Liszt-Lewenthal Totentanz
Aaron N Siegel
Hello. Several years ago I heard on LP a fantastic rendition of Liszt's
Totentanz by Raymond Lewenthal (*not* Jerome Lowenthal.) If I remember
correctly, Lewenthal introduced a number of his own changes and
additions to the score and the results were, if somewhat blasphemous,
quite interesting.
Since then I have been searching for this recording, on LP or CD, but so
far my efforts have been futile. Does anyone know if this performance
has been re-released on CD, or if there are any plans to do so in the
future? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Aaron
Chase Kimball
In article <Yn91WiG00...@andrew.cmu.edu>, sie...@andrew.cmu.edu
says...
I heard this once as well, and it is almost a complete reworking in some
ways. I thought it very exciting, and considering the transcriptions Liszt
did of everybody under the sun, I cannot help but think he would have
approved.
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Ward Hardman
Chase Kimball (ch...@aros.net) wrote:
: In article <Yn91WiG00...@andrew.cmu.edu>, sie...@andrew.cmu.edu
: >
: >Hello. Several years ago I heard on LP a fantastic rendition of Liszt's
: >Totentanz by Raymond Lewenthal (*not* Jerome Lowenthal.) If I remember
: >correctly, Lewenthal introduced a number of his own changes and
: >additions to the score and the results were, if somewhat blasphemous,
: >quite interesting.
: >
: >Since then I have been searching for this recording, on LP or CD, but so
: >far my efforts have been futile. Does anyone know if this performance
: >has been re-released on CD, or if there are any plans to do so in the
: >future? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
: I heard this once as well, and it is almost a complete reworking in some
: did of everybody under the sun, I cannot help but think he would have
: approved.
: --
forgot to badger Sony for this and the rest of Lewenthal's "Romantic
Revival" series of concerted recordings. How neglectful of me!
My reel tape of this album (paired with the Henselt concerto) describes
this as "Liszt-Lewenthal: Totentanz (with newly discovered material from
the first version)." I have among other Totentanz recordings one on ASV,
featuring Steven Mayer, with Vasary and the LSO, which purports to be the
"1853 version." The album notes state that this version was originally
found and published by Busoni as the "first version, completed on 21
October 1849." The notes continue to say that Busoni may have been misled
by an inscription in the bound volume, and that recently discovered
evidence suggests that Busoni's edition is actually a "second version,"
from 1853.
I'll have to conduct a comparison to see whether Lewenthal plays a
conflation of the 1853 and "standard" versions. A comparison of the
introductory sections shows a series of soft, yet powerful, tam-tam
strokes, joined by the trombone and bassoon intoning the "Dies Irae"
theme, joined soon, after a loud chord from the orchestra, by
the piano for some flashy cadenzas, leading into a full orchestra
statement. Both Lewenthal/MacKerras and Mayer/Vasary are the same here,
with the additional of a tolling bell over the tam-tam strokes in the
former. (This is really evocative.)
I hope I have enough patience to do the rest of the comparison, since I'm
tempted to let each performance run on to the end, instead of stopping to
catch up with the other version.
Farhan Malik
Aaron N Siegel <sie...@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
> Hello. Several years ago I heard on LP a fantastic rendition of Liszt's
> Totentanz by Raymond Lewenthal (*not* Jerome Lowenthal.) If I remember
> correctly, Lewenthal introduced a number of his own changes and
> additions to the score and the results were, if somewhat blasphemous,
> quite interesting.
I'm glad to see a post on Raymond Lewenthal, a great pianist
of the recent past that deserves much more recognition. Along with
being a superb pianist, he was also an ingenius transcriber, and a
champion of unknown repertoire. The Totentanz you mention above was
recorded for Columbia as part of Lewenthal's "Romantic Revival"
project. It first came out on LP coupled with the Henselt Concerto
and was later reissued as part of a double LP set called "The Romantic
Piano."
Lewenthal only made a dozen LPs and these barely scratch the
surface of his capabilities or repertoire. His recital programs
featured numerous other unknown works which he played to perfection.
To give just one example, in Los Angeles he gave a program with first
half containing a Nocturne by John Field, a set of variations by
Hummel, the Dussek F Minor Sonata, and the Donizetti/Liszt Funeral
March from Don Sebastian. His playing was such that he would convince
the listener that each work was a masterpiece that deserved a spot in
the standard repertoire.
Also tragic is the fact that hardly any of his transcriptions
were commercially recorded. He would often play his transcription of
Rachmaninoff's song "How Fair this Sport" or his Horowitzian
transcription of Gliere's Russian Sailor's Dance as encores. The
latter was guaranteed to drive an audience wild.
When Lewenthal was at his best he had few if any equals. I
heard on tape a live performance of the Alkan Symphony that is simply
the greatest playing of Alkan I have ever heard. On this same tape
was a John Field Nocturne played as an encore so beautifully that time
literally stands still. The fifth and final encore was his Russian
Sailor's Dance transcription which is one of the most impressive
things I've ever heard. One can only hope that the recent reissue of
his RCA Alkan recordings by the ELAN label leads to more of Lewenthal
being made available.
Farhan
Y M Smejkal
I actually have a copy of this on vynil. It is an interesting recording,
and is coupled with the Henselt Concerto. I have no idea of where you may
be able to get hold of it...but if you are interested in perhaps
purchasing my copy for a LARGE amount then I may be interested. Feel free
to email me if you wish - taping is another option, but I daren't mention
that on the internet for the benefit of the neighbours!!
