sign in sign up
<<
Home , Salle Le Peletier, Saverio Mercadante, Sigismond Thalberg

THALBERG Apothéose & fantasies on French

Mark Viner 1812-1871 Sigismond Thalberg was born on the 8th January 1812 in Pâquis, a town just outside , Switzerland. While he was generally accepted to have been the illegitimate child of Prince Franz Joseph von Dietrichstein (1767- 1854) and Baroness Maria Julia Wetzlar von Plankenstern, his birth certificate APOTHÉOSE & FANTASIES ON FRENCH OPERAS gives a certain Joseph Thalberg and Fortunée Stein as his parents, both 1 Fantaisie sur des motifs de l’opéra from -am-Main. We can safely regard these names as a fabrication de Meyerbeer, Op.20 14’49 made on behalf of his aristocratic forbears in an attempt to avert scandal. Furthermore, the title of von Thalberg is among numerous titles held by the 2 Grand Caprice sur des motifs de l’opéra Prince von Dietrichstein. Charles VI de F. Halévy, Op.48* 10’29 While little is known about Thalberg’s early musical training, it’s likely that his mother, an accomplished amateur pianist herself, provided her son with L’Art du chant appliqué au piano, Op.70 his first musical instruction. In the spring of 1826, he arrived in London to 3 VII. Bella adorata incognita, romance de l’opéra study with (1794-1870). A year later his Op.1, Fantaisie et de Mercadante 7’20 Variations sur des différens motifs de l’opéra Euyranthe de C. M. de Weber, 4 XIX. Casta diva, cavatine de l’opéra was published, and in 1830 he made the acquaintance of Frédéric Chopin de Bellini 6’52 (1810-1849), (1809-1849) and the ten year old Clara Wieck (1819-1896) in . 5 Grande Fantaisie sur des motifs de l’opéra He arrived in Paris in 1835, playing at a private concert of the Hungarian- de D. F. E. Auber, Op.52* 13’34 born Austrian diplomat, Count Rudolf Apponyi (1812-1876), later participating in a concert of the Société des Concerts du and giving 6 Grand Caprice sur la Marche de l’Apothéose his first solo concert in the French capital on the 16th April 1836. It caused a de Berlioz, Op.58* 11’00 sensation. It was during this period that Liszt, having eloped to Switzerland with the Countess d’Agoult (1805-1876), heard of Thalberg’s triumphs, later comparing himself to the exiled Napoleon. Upon Liszt’s return to Paris, a rivalry *first recordings developed between the two virtuosi which culminated in their famous ‘ivory duel’ on the 31st March 1837 at the salon of the Princess Cristina di Belgiojoso Mark Viner piano

Recording: 12/13 June 2018, Westvest Church, Schiedam, The Netherlands Producer: Pieter van Winkel Engineer, editing: Peter Arts Piano: Steinway D, tuned by Charles Rademaker Cover: Jean-Victor Schnetz (1787-1870), Le Combat devant l’Hôtel de Ville le 28 juillet 1830 Photo of the title page of the first edition of Thalberg’s Grand Caprice sur la Marche de l’Apothéose de Berlioz, Op.58: © British Library Board (g.610.c.11) ℗ & © 2019 Piano Classics Piano Classics is a trade name of Brilliant Classics B.V. (1808-1871). The Princess, best remembered for masterminding the creation Fantaisie sur des motifs de l’opéra Les Huguenots de Meyerbeer, Op.20 of the Hexaméron variations, later diplomatically stated “Thalberg is the first For all its twenty-odd pages of music, Thalberg’s Fantaisie sur des motifs de pianist in the world; Liszt is unique.” l’opéra Les Huguenots de Meyerbeer, Op.20, must have been composed in It was during this period of his career that Thalberg developed the so- great haste as it appeared a mere six weeks after the première of Giacomo called ‘three-hand effect’ where a melody is passed between the hands which Meyerbeer’s (1791-1864) at the Salle Le Peletier on the 29th February simultaneously busy themselves with rapid, usually arpeggic, figurations in the 1836. The work opens with a sort of preamble on the Lutheran chorale which treble and accompanying chords in the bass, thus creating the aural illusion of so dominates the opera, Ein feste Burg ist Unser Gott – (A Mighty Fortress is three hands at the keyboard. The impact this new device had on piano writing our Lord), which becomes increasingly contrapuntal before giving way to a thereafter is immeasurable and, together with his rivalry with Liszt, is what series of flourishes establishing the dominant harmony. A gentle setting of the Thalberg is best remembered for today. Following its first appearance in the Chœur des