Concerning Liszt's Symphonie Fantastique

It suddenly occurred to me that the original message (unfortunately I
have deleted it, so cannot attribute) may have been referring to Liszt's
piano transcription of the Berlioz - it was this transcription, IIRC,
that was the basis of Schumann's famously laudatory review of the symphony.

Still can't help, I'm afraid.  Although I've attended a Liszt recital
on a restored 1893 Erard (and truly wonderful it was too), I don't know
of any recordings on a period instrument, The Berlioz transcription is,
I believe, fairly early (early 1830s?), but it is difficult to imagine
how the SF would sound on an instrument of that period.

Again there are several non-period recordings, none of which I find fully
satisfactory.  One truly dire one is by a Russian pianist whose name
(fortunately) escapes me.

I wish Hamelin would record it, he most certainly has the chops required.

deryk barker
([log in to unmask], http://www.camosun.bc.ca/~dbarker)