Smoking hot Liszt
mainRediscovered 1950s broadcasts, newly uploaded on Youtube, by the hard-living French pianist (1924-70).
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Après son Premier Prix au Concours Long-Thibaud en 1943, il entama une carrière internationale et créa quatre ans plus tard le cinquième concerto de Prokofiev à New York. Sa renommée prit de l’ampleur essentiellement sur le vieux continent. Dans les années cinquante il devint unanimement reconnu par la critique européenne. Ce furent sans doute ses années les plus fastes, avec un Premier prix de l’Académie du disque pour son récital Chopin de 1954. Il était aussi adulé au Japon et en Chine; cependant l’étincelle ne se produisit jamais aux États-Unis. (From “Les Grands Pianistes” de Stéphane Villemin, Georg éditeur, page 116)
00:00 Piano Concerto No. 1 (5.9.57). Orchestre national de la RTF conducted by Paul Paray.
18:51 Au bord d’une source. (5.7.51)
22:20 Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11. (5.7.51)
28:00 Tarantella (Venezia e Napoli). (11.13.68)
37:37 Réminiscences de Don Juan (8.4.61)
Unreleased recordings from a private collection.
00:00 Piano Concerto No. 1 (5.9.57). Orchestre national de la RTF conducted by Paul Paray.
18:51 Au bord d’une source. (5.7.51)
22:20 Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11. (5.7.51)
28:00 Tarantella (Venezia e Napoli). (11.13.68)
37:37 Réminiscences de Don Juan (8.4.61)
Wonderful pianist – died far too young. High as hell a lot of the time (according to my teacher who knew him well).
These Liszt recordings are tremendous!
Francois was one of the greatest of all French pianists. His interpretations of Debussy are simply mesmerizing. Not surprising, since he studied with the wonderful Yvonne Lefébure, Marguerite Long, and also briefly with Cortot.
He also recorded the complete Ravel, almost all of Chopin, a lot of Schumann, and was on his way to a complete Debussy when, sadly, he died at the age of 46, on October 22, 1970 – Liszt’s birthday.
For some reason, he always got treated badly in the British musical press. All his records are marvelous and are very much worth listening to.
Pour les amateurs de Samson François, dont je suis, have a look at his Bach’s BWV 543 on Youtube, and enjoy!
Yes, it so arresting. In the late 1980s I was sitting in a rusty MG convertible, in an utterly banal parking lot between Los Angeles and San Diego, when Samson Francois came on the radio (KUSC) playing a Ravel piano concerto. Apparently his widow had dropped off some CDs at USC’s radio station. I honestly, embarrassingly, don’t remember which of the two concertos, but I was transfixed. After that I tracked down many of his recordings. Sooo, when pianists come up on this forum, I wonder if anybody has ever been stopped dead in their tracks by their performance coming in, initially anonymously, over the radio waves. Ingrid Fliter playing Chopin has had the same effect on me. Thank your for the link.
Thank you for your recollections, Lord Bus Stop.
The first Francois record I ever heard was that of Debussy preludes, but I was also transfixed. “Stopped dead in my tracks”, as you would say.
– best regards, Greg
Yes, indeed; i’d nominate François’ Liszt 2nd concerto (EMI, studio, with Cluytens) as a Bus-Stopper-in one’s tracks! Even tho i’m not mostly a fan (as posted elsewhere here), this is an outstanding bus-stopper!
I rather like radio broadcasts for that unknown aspect, when you tune in and are fascinote, sometimes by a performer you thunk you didn’t like! This happens often in the car, usually at the precise moment when you really need to go for a pee, or more…. increasing the intensity of the listening quality.
…and to continue the “anonymous” radio performances in detail; Liszt: Vallée d’Obermann by Arrau, a pianist i’d never really understood til then. That made me re-listen to lots of his recordings and re-assess the work. Another time it was Smetana Polkas by Rudolf Firkusny, marvellous! And Grieg by Alicia! But it’s more often obscure orchestral works which grab my attention, Florent Schmitt, Franz Schmidt, Stenhammar, Schulhoff…. (ye gods, that’s lots of S’ssss…!). In my early teens, tuning in to radio broadcasts of Bartok Bluebeard, Debussy Pelléas, Rimsky May Night, Martinu Double Concerto, Respighi Feste Romane (“ugh!” says everyone!)…without knowing what they were yet, gave me a passion for these and others similarly, which lasts to this day.
