Arturo Bendetti Michelangeli – Hommage (15 CD box set, FLAC)

Performer: Arturo Bendetti Michelangeli, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Claude-Henry Joubert, Franky Dariel
Orchestra: Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra, New-York Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Zuricher Kammerorchester, Radio Suisse Romande Orchestra
Conductor: Jindrich Rohan, Dimitri Mitropulos, Alfred Wallenstein, Alceo Galliera, Edmond de Stoutz, Ernest Ansermet
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 15 CD bo set
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Aura Classics
Size: 3.15 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
DEBUSSY
01-12. Preludes (12) for piano, Book I, L. 117

Disc: 2
BEETHOVEN
01-04. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3

DEBUSSY
05-07. Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110
08-10. Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111

Disc: 3
CHOPIN
01. Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano & orchestra, Op. 22

RAVEL
02-04. Gaspard de la nuit, for piano

CHOPIN
05. Mazurka for piano No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68/2, CT. 97
06. Mazurka for piano No. 20 in D flat major, Op. 30/3, CT. 70
07. Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT. 75
08. Berceuse for piano in D flat major, Op. 57, CT. 7
09. Waltz for piano No. 2 in A flat major, Op. 34/1, CT. 208
10. Waltz for piano No. 9 in A flat major (‘L’adieu’) Op. 69/1, CT. 215
11. Waltz for piano No. 13 in D flat major, Op. 70/3, CT. 219

Disc: 4
SCARLATTI
01. Sonata for keyboard in C minor, K. 11 (L. 352)
02. Sonata for keyboard in A major, K. 322 (L. 483)
03. Sonata for keyboard in B minor, K. 27 (L. 449)

BACH-BUSONI
04. Partita for solo violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004: Chaconne

BRAHMS
05. Variations (28) on a Theme of Paganini, for piano, in A minor, Op. 35

CHOPIN
06. Waltz for piano No. 3 in A minor, Op. 34/2, CT. 209
07. Scherzo for piano No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, CT. 197

Disc: 5
BEETHOVEN
01-02. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

CHOPIN
03. Mazurka for piano No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68/4, CT. 99
04. Mazurka for piano No. 29 in A flat major, Op. 41/4, CT. 79
05. Mazurka for piano No. 24 in C major, Op. 33/3, CT. 74
06. Mazurka for piano No. 20 in D flat major, Op. 30/3, CT. 70
07. Mazurka for piano No. 38 in F sharp minor, Op. 59/3, CT. 88
08. Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT. 75
09. Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2

LISZT
10-12. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S. 124 (LW H4)

Disc: 6
SCHUMANN
01-03. Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54

FRANCK
04. Symphonic Variations, for piano & orchestra (also arr. for 2 pianos), M. 46

GRIEG
05-07. Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

Disc: 7
BEETHOVEN
01-04. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3

CHOPIN
05. Mazurka for piano No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68/2, CT. 97
06. Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT. 75
07. Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano & orchestra, Op. 22

GRIEG
08. Badnlat (At the Cradle), lyric piece for piano, Op. 68/5
09. Keyboard Sonata in B flat major [Illy No. 32]: Presto
10. Melancholy, lyric piece for piano, Op. 47/5: No. 5, Melancholy

Disc: 8
SCARLATTI
01. Sonata for keyboard in C minor, K. 11 (L. 352)
02. Sonata for keyboard in C major, K. 159 (L. 104) ‘La caccia’
03. Sonata for keyboard in A major, K. 322 (L. 483)
04. Sonata for keyboard in D minor, K. 9 (L. 413), ‘Pastorale’
05. Sonata for keyboard in B minor, K. 27 (L. 449)

SCHUMANN
06-10. Faschingsschwank aus Wien (‘Phantasiebilder’), for piano, Op. 26

DEBUSSY
11-13. Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110
14-16. Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111

Disc: 9
SCHUBERT
01-03. Piano Sonata No. 4 in A minor, D. 537 (Op. posth. 164)

BRAHMS
04-07. Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10

Disc: 10
MOZART
01-03. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450
04-06. Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, K. 493

Disc: 11
LISZT
01-03. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S. 124 (LW H4)

GRIEG
04. Melancholy, lyric piece for piano, Op. 47/5
05. Badnlat (At the Cradle), lyric piece for piano, Op. 68/5

GRANADOS
06. Spanish Dances (12), in 4 volumes for piano, Op. 37, H. 142, DLR 1:2: Andaluza (Playera)

GALUPPI
07. Keyboard Sonata in B flat major [Illy No. 32]: Presto in B flat Major

CHOPIN
08. Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT. 198
09. Mazurka for piano No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68/2, CT. 97
10. Waltz for piano No. 9 in A flat major (‘L’adieu’) Op. 69/1, CT. 215

GRIEG
11. Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16: Allegro molto moderato (Fragment)

DEBUSSY
12. Reflets dans l’eau, for piano, L. 110/1

MARESCOTTI
13. Fantasque, for piano

VIVALDI
14. Work(s): Unspecified Keyboard Concerto in B minor: III movement, Allegro

BEETHOVEN
15. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major (‘Emperor’), Op. 73: 1st Movement Allegro (fragment)

