For me one of the great boons of Liszt's music is that there always seems to be more of it; one is constantly coming across new works that contribute to one's knowledge and appreciation of his fascinating range as a composer. The five pieces presented on this new CD span the years 1836 to 1871, during which Liszt's life had been transformed from that of a travelling virtuoso into a conductor, teacher and highly innovative composer.
The Reminiscences des Puritains, dating from 1836 takes two arias from Bellini's opera on which to build the paraphrase. It is dedicated to the legendarily odd Princess Belgioso, who was also the instigator of the Hexameron Variations which were based on the March from I puritani, for which Liszt, Chopin, Thalberg, and others each contributed one number. The work played here appeared soon after the first performance of the opera and it was a favourite early concert piece of Liszt, who was only 25 when it was composed. Although certain elements are rather reminiscent of Thalberg's style, Liszt quite transcends his adversary's range in regard to conveying atmosphere and the bustle of a stage performance. The imitations of the orchestral part are masterfully done. Gregorio Nardi has a perfect understanding of the genre of such a piece and he is superb in the humour of the alla polacca towards the end.
Another connection with Chopin is the extraordinary Berceuse of 1862 (the second version), which was dedicated to Chopin's devoted pupil, Princess Marcelina Czartoryska. In it one hears the arabesques of the treble part as if they were a half-remembered dream based on Chopin's Berceuse. The distortions are exotic and highly impressionistic.
The Gothic gloom of the B-A-C-H Fantasia and Fugue is conveyed with wonderful panache by Nardi, and he has an impeccable feeling for the dramatic. His very definite and immaculately controlled touch contributes to the authority of the reading. Liszt's Variations on Bach's theme Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, written roughly a decade earlier in 1862, also feature a highly chromatic style. This important work is allowed to unfurl naturally with unforced pace. Nardi stresses the poetic and melodramatic elements and the overall mood is one of seriousness—there is nothing mannered or cheap in his approach. The purely harmonized chorale that appears at the close is beautifully voiced and delicate.
The 25-year-old Italian pianist is a highly mature artist with a deep insight into Liszt's style and I very much hope he will follow this release with more Liszt. Sadly, however, the recorded sound leaves much to be desired—the piano tone is wooden and restricted in sonority and there are some noticeable edits. But from the purely musical angle I can recommend this CD wholeheartedly. Incidentally, the booklet is wrong in claiming that the Puritains piece is a first recording—Jan Panenka has made a significant Supraphon recording of it (not yet available in the UK) played on a Streicher piano of 1846.'