Baigneuses – (Bathers’ Chorus) from Act II, Jeunes beautés, sous Fantaisie sur des thèmes de Moïse de Rossini, Op.33 (1839), it appears in some ce feuillage, a particularly daring scene in its day where the Queen Marguerite form or other in most of his piano music. de Valois and her court are seated by the shores of the Cher river, her ladies- By this point his fame had grown considerably and, over the next few years, in-waiting bathing leisurely in the waters while the Queen contemplates the he made several short tours of Europe. In 1843 he married Francesca Lablache scene smilingly. Thalberg treats this melody much as Meyerbeer does in his (1816-1895), eldest daughter of the celebrated bass, (1794- score; the lapping waters and eddying currents depicted with undulating 1858). The ensuing years included further, more extensive tours across Europe. scales, before a brief interlude, hinting at the theme of the glorious duet After the failure of his two operas, Florinda (1851) and Cristina di Svezia from Act IV, Tu m’aimes, ensues. The Bathers’ Chorus then returns, its (1855), staged respectively in London and , he realised his ambition to sensuous contours underpinned by fragments of the duet from Act IV and tour the Americas and set sail to South America in 1855. An extended tour embellished with flickering repeated octaves which fan out into tenths, of North America followed in 1856 before his return to Europe in 1858. These affording expressive counterpoint. All at once, a declaratory gesture signals transatlantic tours were immensely successful. Further concerts in London action before fragments of the Feste Burg chorale abound hither and tither, and Paris in 1862 were followed by a final tour of Brazil in 1863 before he underpinned by scintillating cascades of demisemiquavers. Growing restless retired to Posilippo, , in order to cultivate his vineyard. He died on through its iterations and gradually petering out, the theme of the Feste Burg the 27th April 1871 at the age of 59, his name enshrined in the pantheon of chorale is stated in its entirety in a hushed pianissimo in the virginal climes of pianist-composers and having amassed a vast fortune from one of the most C major. It is then reinstated in a blazing fortissimo before powerful volleys illustrious careers the world of music had ever seen. of unison demisemiquavers carry the chorale aloft. Further declamations of the outline of the chorale then ensue amidst filigree trappings taking on a before the Commissioner of Police to explain himself. The seditious item had darker tone through their increasingly restless iterations. All at once enters been included at the insistence of their mutual publisher, Maurice Schlesinger the music from Act III of the opera; the Rataplan Chorus. Hereafter follows (1798-1871) to salve Halévy’s wounded pride at having been left out of a music loosely based on the latter which, comprising fleeting snatches of programme which included items of nearly every other important French the aforementioned duet from Act IV, catapults inexorably to a blazing composer.1 While Berlioz was let off the hook, so to speak, such instances only reinstatement of the Feste Burg chorale, underpinned by the same fervent testify what a hit Charles VI was and, naturally, it elicited a shoal of fantasies, rhythmic impetus used to drive the Rataplan Chorus which now returns to join paraphrases and transcriptions from pianist-composers all keen to cash in on forces with the chorale and draw the fantasy to an exhilarating close. All in its success. Thalberg’s fantasy appeared in 1843 and stands among the very all, the work is a remarkable achievement and is a fine example of Thalberg’s best of such pieces. The following review in the Revue et Gazette Musicale by earlier compositional style which testifies that, by the age of twenty-four, he Henri Blanchard (1778-1858) not only gives an enthusiastic and comprehensive had already fostered a keen sense of dramatic narrative. analysis, but provides some background to these sorts of pieces, the times in which they were written and Thalberg himself to the modern-day reader: Grand Caprice sur des motifs de l’opéra Charles VI de F. Halévy, Op.48 Fromental Halévy’s (1799-1862) opera, Charles VI, received its première ‘The form of pieces of instrumental music is variable like poetical form, like all at the Salle Le Peletier