Liszt: Transcendental ¿¿tudes

by Alim Beisembayev

Overview

The commonly used English title Transcendental Etudes fails to capture the flavor of the original French title, Etudes d'execution transcendante ("Etudes of transcendental execution"). These are, despite all the fireworks, true etudes, concerned with specific technical issues, and they were dedicated to the master of the piano study, Carl Czerny. Young pianist Alim Beisembayev shows nerve in going up against the existing performances of these works, particularly the one by Igor Levit that appeared not long before, but Beisembayev offers confident readings that differ from those of the tempestuous Levit and stand up to others on the market. His strength is that his execution is indeed transcendental, with clean renditions of the finger-crunching pieces (sample Mazeppa, No. 4) that are relaxed enough for the pianist to suggest longer lines. There is a kind of warmth in his playing that flowers in full in the final D flat major piece from the Six Consolations, one of two short pieces that ring down the curtain from a compelling set of etudes. This release serves notice that Beisembayev, the winner of the 2021 Leeds Piano Competition and possessor of a following in both East (he is Kazakh) and West, is a talent to watch in the Russian-school virtuoso arena. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	08/09/2024
Label:	Warner Classics
UPC:	5054197296451
Rank:	8207

Tracks

1. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 1, Preludio. Presto
2. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 2, Fus¿¿es. Molto vivace
3. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 3, Paysage. Poco adagio
4. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 4, Mazeppa. Presto
5. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 5, Feux follets. Allegretto
6. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 6, Vision. Lento
7. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 7, Eroica. Allegro
8. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 8, Wilde Jagd. Presto furioso
9. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 9, Ricordanza. Andantino
10. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 10, Appassionata. Allegro agitato molto
11. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 11, Harmonies du soir. Andantino
12. 12 ¿¿tudes d'ex¿¿cution transcendante, S. 139~No. 12, Chasse-neige. Andante con moto
13. 3 ¿¿tudes de concert, S. 144: No. 2 in F Minor "La leggierezza"
14. 6 Consolations, S. 172: No. 3 in D-Flat Major

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Alim Beisembayev   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Franz Liszt   Composer