In search of Ferrucio Busoni

[iumonito]

Hi All,

I am curious to find out whether we have some die-hard Busoni fans in the forum.  I am a big fan of the Carmen sonatina and of the Bach transcriptions, but I don't know very well the rest of his output.

My interest du jour are his Clavierubung (sorry, no umlaut handy) and his transcription of Bach's Goldberg variations (incidentally, the summit of Bach's clavierubungen).  Busoni's 'keyboard practice' (or "exercise") includes such notable pieces as his transcription of Bach d minor violin solo Chaconne.

Even though this 6-volume work is likely in the public domain in USA, getting the books from Burt & Company runs more than $100.  I am wondering whether anyone here is familiar with this work, knows where to get a legal free copy, has played any of it, etc.

It seems a neglected and worthwhile part of the literature.

[practicingnow]

I am also an admirer of Busoni's work, both musical and theoretical (he wrote some very interesting and forward looking essays).
As a transcriber he was among the greatest, and I have often thought that the Bach-Busoni Chacone may be the greatest piano transcription ever made by any composer (of those that I know of...)
As a pianist, we only have a small sample of reliable acoustic recordings, but among them, his recording of the Liszt 13th Rhapsody (which I'm sure you've heard) is absolutely majestic and thrilling.
Have you heard his own Toccata?  Very interesting piece I think.
Yes, the Carmen Sonatina is very good work, fun and interesting.  Having done some transcriptions myself, I can acutely appreciate his cleverness and the understanding that he had in that genre.
And of course, Artur Rubinstein called Busoni the greatest pianist of them all - not a bad testimonial from not a bad pianist.
I've never seen the edition of Bach works that you mentioned - I should look for that!

[jre58591]

his piano concerto continues to blow my mind. how could a work be so long, yet so concise and entertaining? also, that chaconne in d minor is one of my favorite bach transcriptions.

[thalbergmad]

Hi All,

I am curious to find out whether we have some die-hard Busoni fans in the forum.  I am a big fan of the Carmen sonatina and of the Bach transcriptions, but I don't know very well the rest of his output.

My interest du jour are his Clavierubung (sorry, no umlaut handy) and his transcription of Bach's Goldberg variations (incidentally, the summit of Bach's clavierubungen).  Busoni's 'keyboard practice' (or "exercise") includes such notable pieces as his transcription of Bach d minor violin solo Chaconne.

Even though this 6-volume work is likely in the public domain in USA, getting the books from Burt & Company runs more than $100.  I am wondering whether anyone here is familiar with this work, knows where to get a legal free copy, has played any of it, etc.

It seems a neglected and worthwhile part of the literature.

Everything you want is here

https://www.megaupload.com/?d=K66ZBEAY

Thal

[panic]

Busoni's Op. 39 is easily my favorite of all concerti and will probably stay that way, and I do personally consider it the greatest ever written. I'll be the last person to suggest that it's a perfect work or anything near, but the sheer number of memorable moments in the fourth movement alone (the ones you want to rewind and listen to again over and over) exceeds any other ENTIRE concerto in my mind. Not to mention the best piano entrance ever in the first movement - listen to the Ohlsson version; never has piano music sounded so cathedrallike.

A program guide to an Argerich Rach 3 recording I used to listen to said that Rach 3 was "arguably the most opulent and daunting of all piano concertos." Now when I think of that I just think wow, someone's missing out.

[jre58591]

thanks mike for all that busoni!

the busoni op 39 piano concerto, in my opinion, outdoes rach 3 in all aspects: difficulty, virtuosity, beauty, length, everything. if you havent heard it, go out and listen to it. ohlsson's rec is good, but in my opinion, hamelin's is better. a lot of people hate on his recording, but i dont see why. ive heard quite a few recordings of this concerto and i still think his is the best.

[iumonito]

Everything you want is here

https://www.megaupload.com/?d=K66ZBEAY

Thal

Remarkable.  Thanks.

[exigence]

Everything you want is here

https://www.megaupload.com/?d=K66ZBEAY

Thal

Very nice, thank you!

[prometheus]

I love the organ fugues transcribed for piano played with romantic pianism.

Especially Fugue BWV 532 by Demidenko.

[thalbergmad]

I love the organ fugues transcribed for piano played with romantic pianism.

Especially Fugue BWV 532 by Demidenko.

Yes, me to.

I am not the greatest lover of Busoni's original works, but i concede that as a transcriber of the works of Bach, he was possibly the tops.

Thal

[iumonito]

I took a peek last night and this is deffinitely very worthwhile repertoire.  It seems to me that Busoni concentrates on the musical applicability of a particular technical aspect.  This seems to me eons more practical than Cortot's rational principles and more varied and musically pleasing than Brahms.