on the 15th March 1843 and enjoyed a brief vogue which is of human invention, like the fashion of our clothes. Ever since Molière thereafter. The plot concerns the attempted English invasion of France while had one of his characters say that the ballad is a bland thing, this genre of King Charles VI of France drifts between episodes of madness. The Chorus, poetry has once again found favour these days, which gives us hope that we Guerre aux tyrans!, achieved separate fame as a song of political protest. might see come about a revival of the lay, virelai, the heriode, or, even better, The inclusion of this particular chorus, albeit reluctantly, in a concert of a the epigram, too neglected these days. A Martial or a Juvenal wouldn’t be too French music in August 1844 organised by (1803-1869) nearly much for the era we are in. As for instrumental music, and above all that for landed the latter in hot water when the audience, entirely uncued, entered the piano, its form has also been much varied. The sonata, the , the unanimously at the entry of the chorus with the words Guerre aux tyrans! fantasy and the étude are the four largest and most used manifestations. The Jamais en France, Jamais l’Anglais ne régnera! – (War on the tyrants! Never first two are somewhat used, but we will come back to that. The étude and in France, Never shall the English reign!) to express their discontent with the fantasy are at the height of their glory at the moment: it’s as though all the government of King Louis Philippe (1773-1850) who, as it happened, had pianists have given their word to publish them and play them in concerts or only the year before organised successful State visits between France and in the salons. This last genre of piece indistinctly takes the name of fantasy, Great Britain. Consequently, Berlioz, suspected of sedition, was summoned air varié or caprice. It’s under this last denomination that M. Thalberg has just addressed to pianists of France and Navarre, if there are any of this country, iterated successively by the left hand. These scales are of a vigorous character a new fantasy entitled: Grand caprice pour le piano sur des motifs de Charles which announces and amply prepares the theme of the national anthem, to VI. Following the success and vogue of the two fantasies on Moïse and Don which we pompously return. Written in eight parts, it is of splendid harmony: Juan,2 that of the deux airs russes, the two études in A and a host of other rich, noble, orchestral; these are those instrumental splendours which one can pieces which are on all the pianos of Europe and even the two worlds, the characterise only by saying that it is an effect à la Thalberg. news of a publication of this skillful pianist must be welcomed with the A martial, heroic sentiment seems to have presided over the composition greatest anticipation. This fantasy or caprice is a regular and dramatic work of this beautiful fantasy, and it’s from the aria A minuit that this warlike and which joins the unity of thought with the audacity of the most bold and chivalrous inspiration comes. Abandoning the national air and all its harmonic brilliant traits: it’s a picture animated by some of the principal pieces of the pomp, the author sounds out a prelude of repeated notes imitating the call of work of M. Halévy reproduced, spiritually recalled, and even embellished with drums and after eight bars of this military call a dialogue in hurried imitations a host of accessory thoughts which unify, entangle, and grow ingeniously with in double octaves gets underway between the two hands; then a legato trait in the ideas of the dramatic composer. demi-semiquavers, running in thirds and sixths for four bars, falls on a drumroll The piece begins with a large introduction in C minor in an allegro moderato at first begun by both hands on the dominant of C, continued by the left hand tempo, but of an energetic and determined mien, whose outline is borrowed while the right, with fragments of the ritornello, outlines and prepares the from the ritornello from the song A minuit, declaimed by the soldier in the soldierly song sung a bit too grazioso, as we have had the occasion to remark, fifth act of Charles VI, a musical spark of the most picturesque effect in the by Poultier in Charles VI. The ritornello of this little song is retaken, after the opera and in the work of