Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
The Complete Piano Music Volume 58: Music on National Themes
Canzone napolitana (S248, version 1) [4.51]
Five Hungarian Folksongs (S245) [11.05]
Hussitenlied (S234) [7.43]
La Cloche sonne (S238) [2.14]
Faribolo Pastour (S236) [4.43]
Chanson du Bearn (S236) [5.41]
Glanes de Woronince (S249) [16.54]
La Marseillaise (S237) [4.49]
Vive Henri IV (S239) [1.52]
God Save the Queen (S235) [6.15]
Canzone napolitana (S248, version 2 “Notturno”) [4.57]
Domonkos Csabay (piano)
rec. 27-29 August 2019, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK
NAXOS 8.574147 [72:03]
Liszt was, in his lifetime, a very widely travelled man and so it seems logical that amongst his output there are many works based on national themes. This, the latest of the Naxos complete piano series, continues with a selection of these, including some very familiar tunes, as well as some rather less well known.
The disc begins with Liszt’s rather lovely first version of a work entitled “Canzone napolitana”, the origin of which work, sadly, is unknown. This is, on the whole, a calm and simple sounding piece; however, having played it through, I know that there a fair amount of quiet virtuosity is required to perform it. Here, Mr. Csabay makes a fabulous job of it - this is a far cry from Liszt’s more virtuosic and familiar works and really should be better known.
Liszt’s tiny Five Hungarian Folk Songs (S245) is a much later set of pieces in his distinctive later style. They are not difficult (around ABRSM grade 5 – 6 level) and are played here with a distinctly Hungarian edge to them which suits this repertoire very well. I’ve always really liked the third of the set with its semi-sad opening which sounds like a stripped-down version of a Hungarian Rhapsody. This is followed by the much livelier no. 4 which contains some wonderfully controlled virtuosity. The last of the set is strange, drifting slowly up the keyboard and quietly dying away at the end, evaporating into the ether.
As a complete contrast, there then follows Liszt’s virtuosic “Hussitenlied” – originally thought to have been a 15th century song but now proven to date from the 19th century. The tune was very popular at the time and was also used by Dvorak in his Hussite overture. The piece opens with a statement of the theme before it is subjected to a series of brilliant variations of increasing complexity and some unexpected key changes. It’s not all finger-twistingly problematic, though; there are some lovely moments here as well, especially the rhapsodic passage originally heard at 0’45’’ (marked ‘Lento religioso’ in the score). This occurs elsewhere as a sort of interlude between the statements of the main theme. The ending is suitably virtuosic, full of challenging trills and lots of leaping about. This is a stupendous performance of the work, full of fire and wit and with some very tender playing where required; it’s a shame that it isn’t better known. Further investigations show that there is also a 4-hand version which, to my knowledge, has never been performed and certainly not recorded.
Track 8 is a very short work, “La Cloche sonne”, based on an old French song. Despite being a middle-period work, it is almost devoid of difficulties and is actually an ABRSM Grade 4 piece in 2021 (which hopefully might convince those misinformed people who think everything that Liszt wrote was virtuosic). It is beautifully played here, with plenty of feeling; you really get a sense of the bell sounding throughout, as the pedalling is spot on.
Liszt wrote the short piece “Faribolo Pastour” in 1844 and published it coupled with a work with a similar atmospheric edge to it, “Chanson du Béarn” (which was inspired by a song based on a poem). Both works contain a lot of difficulties – especially the former, which is the more ardent sounding of the two. Despite a lot of leaping about, which the score asks to be played quietly, an atmosphere of serenity and peace pervades this work. It is constructed almost like a set of variations. The “Chanson du Béarn” follows and, aside from a brief powerful outburst in the middle, is also generally restrained and quiet. Mr. Csabay has no problems with any of the complications in either work, and the polish and feeling displayed in his performances of these pieces is superb.
