My survey of the Brendel Edition is more in
the way of a dipping selection rather than a comprehensive
trawl through all thirty-five volumes of these complete
Vox, Turnabout and Vanguard recordings. I’ve already reviewed
some of the Liszt recordings in the context of Brilliant’s
Liszt box and readers will know of the regurgitatory nature
of much of the recordings in recent years. That it now comes
housed in one sturdy, compendious box is a good thing however.
The box has already been reviewed
on this site by Simon Thompson so my review is really an annexe
to that one.
I went straight to the cycle of Beethoven Concertos.
The Second suffers from a thin recording but the conducting
is quite lively and the piano is at least to the fore, though
not ideally balanced. The C minor is rather better balanced
fortunately though a little shrill. Fine tonal and dynamic
control from Brendel here – depth and poetry. The Fourth is
unimaginatively conducted with an especially stodgy first
movement tutti. Brendel uses the second cadenza written for
the work. The Emperor is bold, vigorous and better supported.
Fine preparation for the finale, always a dicey moment, and
sense of line in the slow movement. The Choral Fantasy is
only so-so. The vocal soloists are under-whelming.
The Sonatas are perhaps more successful all
round. Les Adieux is alert and dynamic, the Moonlight
is rather reserved with subdued poetry, whilst the Waldstein
is outstanding with unerringly ‘right’ tempi; they always
feel right at any rate. The Hammerklavier has drama
and concentration. The slow movement doesn’t linger – a bit
understated maybe. Op.109 is nobly conceived but certainly
not over-expressive, Op.111 having an all-enveloping Arietta.
The Appassionata is eloquently controlled though once
again on the cool side. The Diabelli variations are
commandingly dispatched though dynamics don’t register as
well as they might – a recording phenomenon. The Andante
Favori is warmly, romantically caressed and the Bagatelles
are played with fine attention to detail.
There is a slew of Mozart Concertos. K271 is
first rate, stylish, sensitive with a convincing slow movement
whilst K449 has a delightfully lithe and terpsichorean finale.
It’s a shame for Brendel admirers, though not those of Walter
Klien, that K451 and K488 went to Klien, as did K491 and 457.
That’s why they’re not here of course. No.17 [K453] is again
the victim of thin recording but is well played, full of delightful
moments. K466 doesn’t sport the most well rehearsed orchestra
in the history of recording but it’s a characterful affair
nevertheless with Brendel’s phraseology in the slow movement
a high point – note the left hand answering passages. Well
balanced though tonally deficient K482 features some silken
tone from the pianist. The Wind Quintet performance is a bit
hit and miss and a few retakes might have been in order for
intonational reasons.
When we move onto Schubert – though there’s
not much of the composer here - we find a lovely set of Moments
Musicaux fortunately pretty reasonably recorded. The Impromptus
are perhaps a touch cool, in the way that some of his Beethoven
sonata performances could be. Not brittle – but reserved.
D958 takes a strictly classical route, full of good contrasts,
and a rippling finale. The Wanderer Fantasy is supplemented
by the Liszt realisation for orchestra, conducted by Gielen.
It’s a pity that Brendel largely eschewed Chopin because his
performances are by no means marginal or unimpressive. I would
have preferred to have heard him in the Ballades or Scherzi
than the Polonaises but he had decided views on the matter.
I’ve written elsewhere about some of the Liszt performances
and they are well-known – outstanding recordings, magnificently
played.
His Schoenberg Concerto recording comes as
a real juxtaposition but it was, in its day, quite an important
recording. Brendel has it under his fingers and intellectually
mapped out with precision. The Prokofiev G major Concerto
will come as a big surprise to those who thought they knew
the trajectory of Brendel’s recording career. I wouldn’t put
in the highest echelons of Prokofiev playing but it works.
The Mussorgsky Pictures receives a close-up, rather objectified
reading – not especially atmospheric.
This is just a brief resume of the many undoubted
high points in this vast edifice. One appreciates that most
listeners will gravitate to the much better recorded, more
recent Philips recordings. But for a relatively small investment
this ‘first thoughts’ set has permanent value.