M. Thalberg. After twenty-odd bars of this motif drumroll has ceased, in hurried imitations of the most pleasing effect, and the which he has treated in tempo di marcia and a dialogue between the right theme is struck out in sixths by the right hand in an allegretto tempo. Here we hand and left hand in alternating and sliding octaves, the author attacks a find a setting which couldn’t be more ingenious, of the passage from the ditty: triplet figuration for both hands in four parts marked presto leggiero e sempre staccato. This rapid figuration of fifteen or so bars and which is not easy to Le Seigneur de Nivelle execute functions as a preface for investigative eyes and ears of the logically- Me mit en sentinelle, minded artist, to the theme of the national air of the work of M. Halévy: La France a l’horreur du servage, etc. This aria is rendered in E flat major. a phrase of charming melody. The arranger, in whom rich and graceful ideas After the first ten bars the clever arranger, feeling that the melodic effect abound, has put in the left hand a light demi-semiquaver figuration, six in weakens at this place, which in business terms one might call in dishabille, the time of four and for eight bars which falls on a cadenza, climbing by a has reinforced it with three chromatic scales in ascending demi-semiquavers, chromatic scale and stopping to pause on an F sharp: now the left hand sounds out, with the thumb, the melody of the two verses cited above, while chords of a rich and powerful effect, the author strikes out in a thundering the other fingers of the same hand form an accompaniment con sordino, and manner the patriotic refrain: the right hand spreads out one of those tissues embroidered with a thousand melodic pearls or rather one of those measured and non rhythmic traits which Haine aux tyrans! Jamais en France, give you an idea of preludes aerial and vague which one likes to think escapes Jamais l’Anglais ne régnera. from the laughing imagination and capricious fingers of angels, preluding on their golden harps in paradise. After this suave poetry, which finishes It isn’t in the three fff that the effect is powerful in this energetic refrain, it with a descending chromatic scale, taken by the right hand, comes a more results from the calculation of well placed sonorities, and maybe also the earthbound fragment, allegretto and high-spirited, of a variation of a theme manifestation of nationality which awakens to this war cry. of the same ditty in semiquavers; then after four vaporous calls imitating the The peroration, in six-eight time, vivace, consists of difficult passages in sound of the harp, comes the major, so well declaimed by Poultier of the same double notes in the right hand and double octaves in the bass; then a forceful song; written here in five parts, and in the accompaniment of which intervenes ever-legato figuration in the right hand, descending and ascending chromatic a semiquaver figuration in the left hand and in perfect legati broken chords, scales; and then finally in a prestissimo of twenty-five to thirty bars for finale, which couldn’t be a better contrast to the crotchets, also legato, which are in which of course the author, animated by unity of thought, like an echo of in the main part and make the melody. Another figuration of eight bars in his logical recollections brings back and sounds out in turn: Si ta belle est sans legato semiquavers, six in the time of four, at first in the right hand and then foi; haine aux tyrans! etc. in this rapid peroration. However, as in our function continued in thirds by both hands, brings a passage in triplets at a more of critic, we always need a but or a however, we don’t find that the peroration accelerated tempo. This passage is complicated and difficult to execute; then corresponds to the richness and verve of the work. The author should have the major: Si ta belle est sans foi, etc., of which we have just spoken, is retaken finished it, we feel, at the refrain of the national song. The coda vivace has too in three parts by the right hand and accompanied by an ascending chromatic much of the character of a hunt. As for the rest, M. Thalberg has something figuration in broken legato octaves for the left hand: and then the action gets in common with Molière, who cared very little for the finishing touches of underway and tightens more than ever; a figuration in