Jorge Bolet Liszt Années de pèlerinage: Deuxième Année (Italie) Utrecht October 29th 1983

Jorge Bolet (1914-1990) - piano
Muziekcentrum Vredenburg Utrecht (Holland)
October 29th 1983 (Dutch radio master)
FRANZ LISZT (1811-1886)
Années de pèlerinage: Deuxième Année (Italie) S.161:
Sonetto 47 del Petrarca (S.161/4) [0:03]
Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (S.161/5) [6:13]
Sonetto 123 del Petrarca (S.161/6) [12:55]
Après une lecture du Dante. Fantasia quasi Sonata (S.161/7) [20:01]
Sposalizio (S.161/1) [36:06]
Il Pensieroso (S.161/2) [43:27]
Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa (S.161/3) [47:34]
Venezia e Napoli: Supplément aux Années de pèlerinage seconde volume S.162:
I. Gondoliera [50:44]
II. Canzone [55:44]
III. Tarantella [59:40]
encore:
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Étude in A minor Op. 25 No. 11 'Winter Wind' [1:09:22]
piano: Bechstein E 280
(The photograph in the viewing panel is not connected with this particular recital - it was taken in 1984 in King's Lynn, England, and has British pianist and broadcaster Joseph Cooper looking on.)

[@ly776]

No one has played the Petrarch Sonnets more beautifully than Jorge Bolet did. And these are so wonderfully expressive and relaxed. What a treasure! Thank you for posting.

[@andream.464]

As a whole set, yes no doubts. though on 104, I believe Lipatti and Horowitz (but Lipatti better) captured the mood swings described in Petrarca’s sonet 104.

[@scupham]

Another wonderful upload in this magnificent collection. I was lucky enough to hear him many times in the 1980's. He was one of those very rare pianists who created a unique, inimitable sound world. As a Liszt player, he gets to the heart of the music like few others - the phrasing, the spaciousness, the declamation with its unhurried eloquence - all are ideally suited to the composer.

[@nickk8416]

This is Jorge at his best. Sublime playing communicating the beauty of the music just the way I want to hear it. Really good quality recording. Thanks.

[@OE1FEU]

The piano is the one that basically traveled with him in Europe for all of his performances and recordings in the 80s. This particular Bechstein is now in the small concert hall of the Bechstein factory in Hradec Kralove, Czechia and I had the pleasure of playing it side by side with its predecessor, the 280 EN, and its successor the D282, all of them superbly maintained and a true pleasure to play.

[@saltcots8985]

Robert Fitzpatrick, Dean at Curtis from 1986 to 2009 once wrote to me: “JB's final faculty recital (1987) drew the largest audience ever seen in the room then called Curtis Hall (formerly Casimir Hall after Hofmann’s father, and now named Field Concert Hall in honor of a donor in the early 2000s). Jorge agreed to audience seating on the tiny stage because of the overflow crowd. Truly an unforgettable event because his playing was still remarkable because of his consummate technique, gorgeous sound, and sensitive musicianship. “He was a Baldwin artist who had 2 Baldwin grands installed in a studio (courtesy of Baldwin) in an all-Steinway school. Many feathers were ruffled. He played that last recital on a Baldwin concert grand which is very slightly larger than a Steinway model D and it did not fit on the stage elevator. He paid for the installation and tuning himself and we blocked the hall for 2 days (my memory is a bit hazy on that that) so that Jorge could practise and work with the Baldwin technician on tuning and voicing the instrument." I understand that Baldwin took over Bechstein in 1963 and that DECCA producer Peter Wadland said JB played Baldwins in the USA and Bechsteins in Europe. So I presume he was both a Baldwin AND Bechstein artist, which is slightly confused by the often quoted statement of his that "I think Bechstein has such overwhelming quality that it doesn't have any competition." How did the Baldwin SD-10 differ from the Bechstein EN-280? And why was he playing a Baldwin in Europe in the 1988 DECCA Concertgebouw Amsterdam recording of César Franck's Symphonic Variations? We are also told that the first of the 1980s Liszt series in chronological order of recording (which in fact was volume 2, Schubert arrangements) was on a piano supplied by the Baldwin Company. I've also read that Bechstein EN 280 was the successor to E 280. I find it all very confusing. Any help would be much appreciated.