Jonathan Woolf
See also
review by Simon Thompson
Full tracklist:-
Track
details
CD 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791
Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat major K271 ‘Jeunehomme’
1. I. Allegro 10:11
2. II. Andantino 12:50
3. III. Rondo 10:48
Piano Concerto No.14 in E flat major K449
4. I. Allegro vivace 8:49
5. II. Andantino 6:27
6. III. Allegro non troppo 6:19
Alfred Brendel
Alfred Brendel piano
I Solisti di Zagreb, Antonio Janigro
Total: 55:43
CD 2
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791
Piano Concerto No.17 in G major K453
1. I. Allegro 11:44
2. II. Andante 10:48
3. III. Allegretto – Presto 7:37
Piano Concerto No.25 in C major K503
4. I. Allegro maestoso 13:56
5. II. Andante 7:40
6. III. Allegretto 9:19
Joseph Haydn 1732–1809
Piano Concerto in D major Hob. XVIII No.11
7. I. Allegro 7:50
8. II. Un poco adagio 6:48
9. III. Rondo all’ungarese, allegro assai 4:14
Alfred Brendel piano
Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper (K453)
Pro Musica Orchestra, Vienna (K503)
Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Haydn)
Paul Angerer, conductor
Total: 79:57
CD 3
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791
Piano Concerto No.19 in F major K459
1. I. Allegro 12:30
2. II. Allegretto 9:45
3. III. Allegro assai 7:48
Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor K466
4. I. Allegro 13:40
5. II. Romance 9:20
6. III. Rondo: Allegro assai 7:34
Alfred Brendel piano
Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper, Wilfried Boettcher
Total: 61:00
CD 4
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791
Piano Concerto No.22 in E flat major K482
1. I. Allegro 12:40
2. II. Andante 8:48
3. III. Allegro 12:15
Piano Concerto No.27 in B flat major K595
4. I. Allegro 14:27
5. II. Larghetto 7:58
6. III. Allegro 8:55
Rondo in D major K382
7. Allegretto grazioso – 5:43
8. Adagio – 2:15
9. Allegro 2:05
Alfred Brendel piano
Vienna Chamber Orchestra (K482)
Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper (K595, K382)
Paul Angerer, conductor
Total: 75:39
CD 5
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791
Piano Sonata in A minor K310
1. I. Allegro maestoso 6:04
2. II. Andante cantabile con espressione 7:10
3. III. Presto 3:00
4. Fantasy in C minor K396 9:12
5. Rondo in A minor K511 11:22
Variations in D major
on a Menuet by Duport K573
6. Theme 1:13
7. Variation 1 1:02
8. Variation 2 1:06
9. Variation 3 1:11
10. Variation 4 1:13
11. Variation 5 1:26
12. Variation 6 2:05
13. Variation 7 1:05
14. Variation 8 1:39
15. Variation 9 1:54
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 51:03
CD 6
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791
Concerto in E flat major for two pianos K365
1. I. Allegro 9:43
2. II. Andante 7:48
3. III. Rondo: Allegro 6:53
Sonata in D major for two pianos K448
4. I. Allegro con spirito 7:28
5. II. Andante 8:33
6. III. Allegro molto 5:38
7. Fugue in C minor for two pianos K426: Allegro moderato
4:10
Quintet in E flat major for piano and winds K452
8. I. Largo – Allegro moderato 11:10
9. II. Larghetto 6:52
10. III. Rondo 5:17
Alfred Brendel and Walter Klien pianos (1-7)
Alfred Brendel piano
members of the Hungarian Quintet
Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper, Paul Angerer
Total: 74:04
CD 7
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Concerto No.1 in C major Op.15
1. I. Allegro con brio 17:03
2. II. Largo 11:47
3. III. Rondo: Allegro scherzando 9:19
Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major Op.19
