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Jason,

With regard to Solti's famous Ring (voted best recording of the century by the readers of Gramophone) I was being sarcastic. I was going to say "I'm joking, of course," but I thought you could read that tween the lines. Should have used an emoticon, I know.

I am firmly in the Furtwangler camp, and have even started collecting his recordings on the Japanese Opus Kura label, even though I already own just about all of his perfomances. Did you know (I am sure you do) that, as a young man Furtwangler was indifferent to Wagner till he heard a performance of Meistersinger under Hans Richter, Bayreuth 1912? He later said this "was undoubtedly the finest Wager performance I ever heard." This makes Furtwangler a grandpupil of Wagner, does it not? And we all know how Wagner worshipped Beethoven and gave heartwrenching perfomances of the ninth. Toscanini, otoh, was of the Mendelssohn school, ie, "Let's all march in step, shall we?"

Happy listening!

Craig

I just saw the name Adele Marcus on the back of my new edition of Beethoven sonatas, listed as one of the teachers of the editor, Stewart Gordon. (I had an uncle named Gordon Stewart, RIP.) Other teachers were Olga Samaroff, Cecile Genhart and Walter Geiseking. Please let us know when the CD is being released, will you? Victor Rosenbaum is also on my wish list on Amazon, I will be getting his two recordings with my next order.

If you love Furtwangler, I am sure you would turn on to Ernst Levy. All his recordings are reissued by Ward Marston.

Cheers,

Craig

Yes, Stewart Gordon had studied with Adele Marcus. She was also a frequent juror and teacher at the University of Maryland International Piano Festival and Competition (aka Kapell now). Stewart is an amazing musical figure.

Craig,

Well I thought something was strange about that. Yes, best to use an emoticon- I can be gullible sometimes!

Thanks for sharing your info on Furtwangler. This is obviously a very strong area of expertise for you, and your collection must be the envy of many.

Now as for Ernst Levy, I confess I am not familiar with his recordings -he has only been a name to me-, yet I say it's high time to check it out.

Levy's recordings are unavailable on Amazon, and out-of-print at Marston records, but I see that they are being offered as reprints by another vendor. If you go to the Marston website, you will see on the order sheet whom to order them from. You might want to try downloading a sample before buying, but I think you will agree that this is some very powerful piano playing.

Cheers,

Craig

Thanks to Bassio I was able to hear Ernst Levy in the Liszt Sonata.

Such a generous, rich tone. It almost reminded me a bit of Leif Ove Andsnes. Making allowance for earlier performance practises, ie some erratic tempo relationships, I would still question why Levy sustains the opening G unisons. That seems contrary to Liszt's intension, though he is at least consistent about it further on.

But I loved the performance overall and am grateful that it was brought to my attention. Yet say what one will about Argerich's heck-for-leather reading, she is most scrupulous about Liszt's markings.

One of the glories of Liszt's magnificent fresco must surely be that no one performance will ever suffice as an "only" one.

One could almost define great music as that which is conducive to many and varied interpretations.

Glad you liked the Levy. Argerich is superb, indeed, and I would not want to give up either of these recordings.

Craig

Argerich recorded it how many times?

In the studio, just once. There may be live pirates, but I've never seen one. Too bad!

I thought it was live (from the debut)

No, definitely a studio job. The original LP was coupled with the fastest Schumann G minor imaginable.

Any other recommended versions?

For an entirely different approach, I rather fancy Arrau. Curzon has given us a splendid one also, though I don't claim to have heard anywhere near all the recorded perfomances. Maybe others here could help. Cheers...

Louis Lortie's recording on Chandos is the one I keep going back to.

My other favorite recordings of the Liszt b include Annie Fischer on Hungaroton and Sergio Fiorentino on APR. Annie Fischer has this music in her blood, she studied in Budapest with Dohnanyi. Her set of Beethoven sonatas is my favorite. Fiortentino was uncanny in everything he played, from Bach to Liszt, his technique was impeccable. His recording of Schubert D. 960 is my all time favorite, bar none. Arrau in the b is also recommended, I still have it on LP and the sounds still beats CD quite handily, but that's a whole nother can-o'-worms.

Cheers,

Craig

I met him once. A very fine gentleman and a superb pianist. Prior, I saw him in rehearsal for the Mozart K 488. He never used the music.

Indeed. Her Beethoven is amazing. Have you seen Fischer's (YouTube) video of the Liszt Eb? After a rather tentative start, things certainly start to gell. And yet... have you seen Argerich's video of the Liszt Eb? She is so beautiful, charismatic and dynamite. Add to that her flawless technique and there you are: all the ingredients required for Liszt.

So, does Martha know about you, argerichfan? I watched a video from her 1980 Chopin Competition performance as a guest artist with Tschaik 1--last mvt--she always had wonderful facility. Surely she will be remembered for her pianism in the line of Teresa Carreno, Gina Bachauer, Alicia deLarrocha--and more. I also enjoyed Annie Fischer's Beethoven Sonatas in recital in NY many years ago--and remember Ingrid Haebler and Maria Tipo, wonderful artists.

Alas, NO. The one time I could have met her, she cancelled. The one female I've ever been in love with. Ever since I was 10 years old I have worshipped her. Teresa Carreño must have been a positively dynamite performer -oh, to have heard her!- but would you doubt that the concertos Carreño was famous for -the Grieg, MacDowell and Rubinstein D minor- would not have been played equally well by Argerich?