Edinburgh Festival - recitals of operatic transcriptions

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Ordinarily I would not bother posting this, but as it is an famous international event and I suppose there is a remote chance that someone from this forum might be around..

Anyway, I am happy to say that I will be giving two recitals of operatic transcriptions as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (that's Edinburgh, Scotland, UK!), on August 21st and 26th.

More details very shortly.

[pianistimo]

very cool.  hope it all goes well.  if i had the money, i would come.  all the best! 

[etudes]

will you play the great Liszt Norma? if yes then record it!

[ronde_des_sylphes]

very cool.  hope it all goes well.  if i had the money, i would come.  all the best! 

Thanks for the encouragement!

will you play the great Liszt Norma? if yes then record it!

I'd love to do Norma sometime. Unfortunately the G major section with the octaves has caused me problems in the past.

I will be playing some Liszt transcriptions - Lucia de Lammermoor, Fantasy on Rienzi, Evening Star from Tannhauser, and Isolde's Liebestod; also Thalberg Moses Fantasy and Casta diva, in addition a couple of very obscure fantasies by Martucci and Pixis and a couple of my own arrangements.

The venue is St Mark's artSpace, Edinburgh, UK. Performance times will be 1715 on Tuesday 21st August, and 2000 on Sunday 26th August.

[preludium]

I just quit my job in Paris and will move to Edinburgh in two weeks, since I found a nice employment there. During the first days I will be busy with finding an accommodation and all the administrative stuff you have to get sorted when changing countries, even if it's within the EU. If I'll have settled down early enough I'll try to get a ticket for the Sunday performance. I love the Moses Fantasy you put on youtube and I'm quite fond of Wagner's music, even though I find piano transcriptions of orchestral music a mixed blessing - I always hear the orchestra "behind" the piano. Anyway, I like your taste, and this would probably be a good opportunity for me to get familiar with cultural life in Edinburgh. Still have to get used to the Scottish accent... 

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Good luck with the relocation and the administrative stuff..

If you're able to come along, that would be great.

And good luck with Scottish accents 

[etudes]

Thanks for the encouragement!


I'd love to do Norma sometime. Unfortunately the G major section with the octaves has caused me problems in the past.

I will be playing some Liszt transcriptions - Lucia de Lammermoor, Fantasy on Rienzi, Evening Star from Tannhauser, and Isolde's Liebestod; also Thalberg Moses Fantasy and Casta diva, in addition a couple of very obscure fantasies by Martucci and Pixis and a couple of my own arrangements.

The venue is St Mark's artSpace, Edinburgh, UK. Performance times will be 1715 on Tuesday 21st August, and 2000 on Sunday 26th August.

I actually tried Norma and that leaps in LH section you mentioned didnt really cause me problem,I have more trouble with the 3 hands B maj Arp section (which you recorded video) I never played it smooth enough.... and of course the freaky hands crossing jumps and the end is the worse...never get any right notes...
good luck and have fun with concert...No Don juan,Robert le Diable? possibly my 3 fav (along with Norma)

[ronde_des_sylphes]

good luck and have fun with concert...No Don juan,Robert le Diable? possibly my 3 fav (along with Norma)

Thanks.. actually I am doing Robert le Diable - just not the Liszt version. I could have put lots ot Liszt transcriptions in but I rather wanted to give some time to other composers also.  J.P. Pixis, if he is remembered for anything nowadays, it is probably for writing one of the variations in "Hexameron", but his caprice on Robert le Diable is quite entertaining. No-one has recorded it, so it would be nice if I can get a decent video/recording of the composition. The Liszt Don Juan is so difficult.. I can prepare about half a dozen "normal" transcriptions in the time it would take to get it ready.. 

[etudes]

Thanks.. actually I am doing Robert le Diable - just not the Liszt version. I could have put lots ot Liszt transcriptions in but I rather wanted to give some time to other composers also.  J.P. Pixis, if he is remembered for anything nowadays, it is probably for writing one of the variations in "Hexameron", but his caprice on Robert le Diable is quite entertaining. No-one has recorded it, so it would be nice if I can get a decent video/recording of the composition. The Liszt Don Juan is so difficult.. I can prepare about half a dozen "normal" transcriptions in the time it would take to get it ready.. 

yeah...Pixis from Hexameron,try Liszt version as well...horrendously difficult,IMO i would rather go with Don juan than half a dozen of normal transcription!

[thalbergmad]

J.P. Pixis, if he is remembered for anything nowadays, it is probably for writing one of the variations in "Hexameron", but his caprice on Robert le Diable is quite entertaining.

Splendid decision, i hope you record it.

Thal

[ronde_des_sylphes]

i would rather go with Don juan than half a dozen of normal transcription!

I play it for my own amusement, but realistically it is not currently at performance level. If you like Don Juan and Norma, you should take a look at Tausig's Fantasy on Moniuszko's Halka - great piece, difficult too. With luck I'll try to arrange to perform it some time in the next year.

  J.P. Pixis, if he is remembered for anything nowadays, it is probably for writing one of the variations in "Hexameron", but his caprice on Robert le Diable is quite entertaining.

Splendid decision, i hope you record it.

Thal

I imagine I will at least be able to have it videoed.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I have decided to post the full video of the second recital (in ten parts) on youtube/in the audition room. I hope it is of interest. I had a few memory slips and small problems with the piano (two keys were prone to sticking in!), but overall it was a lot of fun. Tiring though

[thalbergmad]

Looking forward to the Pixis old chap.

Thal

[burstroman]

I love the Thalberg transcription of 'Casta Diva', chaste and straight forward. Thanks for programming it.  Do you ever play the Moszkowski transcription of the 'Barcarolle' from "Les Contes d'Hoffman"?  I wish you the best.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I love the Thalberg transcription of 'Casta Diva', chaste and straight forward. Thanks for programming it.  Do you ever play the Moszkowski transcription of the 'Barcarolle' from "Les Contes d'Hoffman"?  I wish you the best.

Casta diva was a nice contrast to the usual more flamboyant transcriptions, I felt. I don't currently play the Moszkowski, but I'll make a point of checking it out.