Liszt: Csárdás macabre, S. 224

Ingolf Wunder returns with a unique follow-up, 300, three centuries of piano styles – from Scarlatti to Morricone.

Ingolf Wunder adores fun, melodic pieces that demand exceptional flair and virtuosity – 300 will attract all piano fans. He links pieces by Liszt, Rachmaninov, and Scriabin (among others) to Horowitz’s own landmark homage, Danse excentrique and extends the lineage to late 20th-century pieces such as his own arrangement of hits like John Williams’s "Star Wars (theme)" – and Morricone’s "Playing Love" from the film, The Legend of 1900.

The perfect follow-up to Chopin by presenting another facet of this exceptional pianist, who was the audience favourite at the 2010 Chopin Competition – his Deutsche Grammophon debut Chopin album was acclaimed worldwide: ". . . an extremely elegant and polished affair" (Los Angeles Times)

Though Hungarian by birth, and having studied at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, Louis Kentner, like so many others of Jewish origin, immigrated to London in the mid 1930s, aware that central Europe was not the best place to be at that time for someone of his race. He was to remain in London for the rest of his life, becoming very much part of British musical life both as pianist and, later, as teacher. His somewhat sensational London debut took place in the Aeolian Hall in October 1936 where he gave an all Liszt recital. As a direct result he was signed up by HMV and over the next fifteen years, in addition to much other repertoire, he made a large number of Liszt recordings which featured not only the often recorded etudes and Hungarian Rhapsodies but also premiere recordings of many of Liszt's more important, but then less well known, larger works. Our first APR title (APR5514) featured such unusual works as the Scherzo & March, the Berceuse and the first Polonaise; on the current disc, in addition to a number of the well known aforementioned etudes, we find a group of late pieces, including the bizarre Czárdás Macabre, which was only published in the year of its recording, and the Meyerbeer/Liszt 'Les Patineurs' scherzo. This later piece is one of Liszt's most brilliant operatic transcriptions, but is strangely little known. It is perhaps Kentner's most stunning recording and a fitting way to end this fascinating recital.

A key release for the Liszt anniversary year: Alfred Brendel: Liszt - an addition to the series of Artist's Choice albums in which Alfred Brendel has selected his preferred recordings from his Liszt discography.

Three generously-filled CDs include such masterpieces as the Sonata in B minor and a selection of late pieces as well as the complete "Italie" from the Années de pèlerinage.

Alfred Brendel has again provided a personal introduction to the set and this is complemented with an essay on the music by piano specialist and producer Jeremy Hayes .