Murray Perahia Plays Franck & Liszt by Perahia, Murray (1991-09-26)

I love Franck's work, so happy to have discovered this piece. A little pricey, with a bit of a wait, but well worth it. The Liszt is a bonus!

Murray Perahia is out of all the top pianists today my favourite performer. His core repetoire on CD release up until the recording of this disc in 1991 had been most notably Mozart,Beethoven,Chopin,Schumann & Schubert and had my reservations about Liszt's music suiting him. How wrong I was and would like him to record more Liszt as I think he certainly has the commanding technique required but can also add his special poetic and lyrical playing to Liszt's music too. The Sonetto 104 is as good as I have heard and has an irresistable flow to it without unnecessary pauses in the phrasing. The two concert studies are both played supremely well especially Gnomenreigen the best version I have heard which again has just the right tempo to it. Other versions I have heard have irritating pauses at the beginning and throughout.And finally a fantastic ending to the disc, The Rhapsody Espagnole.