Brilliant but cool
A strange program selection indeed: there is Wagner's fairly unmemorable "Faust" overture, flanking Liszt's flamboyant 2nd piano concerto with the intimate (but arguably misplaced) Siegfried Idyll, followed by the heroic 1st piano concerto and a couple of (most welcome) encores. A major intent of this production was obviously to showcase Daniel Barenboim's undisputable mastery of these technically demanding, at their time revolutionary, but musically not always satisfying bravura pieces. The concert was recorded live in June 2011 in Essen in the excellent sound and video one has come to expect from Accentus. The Berlin Staatskapelle under Pierre Boulez performs marvelously, Boulez his stoic self with minimalist gestures, but always on top of this repertoire which might not be overly close to his own heart. First Concert Master Wolf-Dieter Batzdorf offers many an encouraging smile during the proceedings, and the important solo parts of all musicians - including the triangle - are...
good performances of average repertoire
I must confess I only bought this because there was nothing else new to buy. Why is there so little orchestral repertoire being released. Is nobody buying this stuff?
I haven't deliberately listened to these Lizst concerti for decades (just on the radio in the car). After watching this disc, I remember why! I do like Lizst, but either in solo piano or purely orchestral. These concertos have some good moments, but basically they are for pianists who enjoy this kind of bombast.
Barenboim has apparently set his mind on recording everything ever written by everybody, whether piano, orchestra or both! Let me say, I am an admirer of his, for example, his Elgar/Brahms disc with the BPO or his terrific Mahler 9. But I just wonder when you put out so much stuff, how much of it can be excellent? There are rumors of the last six Bruckner symphonies, all done within a week, being readied for release, with this Berlin Staatskapelle. I suppose I shouldn't complain, with so...
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