4. I. Allegro con brio 14:48
5. II. Adagio 9:29
6. III. Rondo 6:15
Alfred Brendel piano
Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, Wilfried Boettcher (1–3)
Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper, Heinz Wallberg (4–6)
Total: 69:13
CD 8
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor Op.37
1. I. Allegro con brio 15:03
2. II. Largo 10:10
3. III. Rondo 9:09
Piano Concerto No.4 in G major Op.58
4. I. Allegro moderato 17:52
5. II. Andante con moto 4:55
6. III. Rondo: Vivace 10:49
Alfred Brendel piano
Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Heinz Wallberg
Total: 68:24
CD 9
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major Op.73 ‘Emperor’
1. I. Allegro moderato 20:01
2. II. Adagio un poco mosso 8:33
3. III. Rondo: Allegro 10:25
4. Choral Fantasy in C minor Op.80 20:28
Alfred Brendel piano
Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Zubin Mehta (1–3)
Stuttgart Lehrergesangverein, Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra,
Wilfried Boettcher (4)
Total: 59:34
CD 10
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.29 in B flat major Op.106 ‘Hammerklavier’
1. I. Allegro 11:06
2. II. Scherzo: Assai vivace 2:34
3. III. Adagio sostenuto 16:47
4. IV. Largo – Allegro risoluto 12:31
Piano Sonata No.32 in C minor Op.111
5. I. Maestoso – Allegro con brio e appassionato 8:28
6. II. Arietta: Adagio molto, semplice e cantabile 15:47
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 67:39
CD 11
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.28 in A major Op.101
1. I. Allegretto ma non troppo 3:18
2. II. Vivace alla marcia 6:12
3. III. Adagio ma non troppo con affetto – Presto 9:57
Piano Sonata No.30 in E major Op.109
4. I. Vivace ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo 3:20
5. II. Prestissimo 2:22
6. III. Tema con variazioni 11:33
Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat major Op.110
7. I. Moderato cantabile, molto espressivo 5:31
8. II. Allegro molto – III. Adagio ma non troppo – 5:56
9. Fuga. Allegro ma non troppo 6:31
Piano Sonata No.27 in E minor Op.90
10. I. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
5:26
11. II. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorzutragen 7:38
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 68:20
CD 12
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor Op.57 ‘Appassionata’
1. I. Allegro assai 9:41
2. II. Andante con moto 6:15
3. III. Allegro ma non troppo 8:08
Piano Sonata No.22 in F major Op.54
4. I. In tempo d’un menuetto 5:47
5. II. Allegretto 6:15
Piano Sonata No.26 in E flat major Op.81a ‘Les Adieux’
6. I. Les Adieux: Adagio – Allegro 6:14
7. II. L’Absence: Andante espressivo 3:09
8. III. Le Retour: Vivacissimamente 5:37
Piano Sonata No.16 in G major Op.31 No.1
9. I. Allegro vivace 6:26
10. II. Adagio grazioso 9:53
11. III. Rondo: Allegretto 6:20
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 73:49
CD 13
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.17 in D minor Op.31 No.2 ‘Tempest’
1. I. Largo – Allegro – Adagio 7:47
2. II. Adagio 7:45
3. III. Allegretto 5:53
Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat major Op.31 No.3
4. I. Allegro 8:07
5. II. Scherzo: Allegretto vivace 4:52
6. III. Menuetto: Moderato e grazioso 3:36
7. IV. Presto con fuoco 4:57
Piano Sonata No.21 in C major Op.53 ‘Waldstein’
8. I. Allegro con brio 11:10
9. II. Introduzione: Adagio molto 3:43
10. III. Rondo: Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo 9:50
Piano Sonata No.19 in G minor Op.49 No.1
11. I. Andante 3:57
