Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Polonaise, for piano No.2 in E major, S. 223/2 (LW A171/2)
2. Sonetto del Petrarca No. 123 (I'vidi in terra angelica costumi; II), for piano (Ann�es II/6), S. 161/6 (LW A55/6): Sonetto 123 del Pe
3. Fantasie & Fuge �ber das Thema B-A-C-H, for piano, S. 529/2 (LW A250/2)
4. Fantasie & Fuge �ber das Thema B-A-C-H, for piano, S. 529/2 (LW A250/2)
5. Un sospiro, for piano in D flat major (Grande �tudes de concert No. 3), S. 144/3 (LW A118/3)
6. Tarantella, for piano (Ann�es, suppl. to II/3), S. 162/3 (LW A197/3)
7. La Leggierezza, for piano in F minor (Grandes �tudes de concert No. 2) , S. 144/2 (LW A118/2)
8. St Fran�ois de Paule marchant sur les flots, for piano (L�gendes No. 2), S. 175/2 (LW A219/2)
9. Chasse-neige, etude for piano in D flat major (Transcendental Etude No. 12), S. 139/12 (LW A172/12)
10. Tarantelle di bravura d'apr�s la tarantella de La Muette de Portici, for piano (after Auber; 3 versions), S. 386 (LW A125)
11. Mephisto Waltz (I & II), for piano No. 1 (Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke), S. 514 (LW A189)

Disc 2:

1. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in C, Op.10/1
2. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in A minor, Op.10/2
3. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in E, Tristesse, Op.10/3
4. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in C sharp minor, Op.10/4
5. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in G flat, Black Keys, Op.10/5
6. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in E flat minor, Op.10/6
7. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in C, Op.10/7
8. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in F, Op.10/8
9. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in F minor, Op.10/9
10. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in A flat, Op.10/10
11. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in E flat, Op.10/11
12. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: Etude for piano in C minor, Revolutionary, Op.10/12
13. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in A flat, Aeolian Harp, Op.25/1
14. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in F minor, Op.25/2
15. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in F, Op.25/3
16. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in A minor, Op.25/4
17. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in E minor, Op.25/5
18. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in G sharp minor, Op.25/6
19. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in C sharp minor, Op.25/7
20. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in D flat, Op.25/8
21. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in G flat, Butterfly, Op.25/9
22. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in B minor, Op.25/10
23. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in A minor, Winter Wind, Op.25/11
24. Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: Etude for piano in C minor, Op.25/12
25. Polonaise for piano No. 6 in A flat major ('H�roique'), Op. 53, CT. 155

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #329385 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-01
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

A portrait of a sadly under-rated master
Two things first. I wrote "master", not "virtuoso" quite intentionally. And yes, Cziffra was the virtuoso supreme of the instrument he had made his own, and vice versa. I wrote "master" because Cziffra's abilities extended far beyond his spectacular ability to make the piano his servant; to transcend all the obstacles a composer may have placed in his way. There is much more to Cziffra than we will learn from these CDs; but from these CDs we will learn why the mere mention of Cziffra's name can take the breath away of those who were fortunate enough to see him, and indeed also of those he taught. "A Keyboard Master and His Limitations" is the translation of the heading Peter Cossé gives to his - masterful indeed - comments on these CDs. A more literal translation would have been "The Almighty and His Limits". Yes, as far as technique is concerned, Cziffra is second to none. This is displayed to brilliant, almost disconcerting, effect on the CD works by Liszt. It has to be heard... Chopin? To be quite honest, I feel Cziffra does several of the études a disfavour by demonstrating how excitingly/quickly they can be played (by him). These, then, are the limitations posed by a brilliant talent unreined. But in op. 25 nos. 10 - 12, we are on ground where only the most capable should dare to tread. Cziffra's interpretation has no equal. For this alone, this CD is more than worth its price. This is one of the most important moments in pianism. To say more would be to say less.

No Brakes
I give this collection 5 stars because I know of no recorded piano playing like it (except other earlier Cziffra recordings such as the "Live in Italy" stuff which I haven't seen available in years). I don't mean to imply that it's necessarily more impressive than Horowitz during the great days (the "Homage to Liszt" album must be some sort of unique standard in all of pianism) or some of the best playing by Byron Janis (Liszt Concerti, for example) or Argerich's best et al. It is different, though, in its unique combination of speed, power and knife-in-the-teeth abandon.