counter-time for both his plays; he was sure that they would finish well when they had amused, hands is followed by another figuration in semiquavers in groups of four with interested amazed his public, a goal he always reached, as does the European thirds for the right hand, over which interpose fragments from the phrase: Si artist whose name is Thalberg. We entreated him to play us the work which ta belle est sans foi, in the bass. Finally over a G sustained in broken octaves in we have just analysed and which he had finished just a few days ago, and as the left hand and in tremolo, over which reigns a harmonic working in struck he hesitated and worried he might not render his thoughts sufficiently with his fingers, as in this great artist it doesn’t always come easily, at least for his L’Art du chant appliqué au piano, Op.70 private and personal satisfaction, with his creation, we insisted ardently, saying No.7 Bella adorata incognita, romance de l’opéra Il Giuramento de that we would grant him a bill of indemnity in advance for his defaults of Mercadante velocity, of grace and expression: and we told ourselves, parodying a word of No.19 Casta diva, cavatine de l’opéra Norma de Bellini this same Molière of whom we have just spoken: modesty doesn’t half choose Thalberg’s L’Art du chant appliqué au piano, Op.70 was first published in 1853 a hell of a place to nest! and comprises twenty-four transcriptions divided into four books. They stand The virtuoso began to interpret his latest work, this deliciously varied aside from the majority of Thalberg’s arrangements, fantasies, paraphrases caprice, and we noticed that he hadn’t the least need in the world of our and transcriptions in their steadfastness to the original text and almost total indulgence; he executed the piece with that powerful sound, that tranquil eschewal of superfluous ornament. The collection is adorned with a lengthy verve, full of warmth and without charlatanism, with that deep exquisite preface from Thalberg himself which outlines the rationale in writing these feeling for the melody, with that limpid purity, with noble, elegant phrasing, transcriptions while offering advice to pianists oncantabile playing. On the which characterises his manner of playing the piano. Abusing his complacency, whole, the work has an instructive aspect to it and each transcription includes or rather counting on his artistic letting go, we now asked him to introduce detailed pedal markings and fingering suggestions while the notes of the vocal us to a work which we’ve heard of and which isn’t even finished; to play us line are engraved in large note heads against those of the accompaniment his sonata in F minor in the serious manner of the great masters: and behold in small ones. The transcription of ’s (1795-1870) glorious the artist, accommodating and animated by the enlightened, warm and Romance, Bella adorata incognita, from his opera Il Giuramento (1837) is on the enthusiastic presence and suffrage of some artists, his friends and admirers, same level as that of Casta diva and, like so many great transcriptions, stands delivering this sonata which is very beautiful, which contains a suave andante, as a salutary testimony to Mercadante’s stature as a composer whose embers a ravishing finale; and behold the timid pianist, who just a moment ago was in have burned comparatively low in recent times. The Casta diva transcription no hurry to put his hands to the keyboard, who gives us a profusion of ideas is probably the best known of the set and is, arguably, the finest transcription half thrown down on paper, waltzes, caprices, etc. All this mixed with thoughts of ’s (1801-1835) immortal Cavatine of the few that exist written and improvised had that charm which one encounters solely in those which include Frédéric Chopin’s (1810-1849) unpublished elucidation, Adolfo unexpected reunions of artists who feel, understand and analyse musical Fumagalli’s (1828-1856) noble setting, “Casta diva che inargenti” nell’Opera thoughts with elliptical, exceptional language, which characterises the sixth Norma di Bellini, Op.61 (1851) for the left hand alone and Theodore Kullak’s sense with which they are gifted, and which has been so well defined by J.