Michel Béroff, Kurt Masur - Liszt: Works for Piano & Orchestra (1990)

Michel Beroff is probably one of the most under-rated pianists, who made many outstanding recordings, like Complete solo piano works of Debussy, Stravinsky's most solo piano works and concertos, Prokofiev's 5 piano concertos, Messiaen's Vingt regards to name a few, but some of them are now out of print, including these brilliant recordings of Liszt's complete works for piano and orchestra. Beroff's pianism is comparable to Richter's in that the piano tone really rings with penetrating clarity and has wide gradation of colours. And, more importantly, the pianist serves the music, not the other way around. The incandescent performance of the 1st and 2nd concertos matches Richter's live performaces in stature and intensity. The rapt serenity of the slow movement of the 1st concerto is most beautifully captured.

Grand Fantasie symphonique, based on themes from Berlioz' music, is virtually a piano concerto (23:19), no less impressive than the 2nd concerto and imbued with wonderful poetic inspiration and romantic imagination. Wanderer-Fantasie and the smaller works - Polonaise brilliante, Hungarian Fantasy, 'Ruin of Athence' Fantasy, Malediction, Totentanz - are equally stunning works of pianistic creativity. All played with dazzling virtuosity and mature artistry. Excellent stereo recording, 1977-79, Leipzig.