Album

Capriccio's second volume of Ferruccio Busoni's piano transcriptions covers a little of the serious work for which he became renowned, particularly his labored and fairly histrionic Grosse Fuge on Bach's theme from Art of Fugue, and several silly parlor pieces that are much less significant. One may actively dislike Busoni's bombastic fantasies on Bach and find their perpetuation by earnest pianists somewhat annoying, but at least these were serious undertakings, taken quite seriously in their day; and Busoni merits some grudging admiration for his dogged efforts to incorporate the master's work into his own. But one need not regard Busoni's minor arrangements as anything more than decorative curiosities or extravagant displays of pianistic technique. Busoni's doctored versions of pieces by Mozart, Novacek, and Offenbach are light and inconsequential, and may be sampled briefly or skipped without qualms. But the hyperactively embellished arrangement of Liszt's Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale, "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam," goes as far as can be tolerated by anyone with good taste, and perhaps should be heard just for its outrageousness. One wonders how pianist Holger Groschopp regards Busoni's excesses, and if pending volumes in his series will be as lopsidedly frivolous as this one, or more evenly balanced with serious efforts. Time will tell, but at least Capriccio has recorded Groschopp well, and makes this package sound better than the music deserves.

© Blair Sanderson, Rovi

CD 1
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Grosse Fuge (contrapuntal fantasy based on J.S. Bach, BWV1080), KiV 255 Work 20:10 Holger Groschopp Piano
1	1.Fuga 1; Fuga 2; Fuga 3	10:57			$1.99
2	2.Intermezzo. Variations 1-3. Cadenza	5:03			$0.99
3	3.Fuga 4. Stretta	4:10			$0.99
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Scherzo (after Novácek String Quartet No.1 in E-), KiV B95 Work Holger Groschopp Piano
4	Scherzo (after Novácek String Quartet No.1 in E-), KiV B95	3:10			$0.99
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Andantino from the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.9 in Eb (after Mozart, K.271), KiV B84 Work Holger Groschopp Piano
5	Andantino from the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.9 in Eb (after Mozart, K.271), KiV B84	8:52			$1.49
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Réminiscences de 'Don Juan' (after Liszt), KiV B71 Work Holger Groschopp Piano
6	Réminiscences de 'Don Juan' (after Liszt), KiV B71	1:38			$0.99
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Barcarolle (after Offenbach), KiV deest Work Holger Groschopp Piano
7	Barcarolle (after Offenbach), KiV deest	1:31			$0.99
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Andantino with 3 Variations (after Liszt, Venezia e Napoli: Barcarolle), KiV deest Work Holger Groschopp Piano
8	Andantino with 3 Variations (after Liszt, Venezia e Napoli: Barcarolle), KiV deest	2:10			$0.99
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Fantasia and Fugue on ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’ (after Liszt S.259, transcr. of Meyerbeer, 'Marche du sacre', from 'Le prophète') KiV B59 Work 26:04 Holger Groschopp Piano
9	1.Fantasia	8:31			$1.49
10	2.Adagio	9:16			$1.49
11	3.Fuga	8:17			$1.49
Ferruccio Busoni Composer Widmung (after J.S. Bach), KiV WoO Work Holger Groschopp Piano
12	Widmung (after J.S. Bach), KiV WoO	0:45			$0.99