-J. (1818-1882) heady paraphrase, Air “Casta diva – Keusche Göttin” de l’opéra Rousseau.’3 Norma de Bellini, the tenth of his 12 Transcriptions, Op.6 (c.1845). This isn’t the first time Thalberg comes to this theme, however: the fourth piece, not to be confused with the earlier Grande Fantaisie et Variations sur des motifs de music from the Tarantella of Act III of Auber’s opera; the same item on which l’opéra Norma de Bellini, Op.12 (1834), from his Décaméron, Op.57 (1845-50), Liszt based his mighty Tarantella di bravura d’après la Tarantelle de La Muette a set of ten pieces written as pendants to the study of his larger fantasies, is a de Portici, S.386 (1846). While all the themes of the Tarantella are used in fantasy on Bellini’s Norma (1831), where much of the appearance of the Casta Thalberg’s Fantasy, two of them are presented at different tempi, drastically diva cavatine is identical to the transcription. altering their characters as a result. He uses the same technique in the heady conclusion of his Grande Fantaisie sur des motifs de l’opéra Grande Fantaisie sur des motifs de l’opéra La Muette de Portici de D. F. E. de Donizetti, Op.674 (1844) where a trifling tune of the notary scene from Auber, Op.52 Act II is drawn in vast outlines underpinning helter-skelter passagework. Daniel François Esprit Auber’s (1782-1871) opera, La Muette de Portici, Consequently, many an hour can be lost poring over a vocal score in an received its première at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris on the 29th of February attempt to trace the source of an assumed long-winded bel canto line which, 1828. It went on to make quite a stir when it was chosen for a performance in the source, often reveals itself as an inconspicuous trifle snatched from on the 25th August 1830 at ’s Théâtre de la Monnaie to conclude the most unlikely corner of the opera. The work opens with the prayer from three days’ celebration marking the fifteen year rule of King William (1772- Act III, Fais aujourd’hui pour nous des miracles nouveaux, before two themes 1843). While these festivities drew open plans for revolt from the public, from the Tarantella are presented in the guise of an expansive Andante. A the King merely cancelled the firework display and procession, leaving the more turbulent interlude ensues and is followed by an ethereal setting of performance of Auber’s opera as the last public event in the King’s honour. the Cavatine from Act IV, Du pauvre seul ami fidèle, where the theme is clad Furthermore, the choice of opera was a brazen one as its subject matter just in great swathes of gossamer-like arabesques. Gradually, fragments of the so happens to be that of revolution; a compound potent enough to inflame Tarantella’s main theme begin to creep in, the harmonic scheme darkens and tempers at a time of social discord in an already politically dicey Belgium the language becomes more menacing when, all at once, the Tarantella proper and stoke the fires of rebellion. The date of the performance was earmarked ensues. Amid frequent arm crossings and clad with fleeting references to the for the date of Belgian Revolution and, on the night, come Masaniello’s Victory Chorus of Act IV, Honneur honneur et gloire, the harmonies intensify invocation, Aux Armes!, the public could no longer be restrained and poured and the dialogue becomes increasingly fraught before a downwards scale out into the streets to make history. Civil unrest continued for roughly a hurls us to a grandiose reinstatement of the prayer from Act III which opened month and, on the 4th October of the same year, the declaration of Belgian the work, this time underpinned by the relentless triplet figuration of the Independence was issued. Tarantella. Fragments of the aforementioned chorus are then bandied about With a few exceptions, much of Thalberg’s Grande Fantaisie sur des motifs before drumrolls from Act III intensify the sense of anticipation. A majestic de l’opéra La Muette de Portici de D. F. E Auber, Op.52 (1844) is based on setting of the Victory Chorus, so far only hinted at, now ensues where it is stated in its entirety, becoming ever grander at each reprise, and drawing the from the sale of the score to Schlesinger between them.6 While Thalberg’s work to a triumphant conclusion. All in all, the work is an effective concert score was first published in 1845, he must have been working on it from as piece and Thalberg himself much have taken pride in it for he programmed early as 1843 as the following letter