12. II. Rondo: Allegro 3:39
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 75:21
CD 14
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor Op.2 No.1
1. I. Allegro 4:06
2. II. Adagio 4:13
3. III. Menuetto: Allegretto – Trio 3:28
4. IV. Prestissimo 5:21
Piano Sonata No.25 in G major Op.79
5. I. Presto alla tedesca 4:59
6. II. Andante 2:29
7. III. Vivace 2:01
Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor Op.10 No.1
8. I. Allegro molto e con brio 6:08
9. II. Adagio molto 8:37
10. III. Finale: Prestissimo 4:08
Piano Sonata No.6 in F major Op.10 No.2
11. I. Allegro 5:21
12. II. Allegretto 4:21
13. III. Presto 4:16
Piano Sonata No.9 in E major Op.14 No.1
14. I. Allegro 7:01
15. II. Allegretto 3:33
16. III. Rondo: Allegro comodo 3:14
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 73:23
CD 15
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.10 in G major Op.14 No.2
1. I. Allegro 7:08
2. II. Andante 3:40
3. III. Scherzo: Allegro assai 3:47
Piano Sonata No.13 in E flat major Op.27 No.1
4. I. Andante – Allegro – Andante 4:26
5. II. Allegro molto e vivace 2:00
6. III. Adagio con espressione 3:12
7. IV. Finale: Allegro vivace 6:06
Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor Op.27 No.2 ‘Moonlight’
8. I. Adagio sostenuto 6:01
9. II. Allegretto 2:18
10. III. Presto agitato 7:47
Piano Sonata No.15 in D major Op.28 ‘Pastoral’
11. I. Allegro 9:55
12. II. Andante 7:30
13. III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio IV. Rondo: Allegro
ma non troppo 7:26
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 71:20
CD 16
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.7 in D major Op.10 No.3
1. I. Presto 6:51
2. II. Largo e mesto 10:10
3. III. Menuetto: Allegro 2:52
4. IV. Rondo: Allegro 3:40
Piano Sonata No.2 in A major Op.2 No.2
5. I. Allegro vivace 7:06
6. II. Largo appassionato 6:34
7. III. Scherzo: Allegretto – Trio 3:29
8. IV. Rondo: Grazioso 6:35
Piano Sonata No.3 in C major Op.2 No.3
9. I. Allegro con brio 10:28
10. II. Adagio 7:52
11. III. Scherzo: Allegro – Trio 3:20
12. IV. Allegro assai 5:31
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 74:47
CD 17
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor Op.13 ‘Pathétique’
1. I. Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio 9:08
2. II. Adagio cantabile 5:44
3. III. Rondo: Allegro 4:16
Piano Sonata No.11 in B flat major Op.22
4. I. Allegro con brio 7:53
5. II. Adagio con molto espressione 6:38
6. III. Menuetto 3:37
7. IV. Rondo: Allegretto 6:29
Piano Sonata No.12 in A flat major Op.26 ‘Funeral March’
8. I. Andante con variazioni 7:53
9. II. Scherzo: Allegro molto – Trio 2:57
10. III. Maestoso andante ‘Marcia funebre sulla morte d’une
Eroe’ 5:40
11. IV. Allegro 3:04
Piano Sonata No.24 in F sharp major Op.78
12. I. Adagio cantabile – Allegro ma non troppo 7:02
13. II. Allegro vivace 2:44
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 73:35
CD 18
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat major Op.7
1. I. Allegro molto e con brio 8:11
2. II. Largo con gran espressione 8:20
3. III. Allegro 5:06
4. IV. Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso 7:11
Piano Sonata No.20 in G major Op.49 No.2
5. I. Grave – Allegro, ma non troppo 4:31
6. II. Tempo di menuetto 3:32
Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat major Op.16
7. I. Grave – Allegro, ma non troppo 11:33
8. II. Andante cantabile 7:59
9. III. Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo Members of the Hungarian
Quintet 6:31
10. Rondo in B flat major G151 Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper,