Before travelling a lot by car, i often went by bus, but i can’t say anything stopped me in my tracks then.
He proudly claimed to be the only pupil Marguerite Long ever slapped I saw him play a recital at either the opera house or Veterans Auditorium in San Franccisco in the late 1950s but unusually have a poor recollection of it.– Chopin and Schumann I think, half turning to the audience, nodding and bobbing his head all the way perhaps Debussy, no Liszt that I recall. He entered from the left. half turning tu us, nodding and bobbing his head all the way to the piano. My German companion made a disparaging remark. I had seen Cortot and Moiseiwitsch play a few years before and liked their Chopin better.
I already knew of Francois from LIFE magazine’s post-war photos of his US debut, a long shank of hair hanging down and curling around his chin . I apologise for these irrelevant details.
Please don’t apologize, dear Edgar.
I only wish you had a clearer recollection of the recital!
The details can’t have been too irrelevant, cos friends of mine who heard him variously in Paris, Nice, Marseille and London, recalled exactly this detail of the long shank of hair! I never heard him live but i now plonk on a piano which he often practised on…yes, it’s still alive and (almost) well!
I’m afraid i share your German companion’s disparaging opinion, at least on most recordings. He was, no doubt, fascinating, magnetic and brilliant on stage, but much of his Chopin, Liszt, Ravel & Debussy is wayward, indulgent and often sloppy. The Debussy, in particular is groteske in mis-readings, totally falsifying important harmonic sequences and relations….in Debussy, of all…. ye gods! A fascinating maverick even so, tho not really “ma tasse de thé!”
I’ll agree to disagree with you, dear Paul.
One of the things I most like about Francois is his so-called waywardness. His interpretations sound like those of no other pianist, and he is immediately recognizable on records.
“Indulgent”? I don’t know what you mean by this word in the context of musical performance.
In terms of sloppiness: It’s certainly true that Francois was not as accurate in Debussy as a Michelangeli or a Zimerman. But neither was Cortot! And like Cortot, mere pianistic accuracy was not one of SF’s main concerns (although when SF was on, he was ON).
– regards, Greg
Well, dear Greg, that’s all fair enough, and if you enjoy a strong flavor, “le Grand Samson” was certainly recognisable! I wish i’d heard him in performance, especially having met friends and colleagues of his; i’m sure the recordings give an incomplete idea.
“Indulgent” in attitude to rythm and, especially, text; very lazy there with some ghastly howlers in Debussy -it’s years since i listened but i remember “Estampes” being notably shocking. If you love and appreciate a composer particularly for harmonic finesse, perfect proportions…etc, this can be very upsetting.
I wouldn’t compare Cortot in this context, the main difference being Cortot’s intention is always clear, in his application of style, culture, intellect….etc, even if he often misses his target! There’s no laziness or real “sloppiness” with Cortot- his accidents are spectacular but honest! (And, ditto: when he was on, he was ON!).
This said, i will try to listen back to some old SF recordings…..not really too tempted as my “Listen Later” list has long accelerated out of sight, to my despair….a sort of “Grand Galop Traumatique” – as a Liszten Later!
-regards, Paul.
I am unsure if you are or are not mocking me, Paul.
Regardless, so many people have recognized the beauty of Francois’ art that neither my two cents’ worth (pro) or your two cents’ worth (con) will really make much of a difference.
Aha! Could the same be said of other artits such as …..eerrhhmm… V Horowitz, for instance? Ooohh…Whoops! Sorry, Greg, just teasing!
Just to add, in case i seemed too negative; i think his Liszt 2nd concerto, studio recording with Cluytens, is outstanding, where all those dangerously eccentric characteristics somehow come together to work a potent brew. There are, doubtless, others i haven’t heard.
Sloppy, messy and self indulgent.
Technically inadequate and out of his depth.
I have always thought François was hugely overrated.
This merely confirms it IMO.
A good defense, Greg ( … is the best offense?) I think it was James Methuen-Campbell who called Cortot “magically wayward, brilliantly inaccurate.” Interesting that Francois played the eleventh Hungrian Rhapsody, which Cortot recorded several times, inimitably It’s not common outside the integrales, though I remember a William Kapell recording. Cortot’s had me laughing aloud, also his sly second Rhapsody.