from Berlioz testifies: it extensively and played it before Queen Victoria (1819-1901) at Buckingham Palace on the 17th of June 1844.5 my dear Thalberg, If in the midst of the joys of the honeymoon you have a moment to spare Grand Caprice sur la Marche de me, be so good as to write me six lines, to tell me whether you have received l’Apothéose de Berlioz, Op.58 the score of my and when you could send me the piece which you The Grande Symphonie funèbre et have had the goodness to promise me. triomphale, Op.15 of Hector Berlioz was All is held up because of the absence of your manuscript and this delay commissioned by the French government upsets me a lot. Though married, be a good boy, and be rid of me as soon as to commemorate the ten year anniversary possible. of the 1830 revolution which had brought A thousand kindest regards King Louis Philippe to the throne. It was H. Berlioz 7 originally scored for a wind band of some two hundred players marching in an The arrival of Thalberg’s score, however, must have proved worth the wait open air procession and accompanying as Berlioz, incidentally the work’s dedicatee, later writes to the composer, the remains of the fallen from the 1830 thanking him a forty thousand times and describing the piece as “superb”.8 revolution to be reinterred beneath the The following review from Henri Blanchard appeared in the Revue et Gazette memorial column erected on the site of Musicale shortly after publication: the Bastille. Thalberg’s piece is based entirely on ‘The piece we have here before us is something more elevated than a work the last movement of Berlioz’s score, dedicated to a sovereign:9 the apotheosis of the July martyrs, that grandiose entitled Apothéose. While the reasons for writing this piece remain somewhat hymn, those populist cries all glorified by means of a rich, terrible and obscure (it is rather a singular example in a catalogue which for the most part powerful instrumentation, from which M. Thalberg has fashioned a grand comprises fantasies, paraphrases and transcriptions on operas of the day) it is caprice for piano, under the rather equivocal title of Apothéose de Berlioz. understood that the two composers split the handsome sum of 1,000 francs We like better the second title heading the first page of engraving than those of the cover and frontispiece. This says simply: l’Apothéose; fantaisie sur une Though concluding with somewhat of a sting in the tail, proclaiming Liszt marche triomphale de H. Berlioz, par S. Thalberg, all surrounded by capricious as the precedent in an age where both the piano and piano playing was arabesques designed by M. Vialon,10 who, it is said, is prouder of his talent as changing rapidly, it sets Thalberg as the benchmark. All in all, the piece is ornamentalist calligrapher than Raphael was of the arabesques with which he one of Thalberg’s finest conceptions and is remarkably well developed. It is a decorated the Vatican. curious thing, indeed, to relate that this is the first recording of it. Since we’re here to give a critique, we might be tempted to rise up against © Mark Viner, London 2018. the tendency of pianist-composers who, every day, build on the difficulties in their productions which they seem to take pleasure in amassing, in case we did not already know there was an ongoing struggle between half a dozen pianists of the first rank who believe their music to be tarnished with vulgarity if ordinary pianists could play it too easily. These same ordinary pianists will no doubt find that the exordium of the fantasy on the apotheosis takes a bit long to arrive at the theme of the triumphal march of such accentuated melody and rhythm, without considering that this exordium is logically drawn from the self-same subject, and that it announces diverse sounds, melodic designs 1 Ruth Jordan, Fromental Halévy, his life and music, Khan & Averill, (1994), p.119 and different harmonic formations. The author arrives at this martial theme 2 The present writer has also recorded these works for the Piano Classics label (PCL0092) 3 Revue et Gazette Musicale de Paris, 8th October 1843, 41 (1843) pp.347-8 [all translations at full blast through a crescendo of nineteen bars; mysterious, breathless and made by the author] all atremble with heroic excitement; then he ambles about with the theme, he 4 Ibid. (PCL0092) varies it in a thousand arabesques closer