5 stars for the Hungarian-born pianist Eva Polgár's all-Liszt debut album
ÉVA POLGÁR
Liszt: Harmonies Patriotiques et Religieuses
Hunnia Records (HRCD2101)
5 stars
By John Evans
As a Hungarian-born pianist, Polgár is steeped in the music of her homeland and on this, her debut album, it shows. Rather than regarding these 11 pieces as vehicles for virtuosic display, Polgár, who studied at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest under teachers whose musical lineage can be traced to the composer, performs each work with care, teasing out the minutest detail and avoiding theatrics and glitter. Her programme is, she says, influenced by Liszt's dedication to his homeland and his devotion to God.
Not all the pieces are well known but deserve to be. One that is, is the Hungarian Rhapsody No11 which Polgár begins with a zither-like delicacy (a trademark of this album) that anticipates the fireworks to come. Her authentic, folksy playing is a delight. In sharp contrast is the catchy and wonderfully articulated Csardas Obstinée that follows it.
Other highlights include the mysterious and soulful Puszta Wehmuth, and the Benedictus from Liszt's Hungarian Coronation Mass, which Polgár's performs with remarkable sensitivity.