Wilfried Boettcher 10:01
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 72:55
CD 19
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
1. ‘Eroica’ Variations in E flat major Op.35 22:40
Piano Sonata No.20 in G major Op.49 No.2
2. I. Allegro ma non troppo 4:31
3. II. Tempo di menuetto 3:32
4. 5 Variations on ‘Rule Britannia’ in D major WoO 79 4:28
5. 7 Variations on ‘God Save the King’ in C major WoO 78 8:42
6. 12 Variations on a Russian Dance from Wranitsky’s Ballet
Das Waldmädchen’ in A major WoO 71 11:35
7. 6 Variations on an Original Theme in F major Op.34 12:41
8. 6 Variations on a Theme from ‘The Ruins of Athens’ in D
major Op.76 5:49
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 74:58
CD 20
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
1. 32 Variations on an Original Theme in C minor WoO 80 11:04
2. 7 Variations from Winter’s Opera ‘Das unterbrochene Opferfest’
in F major WoO 75 10:49
3. 24 Variations on Righini’s Air ‘Venni amore’ in D major
WoO 65 15:57
4. 6 Variations on the Duet from Paisello’s ‘La Molinara’
in G major WoO 70 4:38
5. 8 Variations on Süssmayr’s Theme ‘Tändeln und Scherzen’
in F major WoO 76 8:09
6. 13 Variations on Dittersdorf’s Air ‘Es war einmal ein alter
Mann’ in A major WoO 66 11:58
7. 10 Variations on Salieri’s Air ‘La stessa, la stessissima’
in B flat major WoO 73 9:43
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 73:11
CD 21
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
1. 6 Easy Variations on a Swiss Air in F major WoO 64 2:48
2. 9 Variations on Paisello’s Air ‘Quant’è più bello’ in A
major WoO 69 5:27
3. 6 Variations on an Original Theme in G major WoO 77 4:50
4. 8 Variations on Grétry’s Air ‘Un fièvre brûlante’ in C
major WoO 72
5. Rondo in G major Op.51 No.2 9:46
6. Allegretto in C minor WoO 53 3:49
7. 6 Ecossaises WoO 83 1:55
8. Bagatelle in A minor ‘Für Elise’ WoO 59 2:44
9. Polonaise in C major Op.89 5:31
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 44:58
CD 22
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
Diabelli Variations in C major Op.120
1. Theme: Vivace 0:52
2. Alla marcia maestoso 1:53
3. Poco allegro 0:47
4. L’istesso tempo 1:21
5. Un poco più vivace 0:55
6. Allegro vivace 0:55
7. Allegro, ma non troppo 1:41
8. Un poco più allegro 1:20
9. Poco vivace 1:25
10. Allegro pesante e risoluto 1:45
11. Presto 0:39
12. Allegretto 0:55
13. Un poco più mosso 0:46
14. Vivace 0:58
15. Grave e maestoso 4:02
16. Presto scherzando 0:34
17. Allegro 1:00
18. Allegro 1:07
19. Moderato 1:39
20. Presto 0:54
21. Andante 2:11
22. Allegro con brio 1:20
23. Molto allegro 0:40
24. Assai allegro 0:51
25. Fughetta: Andante 3:43
26. Allegro 0:49
27. Allegro 1:00
28. Vivace 0:58
29. Allegro 0:59
30. Adagio, ma non troppo 1:19
31. Andante, sempre cantabile 2:30
32. Largo, molto espressivo 4:26
33. Fuga: Allegro 2:53
34. Tempo di menuetto, moderato 3:49
11 Bagatelles Op.119
35. Allegretto in G major 2:33
36. Andante con moto in C major 0:55
37. Allemande in D major 1:30
38. Andante cantabile in A major 1:30
39. Risoluto in C minor 1:02
40. Andante in G major 0:30
41. Allegro ma non troppo 1:21
42. Moderato cantabile in C major 1:07
43. Vivace moderato in A minor 1:54
44. Allegramente in A major 1:54
45. Andante ma non troppo 1:53
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 68:20
CD 23
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827
6 Bagatelles Op.126
1. Andante in G major 3:02
2. Allegro in G minor 2:53
3. Andante in E flat major 2:47
4. Presto in B minor 3:57