[@nickk8416]

You always seem to offer such wonderful anecdotes about Jorge and his playing. Thanks so much from someone who loves his playing so and is fascinated by the man himself. As a hobby of mine I started playing the repertoire at 15 and have studied the greatest pianists of the last 120 years. So I hope this helps you understand how much I appreciate your comments. Best Regards @@saltcots8985 .

[@SGregW]

I think the Bechstein Bolet used in the late Liszt recordings on Decca is one of the finest instruments on record. It has an even and crystalline clarity throughout the whole upper register (where many pianos fail) and a superb powerful but non-muddy bass. His 1980s Schubert-LIszt transcriptions are especially memorable. Whoever prepared and voiced that piano really knew what they were doing. It's great to hear this instrument in the live recording. Maybe Bolet didn't have the fire of his younger years, he still had unparalleled musicianship...the most sublime non-harsh tone.

[@stefanufer608]

Fantastic - so terribly underrated - I think he had a memory lapse in Sonetto 47 but doesn’t matter at all. A very big thank you for posting

[@dietmarfalke1099]

Thank You ! Love it

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Soneto 104 petrarca. 🎹👏👏👏🥇🥇🇲🇽Mexico. 🥰😍❤️🖐️

[@saltcots8985]

The sound of the recordings of JB made by Dutch radio has always been of great distinction. Bolet 's performance of the Petrarch Sonnets has always been something special. Countless little rhythmic details - not always in the score - are a marvel, e.g. in No. 104 at 8:17 JB has said in interview that he incorporated a number of details into "Venezia e Napoli" which one of his pianist idols Josef Hofmann used to add. The photo of Joseph Cooper reminds me that Jorge himself was a guest on Cooper's programme "Face The Music" - along with Labour MP the Rt Hon. Denis Healey (Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979, later Baron Healey); the show which went out on BBC 2 Sunday afternoon 2 December 1984.

[@saltcots8985]

There is a lovely story about Joseph Cooper and famed Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau. Arrau had come to London to record - I think - a Brahms concerto for EMI, but the recording company had neglected to arrange for a practice piano in his hotel room. Cooper offered his own Steinway, and Arrau politely made it clear that he didn't want any interruption from 10 am till 4 pm, at which time Cooper offered him a cup of tea. Apparently a neighbour in one of the other flats said to Cooper later on: "Mr Cooper, you've had some dreadful piano pupils, but the one who was hammering away yesterday was by far the worst of all."

[@MartinVanBoven]

What a treasure! Thanks for uploading.

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Exelente. Mexico Yucatan ❤

[@arteguey]

He used to play on Bechstein pianos...

[@user-yu8cg7lz2h]

2 notes failed in the golondoliera. BUT who can forgive he shall be rewarded by the poetical grace of this entire piece mr bolet is in heaven the system remains the sweeeeetes sounds i ever heard the bechstein trembles and distorts beautifully god bless bolet yarrriva...

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

No hay cruzadas. 🎉

[@ly776]

I would love to feature one part of this video on my channel to direct people to your channel. I have many Bolet recordings and I know people who are watching these would be interested in your channel. Let me know if that is possible. I would not cross-post without your permission.

[@jorgeboletliveandbroadcast137]

You're welcome to do so, and thank you. I believe that the permission setting is switched to allow cross posting but please let me know if this is not the case.

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

🎉No sería el caso ,está bien. 😂😂

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

,Md 😊uy difícil Los años de peregrinagri

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

n😊

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Pefe

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Que bien seria. 😅

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Escuche. los conciertos. 😅

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

@carme reyes ponce. Mexico yucatan. 😂

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

No fallo 😅