Bellini-Thalberg Casta diva

[ronde_des_sylphes]

One of my favourite Thalberg transcriptions, taken from his L'art du chant collection. From a recent recital. As ever, comments welcome.

[furtwaengler]

This is absolutely gorgeous! I need to study Thalberg. Liszt is great, but he didn't cover all the famous themes, and I'm not sure he could have treated this with such simplicity and beauty. Thanks so much for sharing!

[ronde_des_sylphes]

This is absolutely gorgeous! I need to study Thalberg. Liszt is great, but he didn't cover all the famous themes, and I'm not sure he could have treated this with such simplicity and beauty. Thanks so much for sharing!

I've come to the conclusion that while many of Thalberg's fantasias are entertaining and well-crafted, his real achievement in the field lies in the op. 70 (L'art du chant applique au piano) set. I think many of these arrangements are exceptional, even if on a few occasions I suspect Thalberg is handicapped by the original source material not being especially distinguished. The point you make about the treatment is pertinent.

You might be interested in two further arrangements from the op. 70 set which I recall being in the audition room:

Voi che sapete (pianovirus): https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=34589.0
A te, o cara (me): https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=34988.0

[rachfan]

Hi ronde,

This performance was wonderful to hear!  You made it sing.  It must have been hard to get the decorative appoggiaturas in the treble to fit exactly as you wanted them into the melodic line.  Fine artistry throughout!  

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Thanks. I've tried a variety of approaches regarding the appogiaturas; here I've attempted to treat them as a vocal "sigh" albeit on the piano.

Video of the performance:

[rachfan]

Hi ronde,

I just watched the video--very beautiful playing!  I much prefer this "sigh" approach to the appoggiaturas.  They are less intrusive and more blended into the natural flow of the line, more relaxed in execution, more coloratura-like, and gently tapered.  Nice!      

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I much prefer this "sigh" approach to the appoggiaturas.  They are less intrusive and more blended into the natural flow of the line, more relaxed in execution, more coloratura-like, and gently tapered.    

I've not had the chance to discuss approaches properly with my teacher so I'm grateful for your opinion. I think it's now more vocal, but I've been playing this piece for so long it's sometimes hard to be objective.

[rachfan]

Hi ronde,

I know exactly your point on objectivity, and being able to analytically justify an approach to be satisfied that it comports with the score.  With the Late Romantics, I search for the soul of a composer until I find it, then I do my best to play it from the heart.  But there are times when I'm practicing that I must pull in the reins.  It's the counterbalancing concern for objectivity manifesting itself, which is always a good thing.

[pytheamateur]

One of my favourite Thalberg transcriptions, taken from his L'art du chant collection. From a recent recital. As ever, comments welcome.

Thanks for sharing this.  Have you played the transcription by Yvar Mikhashoff as well?  Do you like it?  This is also the version Jean-Yves Thibaudet chose for his CD.

[pianoplayjl]

Nice. THey transcriptions by Thalberg are comparable to Liszt but as ever are neglected. Thx for sharing. Looking foward to hearing more Thalberg.

[birba]

Interesting.  Wonderful playing.  Beautiful sweet tone.  I've decided I must learn this piece!  I worked years and years in the theatre and to finally play this piece the way I want it, would be very gratifying.  I noticed a few differences in the embellishments - and even a few harmonic differences.  A great encore piece.  Yes, I MUST learn it.  I tried a few of the other from op.70 - but this is one of the most successful, I think.
Bravo.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Thanks for sharing this.  Have you played the transcription by Yvar Mikhashoff as well?  Do you like it?  This is also the version Jean-Yves Thibaudet chose for his CD.

I've not played it, though I have heard Thibaudet's recording. I always enjoy Thibaudet's playing, but I wasn't absolutely convinced by the Mikhashoff arrangement: I couldn't make up my mind whether the mock-Chopin r.h. ornamentations were appropriate or not. Of course, Chopin loved Bellini, but in some sense I felt the additions detracted somewhat from the simple purity of the original. A matter of taste, I guess. The only other version I've played is the l.h. only one by Adolfo Fumagalli:

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Nice. THey transcriptions by Thalberg are comparable to Liszt but as ever are neglected. Thx for sharing. Looking foward to hearing more Thalberg.

Taken as a whole, Liszt's transcriptions are superior, but there are still plenty gems hidden within Thalberg's output: this I believe to be one of them, and it is unfortunate that they are so rarely performed.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Interesting.  Wonderful playing.  Beautiful sweet tone.  I've decided I must learn this piece!  I worked years and years in the theatre and to finally play this piece the way I want it, would be very gratifying.  I noticed a few differences in the embellishments - and even a few harmonic differences.  A great encore piece.  Yes, I MUST learn it.  I tried a few of the other from op.70 - but this is one of the most successful, I think.
Bravo.

Thanks. It would be very gratifying to play any piece exactly how I want it! There's always something you hear afterwards which isn't quite right. I agree it is one of the most successful from op. 70; the starting material is of course more distinguished than in some of the others.