Wolfram’s phenomenal recording of possibly the most taxing Liszt opera fantasy. Originally composed in 1840 (but revised in 1848) this fantasy contains some of the most tremendous climaxes (09:03) written by Liszt, in which there is no shyness in utilizing the full capacities of the piano. The musical fragments he seized upon, while effective in Donizetti’s opera, pale and thin as they are overtaken by gargantuan elaborations in which Liszt’s reinvention of piano playing—his “transcendental” technique—pushes the limits of what is humanly possible, even to other hypervirtuosos. In addition, Liszt’s acute sensitivity to the keyboard sonority produces some of the most resonantly sensuous textures (7:33), which exploit the full keyboard to introduce a richness and luxuriousness that is not apparent in the original operatic version. Despite the apparently florid writing, one can detect on closer inspection the occasional harbingers of Liszt’s pinnacles of achievement: as far as thematic transformation is concerned, the Lucrezia Borgia Fantasia shows the development of accompaniment figures out of main melodic material and the complex motivic manipulation associated with the Sonata in B-minor, composed several years later.
As previously mentioned, Wolfram is truly phenomenal here; not only are the technical horrors dispatched with considerable aplomb, but most importantly, Liszt’s virtuosity and ornamental decoration is turned (as always intended) to expressive purpose, consistently dimpled with nuance and rippled with elan. Also, it’s worth noting that this recording surpasses all previous ones of this work, towering over Hegedűs’ and Howard’s sluggish accounts, and building more colossal climaxes than Viner’s and Peeble’s renditions.
Lastly, here’s an interesting entry in the Allgemeine Wiener Musik-Zeitung by a “Dr K–”, dated 26 March 1846, concerning Liszt’s performance of this work:
“Finally the Fantasy from “Lucrezia Borgia” … this ne plus ultra of difficulties aroused astonishment and admiration in the large audience. The enthusiastic applause this time could not persuade Liszt to play an encore.”
00:00—Trio du seconde Acte
09:54—Chanson à boire (Orgie) – Duo-finale