Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 (transcr. Franz Liszt)

Idil Biret, piano

“From the outset of the 1st Symphony one feels that Idil Biret grasps the size of Beethoven’s style. The polyphony is laid out in a relaxed way with little indulgence in point-making. She keeps her big line, and yet is thankfully sparing in her use of fortissimos. I especially admire how she is able to give the impression of a live performance in the Larghetto from the 2nd, and here, as in other slow movements, one is reminded that her mentor has been Wilhelm Kempff… This is a remarkable achievement.” Gramophone