Jorge Bolet (1914-1990) - piano
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra cond. William Fred Scott
Symphony Hall Atlanta September 19 1985
FRANZ LISZT (1811-1886)
Totentanz (Paraphrase über Dies irae) S.126 ii
[0:04] Introduction: Andante - Presto - Allegro - Allegro moderato
[2:15] Variation 1: Allegro moderato
[3:13] Variation 2: [L'istesso tempo] - Un poco animato
[4:11] Variation 3: Molto vivace
[4:46] Variation 4: 'Canonique': Lento - Presto
[7:47] Variation 5: Vivace. Fugato - Cadenza
[12:17] Variation 6: Sempre allegro, ma non troppo - Un poco meno allegro - Cadenza - Presto - Allegro animato
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in A minor Op. 43
[16:45] Introduction: Allegro vivace
[16:54] Var. 1: (Précédente)
[17:16] Tema: L'istesso tempo
[17:38] Var. 2: L'istesso tempo
[17:58] Var. 3: L'istesso tempo
[18:26] Var. 4: Più vivo
[19:01] Var. 5: Tempo precedente
[19:34] Var. 6: L'istesso tempo
[20:42] Var. 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato (entrance of Dies irae)
[21:54] Var. 8: Tempo I
[22:34] Var. 9: L'istesso tempo
[23:11] Var. 10: Poco marcato
[24:12] Var. 11: Moderato
[25:46] Var. 12: Tempo di minuetto
[27:14] Var. 13: Allegro
[27:47] Var. 14: L'istesso tempo
[28:37] Var. 15: Più vivo scherzando
[29:54] Var. 16: Allegretto
[31:36] Var. 17: (Allegretto)
[33:55] Var. 18: Andante cantabile
[36:57] Tempo vivace
[37:03] Var. 19: L'istesso tempo
[37:34] Var. 20: Un poco più vivo
[38:14] Var. 21: Un poco più vivo
[38:44] Var. 22: Un poco più vivo (Alla breve)
[40:42] Var. 23: L'istesso tempo
[41:37] Var. 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso
A review appeared in the next day's edition of "The Atlanta Constitution':
The Atlanta Constitution Friday Sept. 20, 1985
Bolet demonstrates greatness with ASO
By Derrick Henry (Staff Writer)
Jorge Bolet made a triumphant debut with the Atlanta Symphony in Symphony Hall Thursday night, playing what many connoisseurs consider the finest works for piano and orchestra by two of the greatest virtuoso pianists of all time, Liszt and Rachmaninoff.
Bolet, who last appeared with the ASO in 1958, before Symphony Hall was built, is an amazing pianist. There are no gratuitous gestures. Bent over the keyboard in a posture of reverence, he is one of very few pianists who can rival an orchestra in color and excitement.
He can whisper, and he can thunder. Yet, at any dynamic level, the sound is rich and penetrating. And his articulation is always clean, whatever the technical obstacles. Comparisons with others are unnecessary, for the 70-year-old Bolet belongs in the pantheon of great virtuoso pianists. There just aren’t too many people around today who can bring the excesses of Liszt to thrilling light. Bolet is one of them.
The works in question - Liszt’s “Totentanz” (Dance of Death) and Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” - are both sets of variations. And both share a pervasive use of the “Dies Irae,” a medieval chant from that part of the Requiem Mass concerning the Day of Judgement. In the Romantic era its melody came to be associated with Death itself.
The “Dies Irae” forms the principal theme for Liszt’s variations, inspired by a 14th-century Italian fresco created in the wake of the Black Death titled “The Triumph of Death.” Liszt concocted an appropriately diabolic work, downright devilish in its pianistic demands.
While Liszt’s variations are quixotic in nature, Rachmaninoff’s are more classically structured, falling into three large sections of similar character, predominantly fast-slow-fast in tempo. Rachmaninoff bases his final work for piano on the last of Paganini’s 24 caprices for solo violin, a piece that has inspired a host of composers before and since.
…fans of variations - and of phenomenal pianism - should not miss this program. It repeats tonight and tomorrow at 8.30 p.m.