Album

Anyone looking for a collection of Liszt's complete works for piano and orchestra performed with power, panache, and aplomb and recorded in clear, colorful sound need look no further. This 2006 compilation of recordings made between 2000 and 2002 by Canadian virtuoso Louis Lortie with George Pehlivanian leading the Residentie Orchestra The Hague contains essentially every work the Hungarian pianist/composer wrote for the combination, from his extremely well-known First and Second piano concertos and Totentanz through his far less well-known Malédiction for piano and string orchestra and transcription of Schubert's Wandererfantasie for piano and orchestra to his nearly unknown Concerto pathetique and Grande fantaisie symphonique on themes from Berlioz's Lélio, plus five other lesser known works. From the sound of his playing on this recording, Lortie is a muscular pianist with a super-virtuoso technique, a commanding personality, and a gift for floating a long legato line, all prerequisites for a successful Liszt player, and his performances here are as convincing as possible, with poetic interpretations and lots of technical fireworks. The likewise nearly unknown outside of Europe Residentie Orchestra The Hague performs with sparkle and brilliance under Lebanese-American conductor George Pehlivanian. Chandos' digital sound is big, bright, and full. While there have been better performances of Liszt's extremely well-known works for piano and orchestra, Lortie, Pehlivanian, and the Residentie are perforce the first choice for works like the Fantasia on a theme from Beethoven's Ruins of Athens.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 3
Franz Liszt Composer Malédiction, for piano and string orchestra, S.121 Work Recorded 1999 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
1	Malédiction, for piano and string orchestra, S.121	15:40			$2.49
Franz Liszt Composer Grande Fantaisie symphonique über Themen aus Berlioz's 'Lélio', S.120 Work Recorded 1999 24:02 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
2	1.Lento	12:19			$1.99
3	2.Allegro vivace	7:56			$1.49
4	3.Andantino, senza interruzione. Vivace animato	3:47			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer De Profundis, Psaume Instrumental, S.121a Work Recorded 1999 33:38 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
5	1.Andante	22:00			$3.99
6	2.Allegro moderato	4:57			$0.99
7	3.Tempo primo. Allegro. Allegro marziale	6:41			$0.99
CD 2 of 3
Franz Liszt Composer Piano Concerto No.1 in Eb, S.124 Work Recorded 2000 17:58 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
1	1.Allegro maestoso	5:04			$0.99
2	2.Quasi adagio	4:52			$0.99
3	3.Allegretto vivace	4:03			$0.99
4	4.Allegro marziale animato	3:59			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer Piano Concerto No.3 in Eb, S.125a Work Recorded 2000 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
5	Piano Concerto No.3 in Eb, S.125a	12:48			$1.99
Franz Liszt Composer Piano Concerto No.2 in A, S.125 Work Recorded 2000 20:51 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
6	1a.Adagio sostenuto assai	5:01			$0.99
7	1b.Allegro agitato assai	1:57			$0.99
8	2.Allegro moderato	4:55			$0.99
9	3a.Allegro deciso	3:07			$0.99
10	3b.Marziale un poco meno allegro	1:06			$0.99
11	3c.Un poco meno mosso	2:56			$0.99
12	4.Allegro animato	1:49			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer Totentanz (Dance of Death), S.126, R.457 Work Recorded 1999 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
13	Totentanz (Dance of Death), S.126, R.457	15:26			$2.49
CD 3 of 3
Franz Liszt Composer Fantasie über Motiven aus Beethovens Ruinen von Athen, S.122 Work Recorded 1999 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
1	Fantasie über Motiven aus Beethovens Ruinen von Athen, S.122	10:47			$1.99
Franz Liszt Composer Concerto pathéthique, S.367 Work Recorded 1999 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
2	Concerto pathéthique, S.367	9:31			$1.49
Franz Liszt Composer Concerto pathéthique in E-, S.365b Work Recorded 2000 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
3	Concerto pathéthique in E-, S.365b	16:19			$2.99
Franz Liszt Composer Hungarian Fantasy, S.123 Work Recorded 1999 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
4	Hungarian Fantasy, S.123	14:43			$2.49
Franz Liszt Composer Wanderer Fantasy (D.760), S.366 Work Recorded 1999 21:02 Louis Lortie Piano, George Pehlivanian Conductor, Residentie Orkest Orchestra
5	1.Allegro con fuoco	6:07			$0.99
6	2.Adagio	6:43			$0.99
7	3.Presto	4:31			$0.99
8	4.Allegro	3:41			$0.99