Disc: 12
DEBUSSY
01-12. Preludes (12) for piano, Book II

LISZT
13. Eglogue, for piano (Annees I/7), S. 160/7 (LW A159/7): Eglogue

Disc: 13
CHOPIN
01. Fantasy for piano in F minor/A flat major, Op. 49, C. 42
02. Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT. 198
03. Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2
04. Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano & orchestra, Op. 22
05. Mazurka for piano No. 43 in G minor, Op. 67/2, CT. 93
06. Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT. 75

Disc: 14
BRAHMS
01-04. Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10

CHOPIN
05-08. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, CT. 202

Disc: 15
BEETHOVEN
01-02. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

CHOPIN
03. Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT. 75
04. Scherzo for piano No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, CT. 197
05. Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano & orchestra, Op. 22

Recordings:
CD1: Citta del Vaticano, Sala Nervi, April 29, 1977
CD2: Citta del Vaticano, Sala Nervi, June 13, 1987
CD3: Citta del Vaticano, Sala Nervi, June 13, 1987 (3-1 to 3-4); Torino, December 1962 (3-5 to 3-11)
CD4: Bregenz, January 15, 1988
CD5: Bregenz, January 15, 1988 (5,1, 5,2); Brescia, June 23, 1967 (5-3 to 5-9); Tokio, April 4, 1965 (5-10 to 5-12)
CD6: New York, November 21, 1948 (6-1 to 6-3); Los Angeles, January 16, 1949 (6-4); Milano, February 9, 1942 (6-5 to 6-7)
CD7: Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón, July 21, 1949
CD8: Helsinki, Arts Center, May 22, 1969
CD9: Auditorium RSI Lugano, 1981
CD10: Mediteranean Sea, Croisière Paquet “Renaissance”, September 19, 1972
CD11: Geneva, July 8, 1939 (11-1 to 11-3); Milano 1939 (11-4 to 11-6); Milano, 1941 (11-7 to 11-10, 11-12, 11-13); Geneva Jul 7, 1941 (11-11); Geneva, November 11, 1942 (11-14, 11-15)
CD12: Stuttgart, October 27, 1982
CD13: Bergenz, March 3, 1985
CD14 Citta del Vaticano, Sala Nervi, April 29, 1977
CD15: London, Barbican Center, May 10, 1990

On Perfecting the Art of Playing the Piano

Arturo Benedetti Michelangelli used to call his master classes “Seminars on Perfecting the Art of Playing the Piano.”

This collection gives ample proof as to why that title was without pretension.

Perhaps no performing artist of the 20th Century was as meticulous in his presentation of his art as Michelangelli, sometimes studying a piece daily for as much as 5 years before he judged himself ready to perform it in public. He performed with a studied lack of showmanship, never changing facial expressions or his posture from the moment he addressed the piano

until he took his bows. What came in between was not merely perfection, but a transcendant experience. His technical mastery, his intelligence, his musical instincts, and his carefully controlled expression of emotion had few, if any, peers. Nothing in this comprehensive program seems difficult, out of place or unconsidered beneath his hands. The Brahms Variations on a Theme by Paganini show such confidence and mastery it’s actually frightening. The Schumann Concerto in A is interesting to compare to Michelangelli’s earlier recording with the La Scalla Orchestra. Though both are beyond criticism, the version here, with Mitropoulos and the NYPO, shows that Michelangelli never stood pat as a performer, and always strove to be even better. Michelangelli’s collaborations with Ansermet were always particularly felicitous, and those included here are no exception.

As Yvgeny Kissin said of Michelangelli: “Such power! Such expression! Such control! And not one wrong note… ANYWHERE!

“The Greatest Pianist!”, so said Richter

Any viewer who has his mind set on well recorded music, this boxset may not be for him!

At first, I also hesitated as I already own a Michelangeli DG boxset with beautiful sound plus some of his other albums. But, once I begin to listen to the records, I knew my hesitations are altogether unnecessary. I now understand why Michelangeli compared himself with Richter, for Richter considered him the greatest pianist of all.

Even though most of the recordings are not of the best quality–including those recorded in 1990 in London– and there are even coughings at times, yet these are all live performances! But his Beethoven no. 32 is one of the very best one could ever imagine! As such, these recordings offer a much fuller view of the greatness of this pianist than the DG set, both as a classical and romantic player, albeit every time Michelangeli played a piece, it is going to more or less the same.

It is not about the absence of wrong notes. As Horowitz said, who cares about these trivialities! It is not even about his command of the keyboard, as this is simply out of the question. Tureck, whom I just spent some time with, has nearly the same kind of power but obviuosly she hasn’t made full use of that power, certainly never as full as Michelangeli. Moreover, the control of the tone of his instrument is just superb, making it sound as he preferred like the combination of an organ and a violin. At times, it is as though we have the power and the feeling of a Verdi or Puccini opera, and at others, it is as though we are left only with a lamenting lute by itself which is so transcendal. And not only is his Schubert interesting– his Beethoven is not much different from his other recordings– his Chopin is so fresh and heart-throbbing…! It is the music which he makes that counts, and from there we can have a glimpse of the great musical mind at work!!

Moreover, there is a booklet with an introduction by his wife who uncovered the various myths that surrounded this great pianist and his view on music and musicians. This is very illuminating as far as Michelangeli’s music making is concerned.