Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
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Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Cziffra was one of the greatest piano virtuoso of last century, especially in terms of speed and agility. He gave amazing demonstrations of his technique in Liszt (his favorite composer) and in the transcriptions, such as Verdi's Il Trovatore, Brahms' Hungarian Rapsodies, Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance, and a transcendental version of Rimsky-Korsakoff's Bumble Bee Flight.
He embodied an old-fashioned figure of virtuoso, (curiously linked to his early experience playing in the circus) and focused more on interpretation rather than on mere sensationalism. A great artist, who was truly unique.
The EMI box set described below is available in the EU and should be available in the USA soon....hopefully.
Georges Cziffra - The Complete Studio Recordings 1956-1986
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Georges Cziffra (piano)
This boxed set contains the recorded legacy of the ‘meteor’ Georges Cziffra, preserved in 40 CDs that make for consistently varied and thrilling listening. They bring together all the studio recordings Cziffra made for EMI and Philips, from his first 25 cm, 33 rpm microgroove LP, released in 1956 when he arrived in Paris, to the last sessions in the Saint-Frambourg chapel in Senlis in May 1986 a few years before he died.
This thirty-year period included many highly successful tours, both in France and abroad – notably Japan –, which brought Cziffra considerable fame, an image in striking contrast with his own modest self-definition as a ‘workman’ aspiring only to share his love of
music and the piano. His legendary virtuosity, the outcome of unsparing, almost superhuman hard work, tended to overshadow the inner turmoil of this rather shy man, who suffered personally from Nazi oppression before undergoing the humiliating ordeals inflicted by the post-war Hungarian regime, the accumulated effects of which drove him into exile, where the vicissitudes of human existence brought their own share of suffering.
Cziffra strove for perfection and often rerecorded the same works. It seemed valid to run the risk of redundancy and include all the versions he made of these: though similar, they varied considerably with different moods or new perceptions of the piano’s resources. The dazzling improvisations, paraphrases and transcriptions at the beginning of this collection bear witness to the power of his imagination in response to well-known pieces of music, while giving us a fuller picture of the personal style he deployed in his playing. Unreleased test recordings from the EMI France archives round off the set, making it truly complete. As with all the other recordings, enormous care went into the transfers.
EMI - 2132512
(CD - 40 discs)
He embodied an old-fashioned figure of virtuoso, (curiously linked to his early experience playing in the circus) and focused more on interpretation rather than on mere sensationalism. A great artist, who was truly unique.
The EMI box set described below is available in the EU and should be available in the USA soon....hopefully.
Georges Cziffra - The Complete Studio Recordings 1956-1986
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Georges Cziffra (piano)
This boxed set contains the recorded legacy of the ‘meteor’ Georges Cziffra, preserved in 40 CDs that make for consistently varied and thrilling listening. They bring together all the studio recordings Cziffra made for EMI and Philips, from his first 25 cm, 33 rpm microgroove LP, released in 1956 when he arrived in Paris, to the last sessions in the Saint-Frambourg chapel in Senlis in May 1986 a few years before he died.
This thirty-year period included many highly successful tours, both in France and abroad – notably Japan –, which brought Cziffra considerable fame, an image in striking contrast with his own modest self-definition as a ‘workman’ aspiring only to share his love of
music and the piano. His legendary virtuosity, the outcome of unsparing, almost superhuman hard work, tended to overshadow the inner turmoil of this rather shy man, who suffered personally from Nazi oppression before undergoing the humiliating ordeals inflicted by the post-war Hungarian regime, the accumulated effects of which drove him into exile, where the vicissitudes of human existence brought their own share of suffering.
Cziffra strove for perfection and often rerecorded the same works. It seemed valid to run the risk of redundancy and include all the versions he made of these: though similar, they varied considerably with different moods or new perceptions of the piano’s resources. The dazzling improvisations, paraphrases and transcriptions at the beginning of this collection bear witness to the power of his imagination in response to well-known pieces of music, while giving us a fuller picture of the personal style he deployed in his playing. Unreleased test recordings from the EMI France archives round off the set, making it truly complete. As with all the other recordings, enormous care went into the transfers.
