After a Antonio reading of … Liszt! Pompa-Baldi rom 1822 to 1848, ’s career as on musical life of an even more permanent a virtuoso pianist made him one of the nature. As a composer, Liszt foreshadowed Fmost famous musicians in Europe. His many trends that would come to dominate the name was mentioned in the same breath as first half of the 20th century, particularly with the legendary violinist Niccolò Paganini, a man regard to the erosion of unambiguous tonal often credited with redefining the role of the identity. While many of his works aspired to instrumentalist in Western art music. As with high compositional and artistic ideals and no Paganini, Liszt’s influence as a virtuoso has more, Liszt also produced dozens of works that reached into the present. With a reputation for successfully married art and virtuosity. Many nigh-unbelievable feats at the keyboard, Liszt such pieces have become cornerstones of the was responsible for raising public expectations piano repertoire. of technical brilliance, expectations that are The influence of Liszt was felt across today commonly associated with career pianists. Europe and stretched toward the East, where He was the first pianist to systematically play many Russian composers and performers entire chamber concerts from memory; these found themselves seeking inspiration in the concerts he called ‘recitals’, a term that is still Hungarian-born master. A fine example is Sergey used for solo chamber performances today. Like Mikhaylovich Lyapunov (1859-1924), one of the Paganini, Liszt cultivated the public image of a late products of Russian musical nationalism. musician with otherworldly skills, somewhat Lyapunov—whose brother Aleksandr was the detached from reality and devoted to a life lived well-known mathematician—grew up in a for the sake of art. Liszt even foreshadowed musically- and scientifically-minded household. many modern musicians in being endorsed by an At Nizhny Novgorod, Lyapunov attended lessons instrumental manufacturer, singing the praises at the local Musical Society. His precocious of Erard’s instruments and using them in public talents developed to such an extent that Nikolai concerts whenever possible. Rubinstein invited him to make a successful Liszt’s name would have been cemented into application to the . music history had he remained a virtuoso and There, he was taught by Tchaikovsky’s pupil no more. However, Liszt was to leave an imprint Sergey Taneyev, and even attended classes given by Tchaikovsky himself shortly before his Lyapunov himself. In his own capacity, Lyapunov tour of Western Europe, conveniently omitting iszt was one of the central figures in the retirement. Particularly relevant to the present would later publish further arrangements of 30 the truth of his self-imposed exile. 19th century phenomenon of virtuoso program were the extensive piano lessons given folk songs for voice and piano. But most telling Lyapunov left to posterity two piano Lperformance. Another figure of importance to Lyapunov by Karl Klindworth, who had been a of Lyapunov’s musical nationalism was that folk concertos, two symphonies, and numerous in this regard was Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), pupil of Liszt. Lyapunov was destined to develop material was to subsequently find its way into smaller works, of which his piano pieces who, prior to an early withdrawal from intensive into a pianist of formidable talents. many of his own compositions. are the most valued today. His best-known public performance, had embarked on a career In terms of compositional practice, Lyapunov Lyapunov’s esteemed position in Russian high work is that from which the etude on this as a professional pianist. Like Liszt, Chopin did not follow in the musical footsteps of society was to prove his downfall, however. After recording is selected: Douze études d’exécution composed etudes for personal use as well as Tchaikovsky. Instead, he was more attracted to the the 1917 Russian Revolution, he found himself transcendante, Op. 11. The title alludes to publication. And, again like Liszt, these etudes distinctly Russian-nationalist style of composers out of favour with dominant social ideology Liszt’s similarly named Études d’exécution were not simply technical exercises, but instead exemplified by the ‘Mighty Handful’: Cui, Borodin, encouraged by the Soviets. Despite securing a transcendante (1851). Lyapunov’s intention was surpassed their pedagogical origins by being Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and Balakirev. It post at the new Soviet-sanctioned State Institute to ‘complete’ Liszt’s etudes, by writing pieces in presentable as concert pieces. was in seeking out Mily Balakirev that Lyapunov of Art, Lyapunov realised that the new regime the major and minor keys that Liszt never visited. In total, Chopin wrote three sets of etudes: found his way to St. Petersburg after graduation. would not be kind to him for long. In 1923, One can discern two prominent Liszt-related Op. 10 and 25 were issued as sets, and