Angelus, Sacred Piano Music

A beautiful concept: the "Religious Liszt", or piano music with a sacred
inspiration.

Franz Liszt, one of the most famous artists of the 19th century, with the
status of a modern pop star, was a deeply religious man, in his later years
he was even ordained as a priest (the lower orders). Apart from his
extravert, sometimes even a bit showy, virtuoso works (the studies, opera
transcriptions and paraphrases, Hungarian rhapsodies etc) he wrote a
substantial amount of "religious" piano music: Ave Maria, Angelus,
Miserere, Légendes, Benediction de Dieu dans la solitude and many
others, music of an often serene and contemplative character, smelling of
incense. But also the dark side is presented: in the Totentanz we hear an
infernal dance of the dead, on the melody of the Dies Irae.

Played with a natural feeling for the Lisztian rhetoric, a fine sense of
drama and a beautiful tone by Italian pianist Irene Russo, who makes her
Brilliant Classics debut with this wonderful 2CD set.

Includes extensive liner notes and biography of the artist in English.