6:42-7:42. ONLY Cziffra can generate that sound!!! Absolutely hair-raising, the bass split octaves literally sound like a Bugatti Veryon revving up and in a way that perfectly complements the drama of the music (in my opinion)! Volodos, Horowitz, Hamelin, Katsaris and one or two other of the elite Virtuosi can match his speed, but that power and utterly spontaneous control over dynamics is unique to this day.
Cziffra’s virtuosity was inextricably linked to his musicality. He seems blissfully indifferent to ‘difficulty factor’ and is committed to the expression of the emotion rather than be lured by the appeal of cheap theatrics... at least that is my impression when I hear his recordings. I feel this is true to the spirit of Liszt as despite all of the pyrotechnics in his transcriptions, one hears his love and enthusiasm for the original pieces, be it the Tannhäuser overture or a Schubert lied. He never loses sight of the original pieces, it’s just that he HAD to right that many notes to express his concept and emotional response to it. Some of Liszt’s transcriptions actually feel appropriately sparse rather than being superficial embellishments. In the same way, Cziffra HAD to play in the way that he did as for him it was what the music demanded. Quite apart from that, it goes without saying that he was capable of intense lyricism too. A truly exceptional pianist, a titan among the greats, and a poet.
The strength of Cziffra's fingers was far above all the other pianists listed above. That quality matched with his titanic technique produced the perfect Liszt.
i have never heard cziffra play a piece played from the heart, this piece just makes me cry, i can really see the senarios in this interpretation. not too fast and not too slow.
I wish there were video recordings in Liszt's day. Seeing him play his own songs would be a mind-altering experience..
6:42-7:42. ONLY Cziffra can generate that sound!!! Absolutely hair-raising, the bass split octaves literally sound like a Bugatti Veryon revving up and in a way that perfectly complements the drama of the music (in my opinion)! Volodos, Horowitz, Hamelin, Katsaris and one or two other of the elite Virtuosi can match his speed, but that power and utterly spontaneous control over dynamics is unique to this day.
May I add his almost frivolous way of being able to play Liszt and thereby having fun playing.
Cziffra’s virtuosity was inextricably linked to his musicality. He seems blissfully indifferent to ‘difficulty factor’ and is committed to the expression of the emotion rather than be lured by the appeal of cheap theatrics... at least that is my impression when I hear his recordings.
I feel this is true to the spirit of Liszt as despite all of the pyrotechnics in his transcriptions, one hears his love and enthusiasm for the original pieces, be it the Tannhäuser overture or a Schubert lied. He never loses sight of the original pieces, it’s just that he HAD to right that many notes to express his concept and emotional response to it. Some of Liszt’s transcriptions actually feel appropriately sparse rather than being superficial embellishments. In the same way, Cziffra HAD to play in the way that he did as for him it was what the music demanded. Quite apart from that, it goes without saying that he was capable of intense lyricism too.
A truly exceptional pianist, a titan among the greats, and a poet.
The strength of Cziffra's fingers was far above all the other pianists listed above. That quality matched with his titanic technique produced the perfect Liszt.
nyiregyhazi is also a titan in this piece btw
best
performance!
my
heart
soul-stirring!
Ahurissant, étourdissant, prodigieusement ébouriffant, l’insurmontable, l’indépassable Cziffra à l’œuvre ! 😱❤️🎹
Magique !
i have never heard cziffra play a piece played from the heart,
this piece just makes me cry,
i can really see the senarios in this interpretation.
not too fast and not too slow.
So strange feeling.