Cheap Georges Cziffra Plays Chopin, Liszt & Franck (EMI Classic Archive) (DVD) Price

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Customer Reviews of Georges Cziffra Plays Chopin, Liszt & Franck (EMI Classic Archive)

Awesome pianism from two keyboard masters
It became a commonplace for many music critics to dismiss Georges Cziffra as a brainless noisemaker. Many of his recordings are controversial, claimed by some to be showy and unmusical. I personally believe it to be professional jealousy. In any case there is generally little doubt that Cziffra had a remarkable virtuoso technique. After watching this DVD, I wonder if his critics have ever listened to him. His Liszt is full of life and it fits completely to the music. His Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 is absolutely astonishing, yet the central section is very sensitively played. In the more virtuoso pieces, Cziffra really puts the music on fire in the concert study Gnomenreigen seems to be under the effect of steroids! But it is in Chopin that Cziffra shows his music critics have been unfair. The Scherzo and the Improptu are very honestly played, with much spontaneity and no distortion. Even the A flat Polonaise is very controlled yet brilliant. Of course there are better Chopin players, but the items included here sound very pleasant. Georges Cziffra didn't make many recordings due to the death of his son who was also a pianist and a conductor who died in a fire, supposedly a suicide. Georges Cziffra never made another recording after that. As a bonus, EMI includes Benno Moiseiwitsch performing Wagner's Tannhauser Overture in Liszt's transcription. These 15 minutes are worth alone the price of this DVD. The Russian master throws the million note score with elegance and mastery, projecting the themes from the octaves and arpeggios with the most beaultiful singing tone. I own many of the EMI Classic Archive DVD's and this is by far the best DVD I've seen from the Classic Archive Series and no piano lover should miss it.

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Fascinating performances, grainy pictures
Watching Gyorgy Cziffra play the piano is a mind-boggling experience. He not only had perfect two-hand coordination, but could use all ten of his fingers interdependently of each other, so that in the most complex and technically baffling passages, such as Liszt's "Grand Trop Chromatique," watching him is not only interesting but almost scary - at least, to those of us who have played piano! <
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>Benno Moisewitsch is superb in the filler, a performance of Liszt's transcription of the "Tannhauser" Overture, but not as digitally dextrous as Cziffra. <
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>My lone complaint is of the video quality, grainy, sometimes washed-out black and white that apparently could not be restored too well digitally. But this is still a must-see video for piano enthusiasts.

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Playing with power and might
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Georges Cziffra play. He demonstrates incredible power and a technique which is quite awesome. His octave playing and chord playing in parts is quite unorthodox with very high held wrists. The quality of the DVD is somewhat lacking, but nevertheless to see him playing is well worth the cost of the DVD. <
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>Paul Copeland <
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