I wonder if conceptually Bach's partitas, concerto Italiano, Goldberg variations and the rest of the clavier ubung are akin to BUsoni's; that is, archetypical example of specific techniques as applied in the literature (with the difference that in Bach's the musical content is all brand new - except for the chorale preludes).  Interesting, food for thought.

I am going to start to plow my way through this. Any takers?  We can have a book club and exchange impressions.  For starters, the arrangements of Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann Barcarolle and of Mozart's Deh vieni alla finestra from Don Giovanni are just darling.  I will try to post a homemade recording in a few days if I can find the concentration to learn them.

Thanks again, Thal.

[minor9th]

Check out Fantasia Contrapuntistica--quite a demanding piece. Ogdon's recording on Altarus is staggering.

[ahinton]

Check out Fantasia Contrapuntistica--quite a demanding piece. Ogdon's recording on Altarus is staggering.

Indeed it is - and so is the piece itself! A new recording of it by Carlo Grante on the American Music & Arts label is also due out next month; I've not heard him play this work but if his accounts of the same composer's concerto in Rome last March are anything to go by, this will probably be worth checking out, too.

Best,

Alistair

[jre58591]

Indeed it is - and so is the piece itself! A new recording of it by Carlo Grante on the American Music & Arts label is also due out next month; I've not heard him play this work but if his accounts of the same composer's concerto in Rome last March are anything to go by, this will probably be worth checking out, too.

do you know if carlo grante will record the busoni piano concerto? i liked his recordings of the other busoni piano/orchestra pieces.

havent heard ogdon's fantasia contrappuntistica. ive only heard christopher o'riley's i think, but i liked it.

[iumonito]

Little bump,

I am considering buying the Schirmer edition of the Liszt-Busoni Mephisto Waltz (No. 1).

Anyone one out there who plays or has read this and care to comment?

[ahinton]

do you know if carlo grante will record the busoni piano concerto? i liked his recordings of the other busoni piano/orchestra pieces.

In 2008, I believe.

Best,

Alistair

[panic]

I already mentioned this in another thread, but the fugue that closes the op. 22 Chopin Variations is one of my favorite pieces of that length. A basically perfect melding of academic counterpoint and dramatic effect, and the entire thing just basically sounds awesome.

[mephisto]

Little bump,

I am considering buying the Schirmer edition of the Liszt-Busoni Mephisto Waltz (No. 1).

Anyone one out there who plays or has read this and care to comment?

I would advise you not to, and this comes from a Busoni fan...

[iumonito]

I would advise you not to, and this comes from a Busoni fan...

Would you care to elaborate?

[ian_j]

Busoni's Op. 39 is easily my favorite of all concerti ...  Not to mention the best piano entrance ever in the first movement

The Busoni is superb, but for openings, the Brahms 1st edges it for me ...

[pianistimo]

will megauploading do something bad to the computer?  it says the link has expired.  perhaps i shall simply choose 'ringtones.' 

a bit about the transcription of the bach C major fugue is here:

https://my.dreamwiz.com/fischer/Bach-Busoni/Bach-BusoniE.htm

[solving]

Check out Fantasia Contrapuntistica--quite a demanding piece. Ogdon's recording on Altarus is staggering.

Ogden studied with Egon Petri, Busoni's protege and close associate, who recorded it (and some Bach -Busoni) for Westminster in 1956. Worth a listen if you can find it.
When I studied with Petri, he had much to say about Busoni, and passed on some fascinating performance tips from Busoni concerning the Liszt Sonata and other works.

[bassoonypiano]

Can someone point me in the direction of a recording of (I think he did this though I am not 100% sure) of Busoni's arrangement of Liszts Spanish Rhapsody for piano and orchestra. I am sure I read somewhere that this exists and am interested in listening to it. Thanks for any info!

[pastymorant]

[RE looking for superior recording of "Rhapsodie Espagnol" by F Liszt (arr. by F Busoni) - Egon Petri made numerous splendidly lucid recordings, incl. of this work

[sordel]

the busoni op 39 piano concerto, in my opinion, outdoes rach 3 in all aspects

Fortunately we don't have to choose, but I certainly listen to Busoni's piano concerto in preference to many concerti, including the Rachmaninoff. The climax is one of those moments that can bring tears to my eyes almost every time I hear it. Thanks to the infamous acoustic of the Royal Albert Hall, the live recording that I own (Peter Donohoe) is rather muddy, but the power of the work comes through undiminished.

As for his solo piano works, I bought the 6-cd series performed by Geoffrey Douglas Madge on the only occasion that I saw it for sale and have never had reason to regret the decision.

[argerichfan]

I have seven recordings of the Busoni, including Donohoe, but no one IMO matches Ogdon. It's the recording I always come back to, and yes, I am a bit obsessed with the piece.