Emanuel Ax - Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Piano Sonata in B Minor (2005)

Emanuel Ax is not the first name that comes to mind when you think of Liszt pianists. Nevertheless, this album is a real accomplishment. His tone in the Concertos is large and appealing, and he never just pounds. His phrasing is lyrical, almost a little subdued--not a bad way to hear these works. If you believe that Liszt wrote music rather than just showpieces, you probably will enjoy this. Salonen's accompaniments are vigorous and exciting. In the Sonata, Ax seems to play very literally, especially at the beginning. As the piece proceeds, his approach pays off in emotional impact. He almost makes it sound easy to play. Sound engineering in all three works is pretty good from 1992, but not up to the highest current standards.