Pianist Sandrine Erdely-Sayo pays a dignified tribute to Maestro Franz Liszt on Majestic Liszt, an intimate recording of some of his finest works. Having a deep respect and admiration since childhood, Erdely-Sayo pours every ounce of her being into capturing the contemplative and song-like quality that pervades Liszt’s middle-to-late repertoire. A rich and elegant session, it’s impossible not to be enraptured by her sensitive and languishing treatment in 'Consolations', nor her delicate attention to poetics in the melody lines of 'Ständchen' and 'Romance in E Minor'. Erdely-Sayo shines in the beloved 'Liebesträume', delivering an electrifying interpretation while still maintaining a dream-like musicality at its core. This is a perfect introduction to the Maestro’s oeuvre, catering to both devoted Liszt enthusiasts and those just starting to explore his music...

Sandrine Erdely-Sayo beautifully captures the emotional context of Liszt's pieces on this wonderful album. The artist has carefully curated some of the composer's most impressive works. Some you will instantly know, like 'Liebesträume No. 3 In A-Flat, S.541' but, even with pieces like this, Erdely-Sayo breathes new life into them. Her renditions are steeped in emotion.

I wasn't as familiar with 'Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude' as I should be and this performance really stirred a strong emotional response in me. And pretty much, this emotional response was repeated throughout the majority of the tracks here.

'Liebesträume No. 3' is the one track on this release that I was intimately familiar with, and so I was surprised that it felt like this was like hearing it for the first time.

The album consists of 12 tracks (1 hr, 01 min, 20 sec) and was a pure delight from start to finish.

Track listing:

01. Romance in E minor, S.169 (3:16)
02. Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude (18:17)
03. Saint François de Paule marchant sur les flots, S.175 (8:47)
04. Consolation No. 1: Andante con moto, S.172 (1:30)
05. Consolation No. 2: Un poco più mosso, S.172 (3:24)
06. Consolation No. 3: Lento placido, S.172 (4:22)
07. Consolation No. 4: Quasi adagio, S.172 (3:06)
08. Consolation No. 5: Andantino, S.172 (2:19)
09. Consolation No. 6: Allegretto sempre cantabile, S.172 (2:32)
10. Liebesträume No. 3 In A-Flat, S.541 (4:50)
11. En Rêve, Nocturne, S.207 (2:12)
12. Schwanengesang No. 4, D. 957 - IV. Ständchen (Serenade) (6:49)

9

Darren Rea