Conclusion

In all, I felt that Lang Lang’s playing in my opinion was the best. I felt that anyone could also play according to the score, and by doing that one is perceived to be doing the right thing. Lang Lang as everyone knows is notorious for his stage pressence when performing as he would always display and conduct himself in a way that some might feel that he has violated traditional concert ettiques and his performance is always not conventional as a classical pianist. However, I beg to differ as Lang Lang is one that truly is a musician. That is because he has really gotten the Lisztian spirit of exploring new ways in making music. Liszt innovated the symphonic poems in the Romantic period. Now Lang Lang has also tried new ways to play Liszt’s very own composition. I felt he didn’t do anything that was too much exaggerated, but more of adding his own interpretations in respective areas (not the entire composition). This is his way of doing it and I believe I hold great respect to his concept as a musician and a classical pianist. I couldn’t imagine if everyone were to play the same way as it was written in scores like good students, everything would sound too academic and too conventional, and after some time, it turns boring. I wouldn’t think that Liszt would love that to happen, he would love to see his composition being played over and over again and be appreciated by the people who listened to it for as long as it takes. There comes a time that someone has to break all these conventions like how Beethoven has done in the Classical period, and that someone is Lang Lang. He has successfully introduced a new innovative way of interpreting Liszt’s work and has made it all interesting and new to the audience again. I would very much love to see him play as I wouldn’t know what he would do next on stage when he’s performing. With that I hence chose Lang Lang as my favourite and probably the best recording amongst the other 5 recordings.

Introduction

INTRODUCTION

La Campanella is a composition composed by Franz Liszt in 1851. It’s a part of the series of the six Grandes Etudes de Paganini. The idea came along when Liszt wanted to transcribe his good friend Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor. This whole composition comprises of many wide leaps of the right hand notes more that an octave worth of notes; where this can only be realised by a pianist with good finger technique. 

Our task today is to list out 6 recordings. In these 6 recordings we are going to examine the various performers’ interpretation in terms of dynamics, articulation, speed and tempo used by respective performers, to see whether are these interpretations “right” to our understanding.

Nojima plays Liszt La Campanella

Nojima is the Japanese pianist for this performance of Liszt’s La Campanella. He uses less pedal in his playing, which makes the music rather “dry”. The speed used in here by Nojima is one that in my opinion was faster than Adam Gyorgy, Yundi Li and Lang Lang, but somewhat similar to Valentina Lisitsa. Different from Yundi Li and Lang Lang, he did not speed up towards the end  but instead used the same speed, which I felt it was less exciting. There was a part of Ritardando towards the end at the last 2 bars, and he counted the quaver rests longer as a result.

My personal impression of this performance is one that doesn’t excite me as a listener. I found his playing rather dull. But I couldn’t deny that he is truly good in his finger technique and virtuosity.  

Stereo Review magazine said, "...a stunning demonstration of technique put at the service of profoundly musical ends..."

"Nojima's mastery of legato pianissimos and the palette of brilliant colors he possesses allowed for a performance reminiscent of the kind Walter Gieseking would have delivered ..."
- Washington Post
 <https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=artistdetail&id=1161  >

According to Robert E. Greene of The Absolute Sound magazine, “Anticipating the judgment of history is no doubt presumptuous, but to hear Minoru Nojima is to find irresistible the idea that here is a pianist destined to join the pantheon of keyboard immortals.”  

Albert Goldberg of the Los Angeles Times said, “The pianistic hurdles leaped with incredible fleetness and lightness, punctuated by volcanic outbursts of power and majesty. It was the sort of impossible thing rendered possible only by genius. Repeat: genius.”

<http://www.referencerecordings.com/images/RR-25&35_PressRelease.pdf>

Yundi Li plays La Campanella

Yundi Li is the artist for this performance. Similar to Lang Lang, both were born in China. However boh have different styles in interpreting this piece of composition by Franz Liszt. As mentioned from the review between Lang Lang and Yundi Li:

 “At least in the short term, handicappers in the piano world are likely to think of Yundi Li as the anti-Lang Lang, in the way that Serkin was the anti-Horowitz.

Both Mr. Li and Mr. Lang are Chinese and 21, and both began to dazzle audiences when they were teenagers. They are also signed to the same record label, Deutsche Grammophon. But where Mr. Lang has established himself as a firebrand whose performances are wrapped in a lively and sometimes over-the-top physicality, Mr. Li deals in a more poetic, deeply considered pianism, delivered without extraneous gestures and body language.”