another Balakirev was to prove formative with regard Lyapunov immigrated to Paris, where both his influences here. On the one hand, Lyapunov’s three etudes are often grouped together without to the remainder of Lyapunov’s creative career. piano playing and compositional output had been career as a pianist would have brought him opus number. The Op. 10 etudes, recorded Primary success came as a pianist, but his esteem well-received in the past. (A parallel could be into constant contact with the work of Liszt, here, are the earliest, having been written as a composer was ever-growing, and Lyapunov drawn here with the land-owning Rachmaninoff, and particularly the infamously difficult Études around 1829-1832 (published 1833). The young secured himself a formidable reputation as a who together with his family effectively fled d’exécution transcendante which represent a Chopin dedicated the Op. 10 set to Franz Liszt, teacher in St. Petersburg. He was the successor to Russia after the Revolution, seeking his fortune in high-water mark in piano technique. On the whom he had befriended in Paris. These etudes Rimsky-Korsakov’s position at the Imperial Chapel, the West.) Fate was cruel to Lyapunov: the mild- other hand, Lyapunov himself had a connection are testament to the remarkable mastery of and held prominent posts at the Free Music School mannered composer succumbed to a heart- to Liszt via his Moscow Conservatory teacher, technique that Chopin already possessed at this (as director) and the St. Petersburg Conservatory. attack only a year after arriving in Paris. Despite Karl Klindworth, who had been a pupil of Liszt. early stage of his career. Although Chopin had a In 1893, together with Balakirev and Anatoly his apparent ideological and social shortcomings, The final piece of Lyapunov’s set—the etude number of teachers in his youth, their ultimate Lyadov, Lyapunov was commissioned by the Lyapunov’s contribution to Russian musical recorded here—carries the title ‘Élégie en contribution appears to have been negligible. Imperial Geographical Society to collect Russian culture was still of value to the new Soviet memoire de Franz Liszt’. Chopin, so far as the advanced aspects of his folk music. This resulted in the eventual publication regime. In an early example of cultural control, keyboard execution were concerned, was a of 300 notated folk songs, many arranged by the Soviets claimed that he had died on a concert self-taught virtuoso of somewhat unorthodox technique. And despite producing dozens of The final etude of the Op. 10 set, in C minor, One of Liszt’s most significant works was the thematic trajectory. Virtuosity persists, serving masterworks for the piano, his music-theoretical is often taken to be a musical expression of Sonata in B minor, published in 1853. However, to add to the musical drama. tuition was similarly minimal. Chopin’s impassioned disappointment regarding this mighty work was not the composer’s only Liszt never admitted of any program being As mentioned above, the Op. 10 etudes the failed revolution. As a result, this final etude musing in the key of B minor that year: also attached to the second Ballade, much in the same were composed at an early stage in Chopin’s is often nicknamed the ‘Revolutionary Etude’. published was the Ballade No. 2. These works way that Chopin’s Ballades are essays in musical career. By 1831, Chopin’s work was already There is, in fact, little evidence to support were both written during Liszt’s post-virtuoso narrative structure and not literal stories. Despite that of musical genius. Barely in his twenties, the idea that this etude was written in direct sojourn as Kappelmeister at , around the this, Liszt’s Ballade has drawn comparisons with he had already explored the limits of the salon response to happenings in Poland, or that it is a time that he was experimenting with the concept epic mythology. The German ballade Lenore, genres of the waltz, mazurka and nocturne, musical embodiment of extra-musical political of the programmatic tone poem. Liszt’s titling of penned by Gottfried Bürger, is taken by some to be all of which he would come to redefine. In the aspirations. Nonetheless, the nickname has the work as a ‘ballade’ no doubt brings to mind the inspiration for the work. However, the myth autumn of 1831 he found himself in Paris after persisted. To add to this, allusions to the final the four Ballades of Chopin, amongst the latter’s of Hero and Leander, which is of Byzantine origin, a long and bureaucratically frustrating stay in piano sonata of Beethoven have been made finest masterworks. The history of the ‘ballade’ has by far been the most common association. Vienna, compounded by a few unhappy weeks repeatedly, as both works trace a trajectory can trace its roots to both French and German Hero, who was in the service of Aphrodite, lived in Stuttgart. Chopin was still dependant on from C minor to C major (the classic ‘despair poetic forms from the Renaissance. The French in a coastal tower. Across the bay lived