EMI - 2132512
(CD - 40 discs)
Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
About my favourite pianist. I have some of his EMI recordings including the unsurpassed Etudes d'exécution transcendante so I'll look up this set. He's been an inspiration (in some cases a target) for many. Have a listen to the Etude No 4 Mazeppa: Liszt had to write it out into 4 staves. Heaven alone knows how Cziffra plays it! His Hungarian Rhapsodies are also unsurpassed as far as I'm concerned...but then I never heard Liszt!
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
I marvel at Cziffra's playing ... always have. His ability to improvise within the composer's own work remains quite astounding. Cziffra had a technique to die for, not to everyone's liking perhaps, but still noteworthy. Strange, every time I play something on the air featuring Georges Cziffra, I get huge responses from the audience wanting to know where to get the recordings. I have several versions of the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6, several of which are taken from live performances ... and this one always raises the roof with hearers. When he was hot, he was hot!
This big-box set will be a revelation to many. I'm surprised that EMI is joining hands with Philips to produce this edition. American Decca also issued a now very rare LP of music that was not, apparently, ever reissued on CD. I hope that is in the box. Those of us who have Cziffra's eight-CD "Introuvables" set on EMI [67366], or the six individual CDs in EMI's "Cziffra Edition" [65250 through 65255] will obviously have much replication in the big-box, but if all the Philips, and hopefully the American Decca issues, are included, this will be a set to rave about for many years. Of course EMI issued many CDs of the pianist. I have 46 EMI CDs, with much duplication among them, plus one British Decca and and four CDs on the Philips label, one of which is from the "Great Pianists of the 20th Century" series. Cziffra's stature among piano aficianados never seems to have regressed.
This big-box set will be a revelation to many. I'm surprised that EMI is joining hands with Philips to produce this edition. American Decca also issued a now very rare LP of music that was not, apparently, ever reissued on CD. I hope that is in the box. Those of us who have Cziffra's eight-CD "Introuvables" set on EMI [67366], or the six individual CDs in EMI's "Cziffra Edition" [65250 through 65255] will obviously have much replication in the big-box, but if all the Philips, and hopefully the American Decca issues, are included, this will be a set to rave about for many years. Of course EMI issued many CDs of the pianist. I have 46 EMI CDs, with much duplication among them, plus one British Decca and and four CDs on the Philips label, one of which is from the "Great Pianists of the 20th Century" series. Cziffra's stature among piano aficianados never seems to have regressed.
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
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When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
I'm kind of curious about how many of our own CMGers would ultimately want to make an investment in the huge Cziffra EMI edition. Would YOU buy it?
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Absolutely!!!Lance wrote:I'm kind of curious about how many of our own CMGers would ultimately want to make an investment in the huge Cziffra EMI edition. Would YOU buy it?
Besides his technique, grace and panache he also had a poetic and sensitive side as well. He might be regarded among the giants if he had recorded a Beethoven sonata cycle, Mozart or Bach. I have that 8-CD Introuvables set (bought it when it first appeared) and it is still in print after many years.
Buying Cziffra CDs is a bit thorny as there seems to be a lot of partial replication among discs (perhaps he recorded many multiple versions). This makes it a lot easier.
John
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
No. I have two of his CDs now--Liszt Transcendental Etudes and 10 of the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies. Both feature spectacular playing, although I find his approach more suited to the Hungarian Rhapsodies. His interpretive choices can diminish the experience of some of the Transcendental Etudes; at times, he plays a passage extremely fast and loud because only he can play it that way.Lance wrote:I'm kind of curious about how many of our own CMGers would ultimately want to make an investment in the huge Cziffra EMI edition. Would YOU buy it?
I might be interested in selected other CDs by Cziffra, but a 40-CD set which includes multiple versions of the same piece? Not interested.
Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Of all the recordings of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto I have, there are two that I find exceptional beyond all others:
Argerich on DG and Cziffra on EMI.
Cziffra, with all of his virtuosity plays this recording with great dignity and restraint, and the result is pure and very moving.
Argerich, on the other hand, is fiery and exciting as only she can pull off.
Two very different performances from each other, but equally effective.
Argerich on DG and Cziffra on EMI.
Cziffra, with all of his virtuosity plays this recording with great dignity and restraint, and the result is pure and very moving.
Argerich, on the other hand, is fiery and exciting as only she can pull off.
Two very different performances from each other, but equally effective.
Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Cziffra is a unique and very special pianist, and very much his own man in Les Introuvables. Thanks Corlyss_D for posting about this set: it's on my list now at Amazon!