EVery good wish,
Yenda.
Chase Kimball (ch...@aros.net) wrote:
: In article <Yn91WiG00...@andrew.cmu.edu>, sie...@andrew.cmu.edu
: says...
: >
: >Hello. Several years ago I heard on LP a fantastic rendition of Liszt's
: >Totentanz by Raymond Lewenthal (*not* Jerome Lowenthal.) If I remember
: >correctly, Lewenthal introduced a number of his own changes and
: >additions to the score and the results were, if somewhat blasphemous,
: >quite interesting.
: >
: >Since then I have been searching for this recording, on LP or CD, but so
: >far my efforts have been futile. Does anyone know if this performance
: >has been re-released on CD, or if there are any plans to do so in the
: >future? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
: >
: >Thanks,
: >Aaron
: I heard this once as well, and it is almost a complete reworking in some
: ways. I thought it very exciting, and considering the transcriptions Liszt
: did of everybody under the sun, I cannot help but think he would have
: approved.
: --
: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
James C.S. Liu
On 16 Mar 1997 23:16:33 -0500, mal...@rci.rutgers.edu (Farhan Malik)
wrote:
> I'm glad to see a post on Raymond Lewenthal, a great pianist
>of the recent past that deserves much more recognition. Along with
>being a superb pianist, he was also an ingenius transcriber, and a
>champion of unknown repertoire. [hack!]
>
> Lewenthal only made a dozen LPs and these barely scratch the
>surface of his capabilities or repertoire.
Only a dozen?!? This seems a little hard to believe, based on very
vague recollections of my old radio station's collection. It is
possible, though, that those dozen LP's were all used frequently,
since they were the only way to find a good deal of Romantic
repertoire at the time (I'm vaguely recalling an EMI LP recreating a
Liszt/Thalberg pianistic duel, a Columbia LP with multi-piano
reductions of orchestral works, and his EMI LP of Kitchen Symphonies,
among many other things). Unfortunately, I never heard him in
concert, or in any recordings of more "standard" repertoire. It
sounds like more's the pity!
--
/James C.S. Liu |"Madness takes its toll.
jame...@yale.edu | Please have exact change."
New Haven, Connecticut | -- Robert Heinlein, _Time Enough for Love_
My opinions have nothing to do with my employer!
Colin Attwell
In article <332ee173...@news.yale.edu>, "James C.S. Liu"
<jame...@yale.edu> writes
Another fabulous recording of Liszt Grande Fantaisie Symphonique
Totentanz - performed by Daria Telizyn piano and the Kiev Symphony
Orchestra is on Claudio Records CR4012-2
http://www.claudio-records.ltd.uk
For more info on this unique world premiere recording
email:- in...@claudio-records.ltd.uk
William Attwell
Farhan Malik
jame...@yale.edu (James C.S. Liu) writes:
>> Lewenthal only made a dozen LPs and these barely scratch the
>>surface of his capabilities or repertoire.
> Only a dozen?!? This seems a little hard to believe, based on very
> vague recollections of my old radio station's collection.
> (I'm vaguely recalling an EMI LP recreating a Liszt/Thalberg
> pianistic duel, a Columbia LP with multi-piano reductions of
> orchestral works, and his EMI LP of Kitchen Symphonies, among many
> other things).
My estimate of a dozen was off by a little. After counting, I
come up with 14 records. These are the only record that I know of:
Thalberg vs. Liszt on Angel
Toy Symphonies on Angel
Scharwenka and Rubinstein on Columbia (includes 7" bonus record)
Liszt Totentanz and Henself on Columbia (includes 7" bonus record)
Alkan on Columbia (includes 7" bonus record)
Alkan on RCA
Liszt Hexameron and Norma on RCA
Concerto mvmts on RCA
Toccatas on Westminster
Beethoven on Wesminster
Moonlight and Keyboard on Westminster
Rachmaninoff 2nd Concerto and Paganini Rhapsody on Westminster
Scriabin on Westminster
Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue on Quintessence/Readers Digest
If you can think of any others let me know as I would like to
collect everything he did.
The record you mention above of multi-piano reductions of
orchestral works is a new one to me. There was a benefit concert
given at Hunter College in which Lewenthal took part. Highlights of
this multi-piano concert were issued on IPA. Maybe that is what you
are thinking of.
> Unfortunately, I never heard him in concert, or in any recordings of
> more "standard" repertoire. It sounds like more's the pity!
There is some standard repertoire out there. He did three
Beethoven Sonatas for Westminster. The Toccatas record contains a few
standard Toccatas on it (Prokofiev, Schumann, Bach C Minor, Ravel).
His Moonlight and Keyboard record includes some standard Debussy and
Chopin among other works. I'd much rather hear him play the
non-standard stuff as there are few who could play it with such
conviction.
Farhan
eac...@aol.com
In article <332ee173...@news.yale.edu>, jame...@yale.edu wrote:
>Raymond Lewenthal...
>Unfortunately, I never heard him in
>concert, or in any recordings of more "standard" repertoire. It
>sounds like more's the pity!
I may have one of his LPs. I did hear him once, as the pianist who
gives a recital in the second act of Giordano's _Fedora_ (Dallas Opera,
1969), a performance that featured Magda Olivero and, I think (!), Bruno
Prevedi. AFAIK, that performance hasn't materialized on CD... --E.A.C.