Reviews
of Discs - - - LD101 - LISZT and the CROSS -
Compact Disc
Review of LISZT and the CROSS
CLAVIER
November,
2004 - Volume 43, No. 9 - Page 5
By
Janice
Weber
The
unusual CD,
Liszt and the
Cross, Music as Sacrament
on the B minor Sonata,
by Paul
Barnes opens with a lecture
in which Barnes explains
the sacred nature of
the
Liszt Sonata in B Minor
to his audience. In the
course of a 35-minute
talk, recorded at
Kimball Recital Hall
at the University of
Nebraska, Lincoln, he
speaks inspiringly of
music
as an aural icon and
reminds listeners of
Liszt's profound belief
in Christianity and lifelong
struggle to comprehend
the presence of God.
Barnes
supports the intriguing theory that Liszt used the cross
motive, an ascending
major second, followed by an ascending
minor third, in numerous compositions, including
the sonata. He performs excerpts at the keyboard and spotlights
themes that symbolize
diabolical evil, prayer, death, and liturgical transfiguration.
A bravura performance of the great masterwork follows the
lecture. Barne's passagework
is impressively clear throughout, and he avoids the temptation
to perform the slow section
at an overly inert tempo. There are a number of unexpected,
refreshing turns of phrase,
and I never lost a sense of the great drama unfolding.
Bravo to Barnes for not tidying up
the
live performance in an editing studio afterwards, which is an easy temptation
among
artists to produce note-perfect recordings. He in stead
preserves the sweep and danger
of that intensely human experience known as a piano recital.
Barnes manages to suspend anyone's disbelief in his motivic
thesis and delivers a fascinating lecture-recital.
To
provide even further food for thought the CD concludes
with Potirion Sotiriu
(The Cup of Salvation), composed in 1999 by Victoria
Bond, a striking work that uses
both the cross motive
and Greek Orthodox chant. An a capella choir opens with
the
solemn chant, followed by an extended solo piano
section by Barnes in a meditative
setting of the themes.
It is a majestic, reverential performance that elevates
listeners
to the sacred experience Barnes so eloquently
desctibes in the lecture. (Liszt Digital)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thoughts
on Paul Barnes unique disc - December
1, 2003
Mary Kay Kapustka, Executive Director and Producer of LISZT DIGITAL
Founder and Director of Denver Center for Liszt
Studies
The
decision was made not to include a recording of Liszt's B
minor Sonata as part
of the Liszt Digital Discography.
Having rather strong opinions
concerning what kind of
approach to this great Sonata results in a magical performance,
I was satisfied to
continue to enjoy the three recordings that I feel capture
the essence of this Sonata
and leave it at that. That was until I had the good fortune
to obtain a copy of Paul
Barnes remarkable disc, LISZT and the CROSS. I was mesmerized
by the complete
disc. The lecture is so heartfelt and so on target intellectually
as well as spiritually.
Dr. Barnes concept and execution
of this Sonata exceeds every preconceived notion
I had ever had for what a "transcendental" performance
of this Sonata should include.
Whatever the magic is that makes a performance of this
Sonata a "transcendental"
experience for both the Audience and the Performer, Dr. Barnes
captures this magic.
Personally, I feel that not even a handful of all the B minor
Sonatas that are out
there capture the the potential of this great work in such
a way that the receptive
listener experiences a profound "transcendental" imprint
on on his psyche. Dr. Barnes
reveals new perspectives on this Sonata that sill open
you heart and mind to listen as
if you are experiencing
this masterpiece for the first time. You will find it fresh
and new
as you listen many times over.
POTIRION SOTIRIU - - - Ps.
116(LXX115)
The cup of salvation I will receive,
and call upon the name of the Lord.
This
unique work, composed especially for Dr. Barnes by Victoria
Bond, combines vocal
chant of the Greek Orthodox Church with
a piano version of the chant. The cross motif
that Liszt uses in his B minor Sonata and other compositions (noteably Via Crucis)
is
used extensively in this chant. This composition truly exemplifies the mystical
mingling
of the ancient with the present.
Repeating this quote from Dr. Barnes program notes:
" one
of the most profound uses of music is to give the listener the ability to leap
artificial temporal boundaries and embrace the totality of human expression
in both the present and in past ages. Making the past a present reality is also
paramount in the liturgical theology of the Orthodox church where through ancient
ritual, twentieth century believers are mystically united to the past in ways that
illumine the eternal significance of our spiritual ancestors."
LISZT DIGITAL is thrilled
to have the privilege of promoting this disc and having it
part
of the LISZT DIGITAL catalogue and website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"atmospheric
and elegant" ...Time Out New York
"a
sizzling performance" ...San Francisco Examiner
"riveting and sensitively inflected" ...Indianapolis
Star
"visceral yet loving" ...Anchorage Daily
News
"A muscular involving performance" ...Omaha
World Herald
"seething with pathos" ...Lincoln Journal
Star
"Ferociously virtuosic" ...San Francisco
Chronicle
Return
to LD101
Franz
Liszt
LISZT
and the CROSS
Music as Sacrament in the B Minor Sonata
a lecture recital by
PAUL BARNES
™