Tausig from Acte Prealable

[thalbergmad]

http://www.acteprealable.com/albums/soon_ap0359.html   

Indeed, me old mate Artur Cimirro seems to have been busy. A definite purchase from me.

Thal

[Jonathan]

Likewise!

[Rob H]

I am absurdly happy about this. I hope that this means that Cimirro's other plans will come to fruition - his website at one point said that he was planning to record the complete Tausig as well as the complete Michalowoski and Friedman. A worthy if lengthy project.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The Halka Fantasy must be one of the most difficult pieces ever written for the piano.  Very exciting to listen to. What a pity Tausig's piano concerto seems to be lost - if indeed he did write one and Dannreuther was not mistaken.

[thalbergmad]

The difficulties of the Halka are appalling, but i wager Artur has got sufficient horsepower for this work and he might even surpass Ponti.

Unless I am missing out, there do not appear to have been many Tausig releases over the last few years, possibly because they are unlikely to be a huge sellers and possibly because the "Wangs" and "Bangs" couldn't cope with it.

The World don't need another set of Chopin Etudes.

Thal

[Martin Eastick]

Re the Halka Fantaisie - it will be interesting to see if he attempts the virtually unplayable prestissimo chromatic run in sixths in the left hand where even Ponti had to opt for the easier ossia in single notes! I have tried on many occasions to work out how to do this as written, without success!

Anyway, a most enticing prospect all round!

[thalbergmad]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kZljYj0Tko

Artur has sent me this and asked me to post it here.

Seems like he plays the run in sixths to my ears.

Thal

[Jonathan]

Indeed, brilliant stuff (as I said on you-tube)!  It also says "Complete original works vol.1" - here's hoping for more...

[kolaboy]

Would this be a volume one? I was hoping someone would tackle the set of ten preludes...

[Rob H]

Cimirro's old website listed forthcoming projects (the new one doesn't).
First on the list was the complete Tausig starting with the original works, then two or three CDs dealing with the Liszt Symphonic Poem transcriptions and on to all the other arrangements.

After that he mentioned the complete Michalowski and complete (?) Friedman - that would be glorious if it ever happens.

That said and pleased as I am that these works are seeing the light of day, the Halka performance isn't everything I'd hoped for. He has the odd habit of slowing down and speeding up the music - of particular note is the bar containing contrary thirds (at 2'13" in the clip) 12 bars into the Polonaise; I know it's an awkward bar but he nearly halves the tempo. Then he doubles the tempo in the 8 bars before the "quasi campanella".

Rob

[Martin Eastick]

Unfortunately, I have to say that I am most disappointed with this attempt at the Halka Fantasy - it seems obvious to me that the abrupt tempo changes are brazenly deliberate and destroy any sense of continuity - furthermore there seem to be a fair number of textual inaccuracies which are glaringly obvious to the casual listener, let alone those of us who have a copy of the score to hand! Whilst I appreciate the immense technical challenges that this work throws down I have to say that this performance seems to be a travesty of Tausig's intentions and at best rather underwhelming!

[Gareth Vaughan]

I am sorry to say I have to agree. I listened to the YouTube recording yesterday with the score. Very disappointing. Everything Martin says is true.