The Liszt Concertos (2011)

On its face, this CD is a real curiosity because Daniel Barenboim offers his first-ever recordings of Franz Liszt's two piano concertos, and Pierre Boulez leads the Berlin Staatskapelle in performances that would have been unimaginable when these artists were younger. Barenboim, a subtle intellectual at the keyboard, is one of the last pianists one would envision playing the flashy, virtuosic parts of these works, while Boulez, once the supposed enemy of all things Romantic, seems to have yielded at last to the attractions ... Read More

On its face, this CD is a real curiosity because Daniel Barenboim offers his first-ever recordings of Franz Liszt's two piano concertos, and Pierre Boulez leads the Berlin Staatskapelle in performances that would have been unimaginable when these artists were younger. Barenboim, a subtle intellectual at the keyboard, is one of the last pianists one would envision playing the flashy, virtuosic parts of these works, while Boulez, once the supposed enemy of all things Romantic, seems to have yielded at last to the attractions of Liszt's vision and conceded that these grandiose warhorses contain music of considerable merit. This is no doubt due to a long-in-coming critical reassessment of Liszt's place in the canon. Since the late 20th century, his music has been increasingly understood as a precursor to modernism, and it is presumably easier to reconcile with Barenboim's and Boulez's earlier reservations. Still, listeners will care more about the quality of the performances, and it must be said that... Read Less