The Liszt disc is far more "chaste" than the Chopin Etudes which, let's face it, often sound like the musical equivalent of a fun-house mirror. I bumped into the recording while I was in London in 1964 or '65, took it back to my student colleagues at the Oberlin Conservatory (all aspiring pianists, as I was then) and it became the hands-down Friday night favorite (along with Gallo Sherry, if I remember correctly, and Nancarrow Etudes for Player Piano). Some of the virtuosity can scarcely be believed -- such as the Op. 10 #4 (but Richter is even faster on the "Richter The Enigma" video, if you can imagine) -- the Op. 10 #12 and the "Octave" Etude from Op. 25.

But he DOES struggle terribly with Op. 10 #2 (compare it to the early Ashkenazy which is mind-boggling) and many of the other pieces are simply stomped through without any concern for phrasing or architecture. But what a wild ride! And what guts to record them this way!

(Recommendation: if you can find the old Paul Badura-Skoda recording of the complete Chopin Etudes, don't hesitate. I know it seems an unlikely pairing of pianist and music, but just listen! The fastest Winter Wind ever, the most amazing Op. 10 #1 except for Anievas, etc. etc. And, by the way, why is Cziffra's "Winter Wind" a half tone sharp? Of all pianists, he doesn't needed to be tempo twisted.)

I said the Liszt was more "chaste" but don't mean to imply it's less virtuosic than the Chopin. It comes from an era when I would guess Cziffra wasn't bored with the music or, to put it another way, didn't see a need to fuss with phrasing just to keep himself interested. Compare, for instance, the first set of Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies with the one recorded for EMI in the mid 70's. The later interpretations, once again, are beginning to sound neurotic -- even psychotic -- and the pianistic mechanism has started to fade somewhat, but wow what a trip. The end of the Ninth Rhapsody (Carnival of Pest) or the end of the Thirteenth is like being on a rollercoaster with no brakes and the tracks out ahead . . .

I guess my attraction for the best of Cziffra's playing is the sense that there's something of a struggle involved pianistically (even though the "Live from the BBC" video shows a man scarcely breaking a sweat) and also the feeling that he was a spirit who had to overcome so many social, political and personal problems.

I'm afraid I can't agree that Cziffra's playing was superior to Horowitz's in any fashion whatsoever. And yet I constantly cull the bins to see if there's a forgotten Cziffra album or CD out there. I can't say that about Horowitz.

In any case, my strong recommendation is to buy these discs, put on a hat, and hold on to it.

Virtuosity at its highest
I've owned this set for over a year now, and I still can't believe the stunning display of pianism. Of the "Great Pianists of the 20th century" series, I heard all of the sets that has Lisztian display of virtuosity, such as John Ogdon, Martha Argerich, Jorge Bolet, Andre Watts, Vladimir Horowitz, Earl Wild, etc. Yet, I don't think any of the pianist just mentioned beforehand displays the power, tone, and discipline of Gyorgy Cziffra.

Everything that I read about Cziffra's interpretation of the Chopin Etudes are frankly true. He plays the Etudes as if they were Paganini Caprices, plays them extremeley liberally, and does so with jaw-dropping speed. Yet, they are simply irresistible to listen to. I don't think I ever heard a left hand quite as wicked as Cziffra's when he plays the fiendishly difficult c#-minor etude no. 4, op. 10. The highlight of these etudes is probably the last three of the opus. 25. Cziffra plays these exceptionally well. Any pianist may vehemently disagree with Cziffra's interpretation, but you must say.. "to play like that!"

The 1st CD is one of the best compilation of a pianist that I ever heard. I would like to bring to attention two recordings in particular... The Fantasia and Fugue in B-A-C-H and the Mephisto Waltz.

The Fantasia and Fugue is not one of Liszt's more popular works and it may remain that way because I don't think any other pianist will ever come close to the magic and the overwhelming power in which Cziffra displays in this recording. The Fantasia is a fluid stream of power and it paves the way for the Fugue. Cziffra's playing of this Fugue just has to be heard. It is unbelievable. I never knew the piano can create sounds such as what Cziffra's brings. Basically, the way this piece is played, it starts to let you believe that almost anything can be achieved on a piano.

The Mephisto Waltz is one of Liszt most popular transcriptions for piano. There are even many versions of this work, because apparently some pianists of our time believed it is an inferior work and can be made better with their own transcription. Inferior or not, Cziffra's recording of this has got to be one of the most astounding recordings ever.

What's so unique about this version of the Mephisto Waltz is that it is played slowly. It is a very seductive interpretation and Cziffra takes his time with every note and repeats. Yet, once the CD player hits the time of "8,33" watch out, because all hell breaks loose. This recording alone should demonstrate to many listeners that Cziffra is one of the greatest pianists of our time.