Berlioz trans. Liszt: Harold en Italie; etc
Philip Dukes (viola), Piers Lane (piano)
Naxos 8.573011
Liszt cleverly condenses Berlioz's epic soundscape, with the result that orchestral textures are clarified and sharply delineated (especially when in the powerful hands of Piers Lane). The viola is inevitably on a more equal footing with its accompaniment, and it is startling to hear details that fall by the wayside in even the best orchestral performance. Dukes makes a passionate advocate, with a big sound and a relish for felicitous detail, and if Kurt Roger's Hindemith-like sonata makes for an odd coupling for the Berlioz, Liszt's haunting Romance oubliee is a delightful sorbet between them.
****
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