5. Quasi allegretto in G major 2:35
6. Presto – Andante in E flat major 4:38
7. Rondo a capriccio in G major Rage over a lost penny’ Op.129
6:06
8. Rondo in C major Op.51 No.1 5:45
7 Bagatelles Op.33
9. Andante, quasi allegretto in E flat major 3:45
10. Scherzo: Allegro in C major 2:38
11. Allegretto in F major 1:59
12. Andante in A major 3:42
13. Allegro ma non troppo in C major 3:08
14. Allegretto in C major 2:48
15. Presto in D major 2:01
16. Andante favori in F major WoO 57 8:49
17. Ziemlich lebhaft in B flat major WoO 60 1:14
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 62:00
CD 24
Franz Schubert 1797–1828
Piano Sonata in C minor D958
1. I. Allegro 7:59
2. II. Adagio 8:11
3. III. Menuetto – Trio 3:29
4. IV. Allegro 9:03
Piano Sonata in C major D840 ‘Unfinished’
5. I. Moderato 10:35
6. II. Andante 9:19
German Dances D783
7. No.1 0:47
8. No.2 1:02
9. No.3 0:32
10. No.4 0:34
11. No.5 0:40
12. No.7 1:00
13. No.8 0:29
14. No.13 0:38
15. No.14 0:41
16. No.9 0:26
17. No.10 1:11
18. No.11 0:26
19. No.12 0:28
20. No.15 0:48
21. No.16 0:30
22. No.6 0:34
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 59:46
CD 25
Franz Schubert 1797–1828
Impromptus D899
1. No.1 in C minor: Allegro molto moderato 8:30
2. No.2 in E flat major: Allegro 4:19
3. No.3 in G flat major: Andante 5:18
4. No.4 in A flat major: Allegretto 7:06
Moments musicaux D780
5. No.1 in C major: Moderato 4:46
6. No.2 in A flat major: Andantino 5:45
7. No.3 in F minor: Allegro: Moderato 1:40
8. No.4 in C sharp minor moderato 4:39
9. No.5 in F minor: allegro vivace 2:04
10. No.6 in A flat major: Allegretto 6:23
Drei Klavierstücke D946
11. No.1 in E flat minor 8:52
12. No.2 in E flat major 9:41
13. No.3 in C major 5:03
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 75:04
CD 26
Franz Schubert 1797–1828
1. Wanderer Fantasy in C major D760 22:10
Impromptus D935
2. No.1 in F minor: Allegro moderato 9:00
3. No.2 in A flat major: Allegretto 5:23
4. No.3 in B flat major: Andante: Theme, Variations ‘Rosamunde’
10:30
5. No.4 in F minor: Allegro scherzando 5:23
Franz Schubert 1797–1828 realised by Franz Liszt 1811–1886
Wanderer Fantasy in C major for piano, orchestra
6. Allegro – 6:20
7. Adagio – 7:31
8. Presto – 4:52
9. Allegro 3:26
Vienna Volksoper Orchestra
Michael Gielen
Total: 74:56
CD 27
Frédéric Chopin 1810–1849
1. Polonaise in A flat major Op.53 ‘Heroic’ 6:42
2. Polonaise in C minor Op.40 No.2 6:01
3. Polonaise in F sharp minor Op.44 11:22
4. Polonaise-fantaisie in A flat major Op.61 11:58
Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante in E flat major
Op.22
5. Andante spianato 4:32
6. Grande polonaise brillante 9:17
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 50:14
CD 28
Robert Schumann 1810–1856
Fantasy in C major Op.17
1. Durchaus phantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen
12:55
2. Mässig, durchaus energisch 8:10
3. Langsam getragen, durchweg leise zu halten 10:35
Études Symphoniques Op.13
4. Theme 1:16
5. Étude No.1 1:19
6. Étude No.2 3:38
7. Étude No.3 1:17
8. Étude No.4 0:58
9. Étude No.5 1:23
10. Étude No.6 0:54
11. Étude No.7 1:16
12. Étude No.8 2:03
13. Étude No.9 0:39
14. Étude No.10 1:19
15. Étude No.11 3:04
16. Étude No.12 6:42
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 57:49
CD 29
Franz Liszt 1811–1886
Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major
1. Allegro maestoso – Tempo giusto 5:42
2. Quasi adagio – 4:42
3. Allegretto vivace – 4:29
4. Allegro marziale animato 4:18
Piano Concerto No.2 in A major
5. Adagio sostenuto assai – 7:27