Leander, financial aid from his parents in Warsaw, but was to heroic joy’ archetype of Beethoven’s formal epic ballades are of particular relevance because who was madly in love with Hero. Every evening, determined to make a name for himself as either structure). This commentary no doubt leans on they were often set to music, with the chanson Leander swam across the bay to visit Hero, who a composer or a performer in the cultural capitals revolutionary sentiments also often associated being a direct relation. The composer Guillaume lit a beacon to guide him. However, one night a of Europe. Work on the Op. 10 set was spread with Beethoven. de Machaut in particular made the musical squall drove Leander off course, and the strong between Warsaw, Vienna and Paris. The complete version of the ballade famous. In any case, in winds extinguished Hero’s beacon. Leander set of etudes eventually saw publication in the iszt’s interest in the other arts, typical of both French and German literary traditions the drowned, and Hero, in despair, threw herself from French capital in 1833 so as to provide Chopin the pan-artistic sentiments of the New term ‘ballade’ implied epic narrative. This sense the top of the tower. with some sorely-needed income. LGerman School, is on display in the next of narrative drama is intended to be conveyed Antonio Pompa-Baldi believes that there is Chopin was not oblivious to political two works included in this program. Liszt’s in musical terms in the ballades of the Romantic an affinity between Liszt’s second Ballade and happenings in wider Europe at this time, and in second Ballade, in B minor, embodies the composers: those of the ballade-pioneer Chopin, yet another myth, that of Orpheus and Eurydice. Paris he found himself active in Polish intellectual Romantic idea of musical material being able to as well as Liszt, Brahms and Grieg. Liszt realised Around the time of the composition of the circles. Like many Polish émigrés, Chopin had constitute narrative structure of its own accord, the idea of narrative trajectory by making use of Ballade, Liszt was working on the symphonic taken a personal interest in the failed 1831 while the Ernani-paraphrase is based on one of the motivic development of a thematic kernel, tone poem Orpheus. He used this tone poem revolutionary uprising in Poland against Russia. the great operatic dramas of the 19th century. to imbue the piece with a sense of unity and a as an overture for an 1854 Weimar production of Gluck’s famous on the same subject, of tragedy. Based on a play by Victor Hugo, than make a musical statement (much like the 1859-1860 presented by Hans von Bülow. These which he personally conducted. Thus, as both this was the librettist Francesco Maria Piave’s superficial competition pieces produced by many three were not the only Verdi to get composer and conductor, Liszt was intimately first contribution to a collaboration with Verdi late 19th and early 20th century Conservatoire- the Liszt treatment: themes from Lombardi, acquainted with the tale of Orpheus around the that also produced Rigoletto and La Traviata linked composers). Amongst Liszt’s adaptations Simon Boccanegra, Aida and Don Carlos were time that he composed this Ballade. Liszt’s music amongst others. In Ernani, the titular character are around 200 transcriptions, rearrangements, also adapted for concert use by Liszt. Liszt even certainly fits aptly the story of Orpheus’s ill-fated is a wronged nobleman who must now resort variations, paraphrases and virtuoso expositions used melodic material from the ‘Agnus Dei’ of journey in mirroring the descent of Orpheus into to being a bandit. He is in love with Elvira, who of themes and pieces by other composers. These Verdi’s mighty to create a piano piece. the Underworld with a descending B to B flat is to be married to the aging Gomez da Silva composers run the gamut from Arne and Bach In his post-virtuoso career, Liszt would himself minor modulation (and a reversed ascent prior against her wishes. King Carlos also has designs to Liszt’s contemporary , and conduct Ernani (in 1854), as well as numerous to the desolate ending, corresponding with the on Elvira. It soon transpires that Ernani offends include a myriad of selections from composers other operas by Verdi during his Weimar years. return of Orpheus and Eurydice to the world both the King and da Silva. However, the latter that are today all but forgotten. The third act of Ernani, where King Carlos of the living), the taming of agitated beasts by decides to protect Ernani by hiding him from As with many such works, Ernani: Paraphrase overhears a conspiracy against him while hiding Orpheus’s melodious lyre, and an impassioned King Carlos. Together they conspire to rescue the de Concert took advantage of the immense behind the tomb of Charlemagne, features musical plea as if to Pluto and Persephone for kidnapped Elvira, but Ernani remains in da Silva’s popularity of opera during the nineteenth the aria ‘O supreme Carlo’. It was from this the return of his love. One