Wagner-Liszt Isolde's Liebestod (studio recording)

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Made last autumn - my favourite transcription, and it is the fifth track on my first professionally recorded CD. Steinway Model D.

Hope you enjoy it - comments welcome.

[p2u_]

youtube.com/watch?v=IF49kHDUQok

Hope you enjoy it - comments welcome.

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[ronde_des_sylphes]

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That's a very enigmatic way of replying I didn't get it at first. I was tempted to reply in the same way!

[ted]

Yes, that is indeed a beautiful piece of music, how much due to Wagner and how much to Liszt is hard to say, probably mostly the former for those luscious melodies and changes, but I guess it doesn't matter in the end. Since I bought it your CD has sat at the ready on my hi-fi. Best CD I have bought in quite a while.

[rachfan]

Bravo!  this is an absolutely splendid rendition of this difficult transcription, and a long-time favorite of mine. I very much enjoyed listening.  And congratulations on your new CD as well!

David

[outin]

This may not be my favorite kind of music but I find your playing so beautiful that I'm just waiting for your CD to appear on ITunes...

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Yes, that is indeed a beautiful piece of music, how much due to Wagner and how much to Liszt is hard to say, probably mostly the former for those luscious melodies and changes, but I guess it doesn't matter in the end. Since I bought it your CD has sat at the ready on my hi-fi. Best CD I have bought in quite a while.

Thanks, ted. I was a bit lost for words when you posted last time in my thread regarding the CD release, so I'm glad to have the opportunity to say I was really quite touched by what you said there. It's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said about my playing.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Bravo!  this is an absolutely splendid rendition of this difficult transcription, and a long-time favorite of mine. I very much enjoyed listening.  And congratulations on your new CD as well!

David

Thanks, David. It's taken me a long time to get this CD ready, but for me it's been worth the wait, and I'm glad I didn't rush into it.

This may not be my favorite kind of music but I find your playing so beautiful that I'm just waiting for your CD to appear on ITunes...

Much appreciated! It's actually already there: https://itunes.apple.com/album/a-night-at-the-opera/id595897047

[pianovirus]

Hi ronde,

I just came back to listen to this again on Youtube, so it's only fair to leave a comment on how much I appreciate this! I think it's really a great recording from any perspective, recording sound, piano sound, but first and foremost your piano playing! You play with all the delicacy required for this wonderful transcription.

Besides that, I think it's also a great achievement that you have really done it, recorded this CD. I remember you had these plans for years. I haven't been this active on PS (but of course never away from the piano ), so it's really wonderful to see these plans have finally come true! I hope you celebrated this happy moment properly!

Cheers,
pianovirus

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I think it's really a great recording from any perspective, recording sound, piano sound, but first and foremost your piano playing! You play with all the delicacy required for this wonderful transcription.

Besides that, I think it's also a great achievement that you have really done it, recorded this CD. I remember you had these plans for years.

Thanks - I'm glad I went the extra mile and hired an expensive hall with a very nice piano, as opposed to a cheaper church with just an ok piano. I can't believe it took me so long to complete the project, but it's been done to a significantly higher standard than it would have been three or four years ago. Plus it meant I was able to include Thalberg's La traviata, which I think is (with his La Sonnambula) his best paraphrase, and to the best of my knowledge there were only two extant recordings of it. I was very careful with the CD to only include pieces which I had really thought about; although it is intentional that there are rarities on the disc, I don't believe in wasting my (and the listener's) time with tepid run-throughs where the only goal appears to be the existence of a recording of the piece.

[emill]

hello,

I've always loved this piece by Wagner ..... personally I feel you have done justice to the piece ....
beautiful, powerful and romantic!!!   THANKS!!!
excellent recording too!!

emill

[ronde_des_sylphes]

hello,

I've always loved this piece by Wagner ..... personally I feel you have done justice to the piece ....
beautiful, powerful and romantic!!!   THANKS!!!
excellent recording too!!

emill

Thanks! It's also one of my absolute favourite pieces of music, both in the original version and in this arrangement.