: Sonata in B Minor

Album review

Ferruccio Busoni's name lives on in great part thanks to his many transcriptions, particularly of Bach. It's refreshing to find, however, that some pianists still remember him as a composer, even if many of his compositions bear a resemblance to other composers, and in particular Liszt. Because of that affinity, the works of the two composers work well together on this program. Delphian's recorded sound quality of pianist David Wilde's performance, however, leaves a lot to be desired. Muddled, echoey, and stringent are just some of the adjectives listeners are likely to conjure in just the first few moments of this album. Wilde's extremely muscular playing comes across as mere banging because there is no warmth or softness to the sound. This is truly a shame, because the energy and passion with which he plays Busoni are mesmerizing. Still plagued by the same issues of sound quality, his interpretation of the Liszt B minor Sonata is far less successful. Filled with inexplicable, sudden fluctuations in tempo, this rendition gives listeners the impression that they are on a roller coaster -- at times slowly climbing an endless hill wishing they could get out and push, while at other times feeling as if they are accelerating out of control. Listeners looking specifically for a recording of these Busoni compositions will be satisfied by Wilde's performance (although they'll still have to contend with the inferior sound); those looking for a quality recording of the Liszt sonata should seek alternatives.

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