Search - Brendel, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert :: Live in Salzburg 1960-1961

A Wonderful Listening Experience.

Jeffrey K. Lurie | Cleveland OH USA | 03/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having listened to Alfred Brendel for a number of years on a number of recordings, I have come to the impression that ths pianist never sounds lilke he is enjoying himself more or displays his rumored sense of humor more than when he is playing Haydn. The C Major Sonata that is included here is an excellent example of this. Brendels phrasing and his lightness of touch make this music flow along with almost champagne giddiness. While Brendel plays both Haydn pieces on a concert grand and utilizes the pedal throughout, he still manages to convey the feeling of the earlier keyboard instruments without becoming too bogged down in period prissiness.I was prepared to state, after listening to the Haydn, that Haydn might represent the summit of Brendel's work. Then the Schubert came. I have loved Brendel's Schubert for years and the inclusions here are up to his high standards. If I had not realized that I had not changed the disc, I would have thought that this pianist was different from the one who played the Haydn. It has been my experience that only the greatest of pianists are able to sound like different people when playing the music of different stylistic periods. In this case, both Brendels are exceptionally fine pianists. In particular, the Relique sonata may be the best version I have ever heard.Finally, this disc includes a wonderful piece by Liszt, a composer I would not have otherwise associated philosophically with Brendel. but (at least on the basis of this recording) one that he plays very well, if not with the degree of bombast some pianists bring to the composer. If only this disc contained some of Brendel's Beethoven, it would be a desert island disc."

Pure Brendel

Thomas J. Adair | the United States | 08/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD contains live performances taken from his Salzburg recitals in 1981, 1984 and 1985. The selections are very nice, chosen by Brendel himself. His playing is in top form, and unlike a studio album, you will not be distracted by his singing and humming that he often does. But the sound is superb, just picking up the instrument and not the artist. Only complaint, a somewhat loud crashing noise can be heard in the middle of the first movement of the Schubert Sonata in A minor. Kinda sounds like a broom falling down onto a hard floor in an empty warehouse. My first thought when I heard it. Who knows what it is. But overall, a must buy for any Brendel fan and someone that likes quality playing and interpretation with the live atmosphere."

Haydn, Schubert, and Liszt played by a master.

Augustus Caesar, Ph.D. | Eugene, Oregon United States | 05/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alfred Brendel is a pianist who has made a career out of what many consider a narrow repertory. His specialties are Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Liszt. Indeed, with the exception of the Schoenberg Piano Concerto a few other scattered pieces, these composers are pretty much the extent of his repertory. Yet within these parameters, which are not, after all, narrow, he has carved a position of pre-eminence that is virtually without rival in modern pianism.This live album, recorded at the Salzburg Festival between 1981 and 1985, shows this pianist at the very height of his powers. The many sides of Brendel--playful and austere, expressive and reserved--are well represented here, as he plays works so close to his heart that he has made them his own. Indeed, the pianist himself chose these recordings, which says something about his own estimation of the performances.Haydn's Variations in F-minor and Sonata in C are played with elegance and wit, and after hearing them, one is reminded of how rarely pianists play Haydn and what a pity that is. Brendel has championed Haydn for decades, and nowhere will you find more assured or definitive performances of these pieces than here.Schubert's Sonata in A-minor and the unfinished Sonata in C demonstrate Brendel's deep affinity for the works of my favorite composer. Schubert's melancholy melodic sensibility is evident throughout both these works, and Brendel plays them with the understated passion they deserve, giving the lie to those who call him a cerebral, cold interpreter.Finally, the Liszt transcription of the "Liebestod" from "Tristan" completes this album with a performance of overwhelming power and artistry. Brendel was playing Liszt at a time (the 1960s) when his music was considered the last word in shallow, showy superficiality, and this performance is an amazing display of both Liszt's talents as a transcriber and of Brendel's talents as a Liszt player. This is a piece that must be heard to be believed.It is probably evident by now that I am a big Alfred Brendel fan, as well as lover of Haydn, Schubert, and (to a lesser extent) Liszt. But this magnificent recording speaks for itself, and I recommend it to everyone."