can even imagine debt. When Carlos is appeased and Elvira and century. While the Paraphrase is indeed a wonderfully melodious aria that Liszt chose his Orpheus’s crossing of Styx depicted by turbulent Ernani united in love, da Silva arrives to make virtuoso piece, it was written around 1859- theme for the Paraphrase. This wasn’t Liszt’s left-hand chromaticism early in the work. At the good the life-debt owed to him by Ernani. Ernani, 1860, after Liszt’s retirement from the serious first use of this material: about a decade before end of the Ballade, the music induces a profound out of honour, stabs himself and dies in Elvira’s concert stage. The work represents a marriage the Berlin concerts featuring the three Verdi sense of loss in the listener. This corresponds arms. Ernani was first performed in 1844 and was between showmanship and compositional craft, adaptations, Liszt had already given the Ernani- with Orpheus’s breaking of the agreement met with great public enthusiasm; since then, and as a result stands head and shoulders above theme a pianistic treatment. In 1847, touring had with Pluto and Persphone, that he should not however, it has been somewhat forgotten. the ‘Carnival of Venice’-style showpieces of brought Liszt to Constantinople, where between cast his gaze upon Eurydice while departing As a concert pianist, Liszt was constantly in the time. The Ernani paraphrase, together with concerts he penned a concert paraphrase on the Underworld. The result of Orpheus’s need of music to play at concerts that would the Rigoletto paraphrase and the adaptation the same theme. Although today the work has a transgression was the loss of his lover Eurydice show off his phenomenal skills. As with many of thematic material from Il Trovatore, was catalogue number (S431a), Liszt left this earlier to the Underworld forever. virtuosos of his day, Liszt himself generated prepared for a series of Berlin concerts around paraphrase unpublished. Similarly, the Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Ernani— music for this purpose. And, admittedly, many of from which Liszt selected melodic material for these pieces are little more than virtuoso ‘cannon Ernani: Paraphrase de concert (S532)—is a work fodder’, serving to display technique rather he final piece on this program is one that Paraphrase de concert, the selected themes will be a delight to the seasoned admirer and quotations have been woven together to Tof Liszt’s music: Après une Lecture de form a piece that is itself a lecture on Liszt’s Liszt, by the Sardinian-born composer Roberto music. These quotations are from Après une Piana (b. 1971). Piana, a graduate of the Music Lecture de Dante, the colossal Sonata in B minor, Conservatory of Sassari under the tutelage of the Piano Concerto No. 1, the Dies Irae theme pianist Isabella Lo Porto, has won numerous that Liszt scattered throughout many of his European awards as both a composer and a compositions, the second Ballade (featured on performer. His recording catalogue includes this recording), the well-known “La leggierezza” albums featuring the music of Liszt, Giulio concert etude, the ninth Hungarian Rhapsody, Ricordi, Chopin, and Piazzolla. Piana has also and the late works Puszta-Wehmut (‘Longing shown particular interest in the music of lesser- for the Steppes’) and Csárdás macabre. Also to known composers, especially the Sardinian be heard is material from the , the composer Lao Silesu (1883-1953). Piana was the demanding Études d’exécution transcendante, first performer to record Silesu’s music. the funeral march for Count László Teleki from In Après une Lecture de Liszt, Piana pays Historische ungarische Bildnisse, Six Chants tribute to the immense influence of Franz Liszt polonaise, further material from the second book on the modern pianist, by means of extensive of Années de pèlerinage (Liszt’s collection of quotation from some of the composer’s most pieces inspired by his cultural pilgrimage through important piano works. The title translates Europe, and in this particular case, France), and literally into ‘After a Lecture [or Reading] of from the Supplément to that volume of Années Liszt’. The title itself is an allusion to Liszt’s de pèlerinage, the Tarantella. Piana’s Après une Après une Lecture de Dante: Fantasia quasi Lecture de Liszt was completed in early 2013, Sonata, composed in 1849 and published in 1856 and was dedicated to Antonio Pompa-Baldi. It as part of Volume II of Années de pèlerinage receives here its recording debut. Antonio Pompa-Baldi (‘Years of Pilgrimage’). In the spirit of Ernani: biography Benjamin Zander, the National Symphony of Ecuador, and the Johannesburg and Cape Town orn and raised in Foggia, Italy, Antonio Philharmonic Orchestras in South Africa. Last Pompa-Baldi won the Cleveland season’s recitals included Nancy (France), BInternational Piano Competition in 1999 Cleveland (OH), San Francisco (Liszt Society and embarked on a career that continues to Festival), Hong Kong, and Macao. extend across five continents. A top prize