If, OTOH, one wants to sample the best of this pianist's art, try this on for size: http://www.amazon.com/Les-introuvables- ... 155&sr=8-4
If, OTOH, one wants to sample the best of this pianist's art, try this on for size: http://www.amazon.com/Les-introuvables- ... 155&sr=8-4
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Hey Maestrob — wait until the big box comes out! All the stuff on EMI Introuvables will be in the big box along with everything else ever recorded by Cziffra for EMI and Philips. The Introuvables set of eight CDs is priced (I believe) much more per actual CD than the big box, per CD, which is forthcoming.
maestrob wrote:Cziffra is a unique and very special pianist, and very much his own man in Les Introuvables. Thanks Corlyss_D for posting about this set: it's on my list now at Amazon!
If, OTOH, one wants to sample the best of this pianist's art, try this on for size: http://www.amazon.com/Les-introuvables- ... 155&sr=8-4
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Hi, Lance!
I guess I wasn't clear. What I meant was that I've already got Les Introuvables, and for those who don't want the whole collection, it makes a nice sampler of "The Best Of."
As far as my own collecting goes, I live in a Manhattan apartment, where space is at a premium, so although I've got a thousands on the wall, by now my tendency is to avoid hyper-sets and just to buy premium-quality singles (five-star reviews).
I guess I wasn't clear. What I meant was that I've already got Les Introuvables, and for those who don't want the whole collection, it makes a nice sampler of "The Best Of."
As far as my own collecting goes, I live in a Manhattan apartment, where space is at a premium, so although I've got a thousands on the wall, by now my tendency is to avoid hyper-sets and just to buy premium-quality singles (five-star reviews).
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Looking at Amazon France it seems they are also releasing it in smaller Box Set also, I have the Introuvables Boxes so I may pass on this, probably not though, like Corlyss I have no self discipline...
Sent via Twitter by @chalkperson
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Don't feel bad ... nor do I!
Chalkperson wrote:Looking at Amazon France it seems they are also releasing it in smaller Box Set also, I have the Introuvables Boxes so I may pass on this, probably not though, like Corlyss I have no self discipline...
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
But we aren't getting Happy Birthday royalties.Lance wrote:Don't feel bad ... nor do I!Chalkperson wrote:Looking at Amazon France it seems they are also releasing it in smaller Box Set also, I have the Introuvables Boxes so I may pass on this, probably not though, like Corlyss I have no self discipline...
John
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
I have a really good deal with Getty, I get lots of Royalties on my photos of Flowers and stuff...CharmNewton wrote:But we aren't getting Happy Birthday royalties.Lance wrote:Don't feel bad ... nor do I!Chalkperson wrote:Looking at Amazon France it seems they are also releasing it in smaller Box Set also, I have the Introuvables Boxes so I may pass on this, probably not though, like Corlyss I have no self discipline...
John
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
; my late Hill relatives of "Happy Birthday" fame cut me out of their wills for reasons I cannot fathom. So, no royalties for moi either. We'll just have to make do, somehow. [Interesting, you DO see my little notes here and there. The Chalkie humour emerges, once again! I love it.]
CharmNewton wrote:But we aren't getting Happy Birthday royalties.Lance wrote:Don't feel bad ... nor do I!Chalkperson wrote:Looking at Amazon France it seems they are also releasing it in smaller Box Set also, I have the Introuvables Boxes so I may pass on this, probably not though, like Corlyss I have no self discipline...
John
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
Since I already have a good deal of Cziffra, I keep trying to ignore this thread, but...
Oh man, I hate temptations like this. When's that big box coming?
Zero will-power Dirk
Oh man, I hate temptations like this. When's that big box coming?
Zero will-power Dirk
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Re: Georges Cziffra-EMI Gives Us The Whole Enchilada
It will be released in Europe next week. Looks reasonably priced for 40 CDs, even in Euros. I haven't seen a listing for U.S. Amazon yet, but it wouldn't surprise me to see it for $60-70 dollars at some point. A good reason to avoid some burgers for a few weeks (for those who enjoy such things).dirkronk wrote:Since I already have a good deal of Cziffra, I keep trying to ignore this thread, but...
Oh man, I hate temptations like this. When's that big box coming?
Zero will-power Dirk
John
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