to those of Raphael than those of M. 5 In a concert where Thalberg collaborated with the Royal band, playing the second and third movements of ’s (1770-1827) Concerto No.5, Op.73 ‘Emperor’ Vialon: and then he concludes with a presto in legati unison triplets of a most (1811) and ’s (1784-1859) Symphony No.4, Op.86 ‘Die Weihe der Töne’ (1832) picturesque effect, and a staccato prestissimo of ten bars in a leaping manner 6 D. Kern Holoman, Berlioz, Harvard’s University Press (1989) p.304 for both hands, leading to a march of unresolved harmonies and in contrary 7 Letter to Sigismond Thalberg dated 1st August 1843, Pierre Citron, Correspondence générale, no.844 motion taken again at the tempo of the theme, which, recalled thus, produces 8 Letter to Sigismond Thalberg dated 15th February 1845, ibid. no.941 the most thundering effect. To understand well and interpret well this fantasy 9 The work referred to here is ’s (1785-1849) Les Charmes de of M. Thalberg, a musical intelligence as practised as the fingers is necessary, Carlesbad – Grand Rondo brilliant, Op.174, dedicated to Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia (1795-1861) which isn’t to say too little; but in the age of Liszt, who doesn’t play the piano 10 Antoine Vialon (1814-1866) like Thalberg?’11 11 Revue et Gazette Musicale de Paris, 18th May 1845, 20 (1845) p.158 [ibid.]

We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support: Elizabeth Boyd, Philippe Cahill, Anna Hanslip, Mary Love, Renata Ferrara Pignatelli, Michael Whittaker MARK VINER

Described by International Piano Magazine as “one of the most gifted the Alkan Society and the Liszt Society in 2014 and 2017 respectively. He is pianists of his generation”, Mark Viner is steadily gaining a reputation as one very active in the recording studio and his recordings of music by Thalberg, of Britain’s leading concert pianists and is becoming increasingly well-known Liszt, Alkan and, more recently, Chaminade on the Piano Classics label have for his bold championing of unfamiliar pianistic terrain. garnered exceptional critical acclaim. His most important project to date Born in 1989, he began playing at the age of 11 and two years later was is a survey of the complete piano music of Alkan, the first of its kind and is awarded a scholarship to enter the Purcell School of Music where he expected to run to some 17 CDs in length. studied with Tessa Nicholson for the next five years during which time he gave acclaimed performances at London’s St. John’s, Smith Square and the Wigmore Hall. Another scholarship then took him to the Royal College of Music where he studied with Niel Immelman for six years, graduating in 2011 with both first class honours in a Bachelor of Music degree and winning the Sarah Mundlak Memorial Prize for Piano after having gained the highest mark in the year for his final recital and, following a bursary from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, he graduated with a distinction in Master of Performance in 2013. After winning 1st prize at the Alkan-Zimmerman International Piano Competition in Athens, Greece in 2012, where his official début recital in the Hellenic capital was hailed by the press as the most exciting musical event of 2012, engagements at home and abroad have flourished. Invitations to festivals include the Pharos Arts Foundation, Cyprus, ProPiano Hamburg and Raritäten der Klaviermusik, Husum in Germany, Indian Summer in Levoča, Slovakia, and the Cheltenham Music Festival and Oxford Lieder Festival in the United Kingdom, while radio broadcasts include recitals and interviews aired on Deutschlandfunk BBC Radio 3. Engagements in his hometown of Oxford include recitals at the Holywell Music Room, the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building and the Sheldonian Theatre where he made his début with the Oxford Philharmonic under the bâton of Marios Papadopoulos. On another occasion he was invited to play for the royal visit of H.R.H. The Prince of Wal es. Following his affiliation with with Keyboard Charitable Trust, he has recently embarked on three extremely successful tours of the USA, Germany and Italy. Aside from a busy schedule of teaching and performances he is also a published composer and writer and his advocacy for the music of Charles- Valentin Alkan and has led to his election as Chairman of both Photo © Vladimiros Giannakakos