Search - Charles-Valentin Alkan, Franz Liszt, Raymond Lewenthal :: The Legendary Pianist Raymond Lewenthal plays Alkan & Liszt

Superb Fireworks from a Pioneer of the Alkan Revival

04/23/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The late Raymond Lewenthal had a lifelong fascination with musical escoterica. His two greatest finds were Adolf von Henselt's superb f minor piano concerto (unfortunately Lewenthal's performance of the work is no longer available. Those interested are referred to Marc-Andre Hamelin's superior recording of it on Hyperion) and the works of Charles-Valentin Alkan. This CD is an excellent introduction to Alkan's work. It contains a superb performance of Etudes 4,5,6,7, and 12 from his Opus 39, and a scorching performance of the 2nd movement of Alkan's stupendous Grande Sonate. There is also a fine rendering of Alkan's haunting Barcarolle,Op. 65, #6. The Barcarolle shows that Alkan could be an effective miniaturist if he wanted to be. This CD is well worth having as the legacy of two under-appreciated masters of music."

Lewenthal shows his speed and stamina in this Alkan CD.

09/04/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One who says that the misanthropic composer Charles-Valentin Alkan is not making a comeback nationwide is in for a very rude awakening, especially now that this particular disc has been digitally remastered and released EVERYWHERE! Lewenthal is truly one of the great champions of Alkan, matched in my mind only by Smith, Gibbons, and Hamelin. Lewenthal's performance of the Symphonie is startling! The tempos in the finale are incredible; it is the fastest I have ever heard. His "Festin" is a bit muddy in places, but still very sarcastic and fresh. His "Quasi Faust" is also quite fast and powerful, its 8-part fugue held together by very delicate touch. The height of the recording is definitely the Symphonie, but the other pieces do compliment it well. One might think that Hamelin's CD (Sonata, Sonatina, etc.) is programatically based on this recording, but one never knows. This recording is a must have, if not for the repertiore, then for its historical quality, for Alkan fans everywhere."