Liszt spent an extended ten day stay at the estate of Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein in September 1847. She ultimately became his long-term partner and Liszt even planned to marry her but the Catholic Church refused her petition for divorce from her husband, so it never happened. However, it was on her estate where he allegedly first heard the song on which the first part of the “Gleanings of Woronice” is based. There are flashes here and there of cheerfulness, but overall it’s a melancholy little Dumka with some quite dark-sounding key changes which add to the tension and the moody atmosphere. Again, the piece is arranged almost like a set of variations and the second of these at about 1’20’’ is lighter in character but still agitated in tone and poised on the edge of lapsing into a minor key. The work slowly becomes more complicated as it progresses and, despite the generally gloomy atmosphere, actually ends wistfully. There is plenty of hard piano writing here but the playing is very special. The second part of the “Gleanings” is based on the same song which Chopin used in his song “Życzenie” - “The Maidens Wish” (Op.74 no.1) - also arranged by Liszt as the first of his 6 Polish songs (S480 no.1). It is far more cheerful than the preceding Dumka and trips along nicely, varying the theme in many ways, adding lots of complicated filigree ornamentation and ending with a lovely touching conclusion. Again, the playing is exemplary throughout. Marvellous! The final part of the tryptic is another Dumka, also of Ukrainian origin and is also somewhat melancholy in nature. There are lots of quiet tremelandos here which adds to the atmosphere of unease. The main theme itself evolves throughout the work and the overall mood gradually transitions from darkness into light with a happy and tender variation starting about four minutes in, leading to the ending which, after a confident statement of the theme, is surprisingly abrupt. Although I am a committed Liszt fan, I’ve always found it hard to like this work. However, here it is given such a great performance and I may have to revise my opinion.
Bearing in mind that Liszt lived in Paris for a long time, it is not at all surprising that he would compose a paraphrase on “La Marseillaise”. Surprisingly, this dates from later on in his life but this does not stop it from being a virtuoso showpiece, permeated with the very well-known theme. Again, the playing here is exceptional and the clarity, especially in the upper passages, is excellent. The tempo is very rapid and certainly adds to the excitement in this performance. After all the virtuosity, at about 2’23’’, the volumes dies away and there is a rather beautiful variation passage stating the theme with lots of quiet trilling adding interest to it. Then, just as suddenly as it started, this explodes into a joyous outburst of the theme, varied and with lots of complicated additions and some quite unexpected key changes which add to the interest. The ending is full of swagger, and is virtuosic, noisy and fun.
Another later work, “Vive Henri IV” follows; this is based on a 16th century song and the style is gradually moving towards the techniques found in Liszt’s later pieces. The quieter reprise of the opening theme, with tremelandos high up in the treble (from 0’35’’) is especially well played. The piece ends defiantly and rather four-square, without too much difficulty for the pianist.
The penultimate track on this disc is Liszt’s paraphrase on “God Save the Queen” which he no doubt played on one of his three visits to the UK. The piece opens with a quiet variation, sort of sidestepping the tune before a florid statement of the main theme appears. This quickly evolves to something far jumpier and more virtuosic. This suddenly disappears and then there are plenty of trills, runs, big leaps and other technical tricks, all giving the pianist plenty of work to do. Even the darkly sinister statement of the theme in the bass at about 3’35’’ doesn’t stay for long, as there follows a horribly complicated statement of the theme with lots of rapidly ascending passagework for the pianist and then far more leaping about and general virtuosity. The last minute or so contains some quite horribly awkward passages in thirds before a defiant repeat of the main theme. The overall atmosphere is one of jollity; this is certainly a work to make you smile, even if we in the UK are perhaps over-familiar with the theme!
We end where we began, with the “Canzone napolitana”, now with the added subtitle “Notturno” and revised from F# major to F major to facilitate performance. Again, this is a calm and reflective - much of the awkward writing in the earlier version is simplified and the ending is very different. This is beautifully played here and the closing bars are particularly poignantly performed with superb control of the pedal and a perfectly judged, rather wistful, chord progression drifting up the keyboard.
This is a marvellous disc – I have been very impressed with all of the recent Naxos Liszt CDs and this one is an excellent continuation of the series, which I suspect must be roughly half-way complete. The playing is super throughout and there is a real sense of a Hungarian flavour to these performances. Mr. Csabay is just as at home in the later, sparer sounding pieces as he is in the virtuoso middle period works. I will definitely be keeping an ear out for more of his recordings, as he is clearly a pianist worth hearing.
Jonathan Welsh
