Beethoven/Liszt: Symphonies Nos. 1-9

Transcribing the greatest cycle of music from the full symphony orchestra to the comparatively limited scope of the piano would seem like an insurmountable task. And for most great pianist-composers it probably was, except Franz Liszt. I believe the inimitable success of Liszt's achievement has not been fully recognised either by pianists or audiences. In fact, to find any of them programmed by a major (or minor) pianist is somewhere between rare and impossible.

To my knowledge, only four pianists have committed all nine to disc: Katsaris, Biret, Howard and Scherbakov. Both Scherbakov and Howard have their merits--my lack of enthusiasm for Biret's annoyingly willful playing (currently being re-released on her own IBA label together with the Concertos and Sonatas) has been amply described elsewhere--but Katsaris surpass both of them with a substantial margin. Even though Liszt's ability to think up endlessly varied piano textures and figurations is beyond reproach, some level of repetitiveness is virtually inescapable in certain movements (e.g. Second/II, Sixth/II and Seventh/I)--there is only so much one can do with ten fingers and the percussive mechanics of a piano.

Trading Beethoven's epoch-making orchestral writing for Liszt's pianistically inflated reductions--sounds like an absolutely preposterous venture, does it not? Indeed, regardless of how extraordinarily Katsaris renders the Third, Fifth and Ninth Symphonies, it goes without saying that Beethoven's originals are as priceless as they are irreplaceable. Still, and forgive me for swearing in church, forced to live with one version only, I would actually consider choosing the Lisztian versions of the Fourth and Eighth. Katsaris's trademark ability to vary repeats (he observes most of them throughout) and to augment sonorities (especially in the lower bass tessitura) work wonders here--as well as in the Eroica's Funeral March, where his ripping sub-bass cluster chord creates an earth shatter at the end of the fugal 'development'. His tempos are generally grand, in the traditional manner (too much so in the Third/II and Fifth/III), but daringly exciting in Finales of the Third, Seventh and Ninth.

What deserves special mention is Katsaris's world-premiere recording of the Ninth Symphony. Initially, Liszt found the fourth movement of the Ninth impossible to transcribe for two hands only--hence, it took another two years until the four-hand, two-piano version of 1863 was replaced. What Liszt achieved here in terms of extending the boundaries of piano playing is in the same league as his own Etudes and Alkan's Op 39 Etudes, the Concerto for Solo Piano in particular. The first movement is impressively grand--Katsaris's recapitulation is, again, truly earth-shattering. The Scherzo's multiple voices come across with unbelievable clarity. But the show-stopper is the Finale, where Katsaris's sheer stamina in the near-impossible cascades of notes demands to be heard. The plus added to the four stars is to highlight that Katsaris's Ninth should be part of any piano connoisseur's discography.

Just having reviewed Vänskä's immaculately played and recorded, but emotionally inhibited, Minnesota cycle on BIS, I concluded that we are not likely to see the revolutionary romanticism of Karajan's first BPO cycle being surpassed in these post-period times. Therefore, with an unfailing bias for the piano, it is most refreshing to immerse oneself in Katsaris's extraordinarily romantic and pianistic Beethoven Symphonies--caught in serviceable, if somewhat unnatural, 1980s Teldec sonics.

REFERENCE: This One

It's rare that you find a pianist as good as Cyprien Katsaris who goes through the effort to produce something as difficult and pedantic as the Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies. The result in this case is professional, passionate and articulate.

Beethoven's symphonies are as important to the field of classical music as any other set of works. They convey the many sides of Beethoven's character and unchallenged depth while making advances to the rigid style as allowed by the contemporary rules. Liszt did a stunning job of transcribing them, maintaining every bit of depth and passion. In a way, the transcriptions are a very sophisticated performance interpretation written by a man who continued the traditions of Beethoven through a line of teachers and students.

Katsaris provides a faithful reproduction of Liszt's transcription without the dull mechanical sheen usually found in performances of these pieces. His passion and commitment to the piece is easily heard throughout all nine symphonies. His attention to detail is fanatical and he has the presence to bring these pieces to life.

I recommend this recording to anyone who wishes to investigate the Beethoven-Czerny-Liszt heritage and delve deeper into the hidden meaning in Beethoven's symphonies.

Having heard the orchestral versions of Beethoven's symphonies many times before, I was intrigued when my friend recommended that I check out this recording of the Liszt piano transcriptions.

Needless to say, I was amazed by the performance (particularly the Pastorale, No.6). The sound is so full at times, that I completely forgot that it is being produced by a single piano (and a single person). I am hypnotized by these recordings and have listened to them for countless hours since.

I heard that it took Katsaris many years to polish and record all of these transcriptions, and his dedication and hard work has paid off tremendously with this heavenly recording.

Very highly recommended.

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