ALLAN KOZINN

Published: April 28, 2004.

MUSIC REVIEW; Pianism at the Poetic End, Not the Physical

<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/28/arts/music-review-pianism-at-the-poetic-end-not-the-physical.html?scp=1&sq=li%20yundi%20liszt%20la%20campanella&st=c

In this playing, Yundi Li produced a very smooth melody line from the beginning until the end, as compared to Lang Lang’s playing, which is more agressive. He has followed all the dynamic markings written in the score. He made a very clear crescendo and diminuendo dynamics, especially at the running passages, at 2:21-2:46, and brings out the “bells ringing” effect. He started with an accurate “Allegretto” speed at the beginning, and similar to Adam Gyorgy, Valentina Lisitsa, Lang Lang, and Evgeny Kissin’s playing, he speed up at tempo at the Animato section.

At the espressivo section, at 3:08-3:27, Yundi Li played the left hand chords beautifully and creates a very smooth melody line.

"Few 20-year-olds have any right to approach the work, but Yundi's deep sympathy with the piece -- even more than his ability to play its more harrowingly difficult passages -- makes his recording of the work the one to have . . . All the above qualities resurface in Yundi's spellbinding playing of "La Campanella,"

Record Review / Tim Pfaff, Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) / 16 October 2003

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/special/?ID=yundili-liszt

Evgeny Kissin La Campanella

knightlynderic. 'Evgeny Kissin La Campanella'. YouTube. Created 19 Sept, 2010. Accessed 20 Oct, 2011.

The artist for this performance of La campanella came from his native country of Moscow, Russia. He's Evgeny Kissin. Comparing with the other 5 recordings, he doesn't use much of the sustaining pedal in his playing, in fact not at all. This has in turn made his music sound very clear especially in the running passages. In also proving another point, without the use of sustaining pedal, yet being able to produce high quality of music so smoothly meant that he has great finger technique and good fingers.
The articulation was clear, especially at 2:44 to 2:59 where he managed to play the legato passages so well even without the use of the sustaining pedal.
In my opinion, there is one particular part which I do not agree with, that is the part where at the animato section where he simply "bang" through the chords at 4:02 to 4:17.

Lang Lang on Liszt

kiesworld86. 'Lang Lang - Liszt La Campanella'. YOUTUBE. Created 9 July, 2011. Accessed 23 Oct. 201. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNuZcd9iiA4&feature=related>

This performance on Liszt's La Campanella is by China-born pianist Lang Lang. Being a Chinese, in my opinion, Lang Lang possesses the kind of character of showmanship, or in another words-flamboyant style. Lang Lang as we all could see his stage presence is one that honestly captures my attention as I would be very curious to see what he is going to do next; his body language just simply tell me that he is just going to do something that is not conventional.
His articulation was very clear, and very well managed despite the many running passages. For instance, a 3:16 to 3:33 all his notes were very well articulated and crisp clarity was maintained.
Lang Lang has also observed much of the details as written by Liszt, except a few parts of interpretation. For example, at 4:00 to 4:44 he did a very obvious accelerando, speeding up the music quite a bit. Moreover the last three chords at the end of the music, there are quavers rests in which Lang Lang didn't observe, instead just played the three chords in continuity progression. In my opinion, this was to attract the attention of the audience; rather than playing so strictly to what was written on the score by Liszt himself, Lang Lang chose to differ, he played the theme of this music gradually getting faster and at the part Animato (4:27-4:44) he played it with so much intensity and at a very accelerated speed. All these features of Lang Lang was to attract the attention of the audience, adding colour and variety to his interpretation.
My impressions of this performance is that Lang Lang has successfully brought out the theme of this music, and I could imagine many variety of bells of different sizes ringing due to his wide variety of dynamics.

In this performance, music critics also gave their thoughts about the image of Lang Lang and his playing. John von Rhein, music critic for The Chicago Tribune, described one performance as ''unacceptably willful.” And he loved ''strutting his stuff''. Anthony Tommasini, chief music critic of The New York Times, found his exuberance in both performance and body posture exaggerated and tasteless. Earl Wild, the American pianist, in a New Yorker interview, was dismissive of all the publicity and called Mr. Lang ''the J.Lo of the piano.'' (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/lang_lang/index.html)

Also there are also critics against Lang Lang’s virtuosity. “……however, when Liszt is being the showman, Lang Lang’s extreme virtuosity keeps removing the music’s soul” The Times, 3rd September 2011.

“His talents are most generously indulged, however, in the Paganini study "La Campanella", a showcase of effusive flurries, sudden shifts of mood and rippling trills sweeping the entire length of the keyboard, all delivered with a restrained but dashing brio.” The Independent, 8th September 2011

However not all critics are against Lang Lang, there are some critics that appreciated his playing.  

“His approach to the piano is predominantly affectionate and respectful. While capable of producing massive sounds, he very seldom loses tonal control; indeed, his tone is frequently seductive.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2011

“...His stealthy tempo for "La campanella" allows for a super-glitter and articulacy that even the most seasoned pianist might envy….” Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2011.

(http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/85/Ferencz-Liszt-Grande-%C3%89tude-de-Paganini-S-141-No-3-%27La-Campanella%27)

Valentina Lisitsa on Liszt's La Campanella

ValentinaLisitsa. ‘ Paganini-Liszt La Campanella HQ’. YOUTUBE. Created 7 Dec. 2007. Accessed 4 Oct. 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD6xMyvZis0

Valentinna Lisitsa is the Ukrainian pianist that played this performance of Liszt's La Campanella. 
In this performance, she has displayed very clear dynamic contrasts. From 3:20 to 4:46, everything was displayed in forte, this is opposing to what Liszt has written, as Liszt himself didn't indicate any signs of forte except crescendo and towards the end there was a fortissimo at the part where it was meant to play in Animato indicated by Liszt.
The articulation done by this pianist has produced a light tone and texture to the music in terms of sound quality. It has given me an impression of bells ringing which is more harsh in nature of its soundings. 
The speed used by Valentinna Lisitsa is, in my opinion, rather faster and quicker than my impression of Allegretto.   
She also tend to use rubato at the end of every episode, creating a very smooth transitional sounding effects that leads to the next start of a new episode.
A few minor slips were observed. In 3:44, at the running octave part.
She has also added the use of the sustaining pedal at the opening (first 3 octave part).

Some reviews also quoted on Valentina’s performance.

"Lisitsa's playing held me on the edge of my seat ... I couldn't tear
myself away ... Lisitsa plays the stuff like a woman possessed."
- Hawkins, American Record Guide

"Lisitsa is a gigantic talent ... infallible fingers, imagination and a
control of dynamics little short of electrifying."
- Stephen Wigler, Baltimore Sun

http://audiofon-records.com/Valentina/72055.htm

La Campanella by Adam Gyorgy 2003

Lacyedferro. ‘ Adam Gyorgy Plays F. Liszt : La campanella, 2003. YOUTUBE. Created 28 Sept. 2006. Accessed 3 Oct. 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txVxivzj5Go

Adam Gyorgy is the artist for this performance on Liszt's La Campanella. Being a Hungarian, this gives the reason to a good performance in terms of interpretation as Liszt himself is also a Hungarian; he brings about, in my opinion, a connection of understanding and the Hungarian spirit through the music. 

In this performance, Adam Gyorgy has followed mostly on the score written. The dynamics of this piece is generally obeserving the piano and pianissimo, in which he has successfully observed. 

The articulation of this piece is generally staccato, having many wide leaps in the notes. Adam Gyorgy has managed this very well, sustaining the momentum and flow of the music, rather than to play in a way where the audience could hear the difficulty in mastering the wide leaps.

There is a part of the performance that reveals his interpretation of the music. That is, in 1:13 to 1:30, where he played the music in a slower tempo. This was done although there isn't any indication by Liszt to slow down. The intention, I infer, is that Adam Gyorgy wanted to bring out and emphasise the main theme from the left hand melody.  In my opinion, this is not necessary because the main theme is already emphasized by its own as Liszt has intended to when he repeated it like recapitulation.

The speed intended for the piece is Allegretto, in which I felt that Adam Gyorgy played to it, although it may seem quite fast as Allegretto for some, however I felt it was a good speed chosen. 

The sound quality in this video from Youtube was good and clear. No signs of muffled sounds or bad clarity observed here. 

My first impression while listening to this piece played by Adam Gyorgy was that he is a fantastic virtuosic pianist, with very good finger technique as he could easily overcome wide leaps, playing it very steadily and evenly.