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French-Hungarian pianist Suzana Bartal will give two wonderful solo recitals showcasing Ferenc Liszt's monumental work Années de Pèlerinage. Ome of the recitals will take place on October 14, 2024 from 6:30pm at the Consulate General of France in New York and the other on October 17, 2024 at the Embassy of France in Washington D.C.
PROGRAM
- Première Année de Pèlerinage: Suisse, S.160 (1855)
Les cloches de Genève: Nocturne, in B major
Orage, in C minor
Vallée d'Obermann, in E minor
- Deuxième Année de Pèlerinage: Italie, S.161 (1858)
Sposalizio, in E major
Après une lecture du Dante, in D minor
- Troisième Année de Pèlerinage, S.163 (1883)
Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este, in F# major
About the piece
Années de Pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage) by Franz Liszt is a monumental collection of piano pieces that captures the essence of Romanticism. Spanning three volumes, the work reflects Liszt’s deep personal and artistic journey through the landscapes, art, and literature of Europe. Each piece in the collection is a vivid musical painting, infused with the sights and emotions Liszt experienced during his travels in Switzerland and Italy.
The first volume, "Switzerland," evokes the natural beauty of the Swiss Alps, with pieces like "Vallée d’Obermann" expressing profound introspection.
The second volume, "Italy," draws inspiration from the art and poetry of the Italian Renaissance, with works such as "Petrarch Sonnets" and "Dante Sonata" exploring themes of love, spirituality, and existential struggle.
The third volume, composed later in Liszt’s life, reflects his evolving spirituality and the trials of his later years.
Années de Pèlerinage is not merely a travelogue in music; it is a profound exploration of the human condition, where the landscapes of the physical world mirror the landscapes of the soul. The work remains one of Liszt’s most personal and enduring contributions to the piano repertoire, showcasing his virtuosic brilliance and deep philosophical musings. Through these pieces, Liszt invites listeners on a pilgrimage of their own, exploring the depths of emotion and the transcendent power of art.
About Suzana Bartal
Suzana Bartal establishes herself as one of the foremost pianists of her generation. Her playing has been hailed as “brilliant, full of shades and virtuosic” by the Bonner Anzeiger. Recent performances have taken her to prestigious venues such as the big hall of the Paris Philharmonie, the Auditorium of Radio France, the Seine Musicale, Salle Pleyel, the Auditorium of the Musée du Louvre, and the Auditorium of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Merkin Hall in New York, the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts in Los Angeles, the Palazzetto Bru Zane in Venise, as well as Milton Court in London. Highlights include concerts at the Festival de Pâques Aix-en-Provence, the Rencontres Musicales Evian, the Festival Berlioz, the International Music Festival de Besançon, the Kaposvar Chamber Music Festival in Hungary, Schloss Elmau in Germany and the Turku Music Festival in Finland.
She has made appearances on ARTE Concert, the French radio (Europe 1, France Musique, Radio Classique, Radio France Internationale), Rai 3 Radio Italy, RTS Espace 2 Switzerland, the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), the Danish Radio (DR), Radio Klassik Austria, RTÉ Ireland, the Belgian Radio RTBF3, the Hungarian and Romanian radio, as well as French, Portuguese, Hungarian and Romanian television channels.
After performing on several occasions the complete Liszt “Années de pèlerinage” in three concerts on the same day, her recording of this cycle was released in a triple abum on the label Naïve in March 2020 to praiseful reviews: ““These three perfect discs (…) consacrate the new priestess that the piano of Liszt was awaiting” (Jean-Charles Hoffelé).
Praised by the international critic, the album has received a prize from the Liszt Society in Budapest, as well as “5 stars” from the German magazine Fono Forum, as well as Classical Source UK. It was chosen “CD of the day” on Radio Klassik Austria.
Her most recent CD recording was published in May 2022 on the prestigious label Erato/Warner Classics and includes chamber music works by Eric Tanguy with partners Edgar Moreau, Alexandra Conunova, Lise Berthaud, Pierre Génisson and the Diotima Quartet. This recording was awarded the Diapason d’Or of the Year 2022.
Suzana Bartal has been appointed the new artistic director of the Festival Piano à Riom starting its 34th edition in 2020.