winner Upcoming engagements include a recital at the 1998 Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud in Fort Worth, TX, in memory of Van Cliburn, Competition of Paris, France, Antonio Pompa- performances with the Eugene Symphony, OR, Baldi also won a silver medal at the 2001 Van the Nova Scotia Symphony (Canada), and the Cliburn International Piano Competition. Mr. Cheyenne Symphony, a tour of South Africa, Pompa-Baldi appears regularly at the world’s including appearances with the Johannesburg and major concert venues including New York’s Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestras, and recitals in Carnegie Hall, Cleveland’s Severance Hall, Milan’s Jerusalem, San Jose, Cleveland, Poland, and China. Sala Verdi, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and Paris’ Mr. Pompa-Baldi’s recording catalogue Salle Pleyel, to name a few. features an all-Brahms disc (Azica), and a recital He has collaborated with leading conductors from his Cliburn Competition performances including Hans Graf, James Conlon, Miguel Harth- (Harmonia Mundi). Bedoya, and Keith Lockhart, performing with the He has recorded 17 CDs for Centaur Records: Houston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Berliner the Josef Rheinberger Piano Sonatas; the entire Symphoniker, Orchestre National de Paris-Radio piano output of Edward Grieg, in 12 volumes; an France, National Orchestra of Ukraine, Fort Worth all-Rachmaninoff CD; an all-Schumann album; a Symphony, among many others. live recital in Cleveland; and the first volume of Notable recital engagements took place the Hummel Piano Sonatas. in Beijing, Seoul, Paris, London, Chicago, and Soon-to-be-released by Centaur is the Houston. Among recent orchestral appearances, second volume of the Hummel Sonatas. Mr. Pompa-Baldi performed with the Santo For the Steinway label, Pompa-Baldi recorded Domingo Festival Orchestra under Maestro a disc of songs by Francis Poulenc and Edith Piaf, arranged for solo piano, to commemorate anniversary of Prokofiev’s death, as well as the 50th year of the passing of both French throughout Europe. musical icons. The album, titled “The Rascal and Antonio Pompa-Baldi is a Steinway Artist. He the Sparrow: Poulenc meets Piaf”, released in serves as Distinguished Professor of Piano at the September 2013, received unanimous praise in Cleveland Institute of Music, and gives master- Classical Music’s most esteemed review sites. classes around the world, both in conjunction Mr. Pompa-Baldi has been seen and heard with his performing engagements, and at many times on French National Television, Radio- summer festivals including Piano Fest in the France, Ukrainian National Television, Cleveland’s Hamptons, TCU-Cliburn Institute, Southeastern WCLV, Boston’s WGBH, and National Public Piano Festival (University of South Carolina Radio’s “Performance Today”. He was featured School of Music), Paisiello Academy (Lucera, in the PBS documentary on the Eleventh Van Italy), Amalfi Coast Festival, and Napolinova Cliburn International Piano Competition “Playing Academy (Naples, Italy). He helped found the Recorded live at: Endler Hall, Stellenbosch on the Edge”, which premiered in October 2001 Academia Manuel Rueda in Santo Domingo, University, South Africa, 30 June 2013 in USA and Canada. where he also gives regular masterclasses. Artist: Antonio Pompa-Baldi (piano) Mr. Pompa-Baldi appeared again on PBS in He is often invited to judge international Produced by: Luis Magalhães the documentary “Concerto: A sense of Self”, piano competitions, and has served as president Balance engineer: Gerhard Roux featuring his performance of Prokofiev’s Third of the jury for the San Jose International Piano Mixed by: Gerhard Roux Piano Concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony Competition, CA since 2006. His students have Assistant: Dawid de Villiers Orchestra and James Conlon. This performance been prizewinners in important competitions Piano tuner: Keith Goodwill was also seen on French National Television such as Marguerite Long, Hilton Head, JoseÌ Iturbi, Program notes: Barry Ross in May, 2003, to commemorate the 50th Isang Yun, and Gina Bachauer. Graphic Design: mrdesign After a reading of …Liszt! TP1039305 Antonio Pompa-Baldi (piano)

Sergey Mikhaylovich Lyapunov (1859-1924) 1. 12:34 Douze études d’exécution transcendante, Op. 11, No. 12 ’Élégie en memoire de Franz Liszt’ Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) Études Op. 10 2. 02:02 No. 1 In C 3. 01:34 No. 2 In A Minor 4. 04:22 No. 3 In E 5. 02:07 No. 4 In C Sharp Minor 6. 01:45 No. 5 In G Flat 7. 03:41 No. 6 In E Flat Minor 8. 01:36 No. 7 In C 9. 02:25 No. 8 In F 10. 02:16 No. 9 In F Minor 11. 02:14 No. 10 In A Flat 12. 02:34 No. 11 In E Flat 13. 02:43 No. 12 In C Minor Franz Liszt (1811-1886) 14. 14:16 Ballade No. 2, S. 171, in B Minor 15. 07:00 Ernani: Paraphrase de concert (S532) © TWO PIANISTS RECORDS Roberto Piana (b. 1971) MADE IN AUSTRIA 27868 16. 08:52 Après une Lecture de Liszt

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