Tausig's arrangement of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, vs Busoni

[robertus]

I received for Xmas the Dover edition of piano transcriptions (A wonderful gift!  I've played through the Tausig transcription of the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor.

I strikes me as so much better than Busoni's (which I've played for more years than I care to remember); for the following reasons:
1) It's much easier (to my great surprise!);
2) It sounds just as good, if not better;
3) It's got a better 'signature'- everyone plays the Busoni, and audiences probably think "Here we go again.....", but if you stick a Tausig transcription in your program, people will be impressed;
4) Being basically simpler than the Busoni version, you can play it louder/faster, and thus make a bigger impact on your audiences.

[thalbergmad]

For many years, Tausig's version was the encore of choice after recitals, but it has rather gone out of fashion along with much of his work.
I cannot comment on the difficulty as I have never played it, but I have played his transcription of Weber's Invitation to The Dance, which took me about a month when I was at the height of my powers.
His "Halka" Variations is miles above anything I could ever manage.
Glad you are playing one of his works.

[perfect_pitch]

Nah - for me, it's Busoni all the way. I love his Chaconne in d minor transcription of Bach's as well as it really captures the sound, majesty and greatness of the organ throughout.

Have a listen to this and see what you think, I was quite impressed with this recording.

[robertus]

For many years, Tausig's version was the encore of choice after recitals, but it has rather gone out of fashion along with much of his work.
I cannot comment on the difficulty as I have never played it, but I have played his transcription of Weber's Invitation to The Dance, which took me about a month when I was at the height of my powers.
His "Halka" Variations is miles above anything I could ever manage.
Glad you are playing one of his works.

I've played his "Ghost Ship" (a tremendously noisy and violent piece, with chromatic glissandi- one hand on black notes, and the other on white!), and also his transcription of the Ride of Valkyries.

But the "Invitation" is way too hard and complicated for me! I've had a run through the Halka Variations- it struck me as less complicated in actual musical substance than the transcription of the "Invitation," but maybe more athletic. 

His arrangement of Schubert Military March struck me as being virtually indistinguishable from that of Liszt. 

[robertus]

Nah - for me, it's Busoni all the way. I love his Chaconne in d minor transcription of Bach's as well as it really captures the sound, majesty and greatness of the organ throughout.

Have a listen to this and see what you think, I was quite impressed with this recording.

Hmm....it's clean and accurate. Honestly, it sounds a little weak, slow and thin to me....just my opinion, though. No doubt, he's a very good pianist.

[symphonicdance]

Siloti and Cortet had also well transcribed Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor.