Thalberg?

[chopinlover01]

I talked to a member of this forum (whom is probably obvious by now given the subject), who recommended the Op. 16 nocturnes for easing myself into Thalberg (whom I've been falling in love with recently), and I've printed out the second of those two nocturnes (still rather difficult though).
Once I've completed those two nocturnes (and potentially some others), what are some other good pieces of Thalberg's? Where should I start with transcriptions? I'm listening to the etudes right now, but that's about all I've heard.

[kevonthegreatpianist]

the second nocturne is hard!

I'm going to let someone else answer because i have pretty much no knowledge of thalberg

[visitor]

love love Thalberg, he is sometimes referred to and pitted as a rival to F Liszt.

Give op 75 a look and listen, these 24 pieces in hommage to Rossini are great, you can pick and choose based on your liking and level.
this is probably my favorite of his solo op. (favorite piece of his period is over on concerto side)

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Yes, the Soirees de Pausilippe are quite sweet pieces.

I'd definitely suggest his Casta diva arrangement.
(sorry, but I have feel obliged to self-quote here!)
this is my studio recording of it being reviewed on radio:

https://soundcloud.com/andrew-wright-35/classic-fm-broadcast-david-mellor-plays-casta-diva-from-my-cd-and-reviews-it

It's quite accessible really.

I believe his two best paraphrases are on La Sonnambula and on La Traviata, see here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=57066.0 (sorry, me again! but I have been very interested in his work for a while  (Oleg Marshev's version is really interesting, not sure if I agree completely with it, but it's definitely in the grand manner!)

These two pieces are, imo, quite terrific, but they're also extremely difficult in places.

[mjames]

love love Thalberg, he is sometimes referred to and pitted as a rival to F Liszt.

Sometimes? MOST OF THE TIMES..and it bugs me SO MUCH! It's like John Field and Chopin...whenever someone brings Field up it's probably because theyre talking about Chopin.

I dig the op. 75 stuff, i used to listen to it whilst playing league. I like his fantasias and paraphrases the most though, and one of the works I plan to play in the near future is

I love this one. So fun! Thalberg was a fun fun composer.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Sometimes? MOST OF THE TIMES..and it bugs me SO MUCH! It's like John Field and Chopin...whenever someone brings Field up it's probably because theyre talking about Chopin.

Yes, it's pretty lame the way Thalberg is often only brought up as a foil to show how great Liszt was. Liszt was great, and certainly a superior composer (largely due to his greater invention, both formal and harmonic), but the fact is Thalberg was the nearest serious rival Liszt had as a pianist, and he was very serious competition, so by definition Thalberg was a fantastic pianist. Thalberg's fantasies show his best side: the thematic material is already there, it's successful operatic melody and all he has to do is manipulate it pianistically. He's more of a classicist at heart than Liszt and that's where people go wrong in evaluating him, because people compare them from the same initial viewpoint, ie the Lisztian one!

[visitor]

word to all of the above.
another favo of mine, right alongside op 75, this op 80 is lovely

and if you feel brave enough, give the scherzo a whirl, op 31

[pencilart3]

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;u=6723
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;u=5247

here you go