6. Tempo del andante – 5:44
7. Allegro deciso – 3:03
8. Marziale un poco meno allegro – 1:12
9. Un poco meno mosso – 2:33
10. Allegro animato 1:43
Totentanz
11. Andante – Allegro – Allegro moderato 2:09
12. Variation I 0:59
13. Variation II 0:18
14. Variation III 0:30
15. Variation IV 9:20
16. Variation V 3:15
17. Cadenza 1:23
18. Variation VI 3:08
19. Cadenza 0:50
20. Allegro animato 0:35
21. Malédiction 14:32
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 72:52
CD 30
Franz Liszt 1811–1886
Piano Sonata in B minor
1. Lento 3:27
2. Grandioso – 8:09
3. Andante sostenuto – 6:51
4. Fugue, allegro energico – 5:41
5. Stretta quasi presto 4:35
Années de Pèlerinage: Deuxième Année, Italie
Piano Sonata ‘après une lecture de Dante’
6. Andante 1:46
7. Presto agitato 2:47
8. Tempo I 3:06
9. Più tosto 5:46
10. Più mosso 2:29
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 72:55
CD 31
Franz Liszt 1811–1886
Opera transcriptions and paraphrases
1. Lucia di Lammermoor: Sextet (Donizetti) 5:27
2. Il trovatore: Miserere (Verdi) 8:13
3. Norma Fantasy (Bellini) 15:39
4. Oberon Overture (Weber) 9:05
5. Benvenuto Cellini: Benediction, Oath (Berlioz) 7:20
6. Tannhäuser: Pilgrims’ Chorus (Wagner) 5:16
Paganini Études
7. Tremolo in G minor 4:40
8. Octave in E flat major 5:49
9. La campanella in G sharp minor 5:02
10. Arpeggio in E major 2:10
11. La Chasse in E major 3:16
12. Variations in A minor 5:14
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 77:44
CD 32
Franz Liszt 1811–1886
Années de Pèlerinage: Deuxième Année, Italie
Tre Sonetti di Petrarca
1. No.47 5:58
2. No.104 6:02
3. No.123 6:59
4. Venezia e Napoli – Tarantella 9:17
Harmonies poétiques et religieuses
5. Invocation 7:10
6. Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude 15:38
7. Pensées des morts 11:17
8. Funérailles 10:55
9. Cantique d’amour 6:21
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 79:55
CD 33
Franz Liszt 1811–1886
6 Hungarian Rhapsodies
1. Hungarian Rhapsody No.15: ‘Rakoczy March’ 5:33
2. Hungarian Rhapsody No.3: Andante 5:28
3. Hungarian Rhapsody No.2: Lento a capriccioso 10:26
4. Hungarian Rhapsody No.13: Andante sostenuto 9:31
5. Hungarian Rhapsody No.8: Lento a capriccio 7:28
6. Hungarian Rhapsody No.17: Lento 3:16
7. Csárdás obstiné 3:17
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 45:32
CD 34
Modest Mussorgsky 1839–1881
Pictures at an Exhibition
1. Promenade 1:16
2. Gnomus 1:59
3. Promenade 1:16
4. The Old Castle 4:45
5. Promenade 0:25
6. Tuileries 0:57
7. Bydlo 2:22
8. Promenade 0:39
9. Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks 1:03
10. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle 2:16
11. Promenade 1:18
12. The Marketplace at Limoges 1:16
13. Catacombae 1:23
14. Cum mortuis in lingua mortua 1:49
15. Baba Yaga (The Hut on Fowl’s Legs) 3:16
16. The Great Gate of Kiev 4:55
Igor Stravinsky 1882–1971
Petrushka – Suite
17. I. Danse Russe 2:31
18. II. Petrushka’s Room 4:52
19. III. Shrovetide Fair 9:02
Mili Balakirev 1836–1910
20. Islamey – Oriental Fantasy 8:49
Alfred Brendel piano
Total: 55:46
CD 35
Arnold Schoenberg 1874–1951
1. Piano Concerto Op.42 20:58
Sergei Prokofiev 1891–1953
Piano Concerto No.5 in G major Op.55
2. I . Allegro con brio 4:59
3. II. Moderato ben accentuato 3:13
4. III. Toccata: Allegro con fuoco 2:06
5. IV. Larghetto 5:57
6. V. Vivo 5:17
Alfred Brendel piano
Symphony Orchestra of Southwest German Radio Baden-Baden,
Michael Gielen (Schoenberg)
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Jonathan Sternberg (Prokofiev)
Total: 42:33
Alfred Brendel (piano)
