FRANZ LISZT – BALLADE N.2 IN B MINOR

Alessio Nanni plays the Ballade in b minor nr.2 by Franz Liszt.

This piano work unquestionably represents the beauty of darkness in one of Liszt’s most intriguing rendering ever.
Unexplainably this Ballade is also one of his great neglected piano work ever.

The second Ballade subject is based on a Byzantine myth, ‘Hero and Leander’, relating the story of Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite who dwelt in a tower in Sestos on the European side of the Dardanelles, and Leander, a young man from Abydos on the opposite side of the strait. Leander fell in love with Hero and would swim every night across the Hellespont to be with her. Hero would light a lamp at the top of her tower to guide his way.
Succumbing to Leander’s soft words, and to his argument that Aphrodite, as goddess of love, would scorn the worship of a virgin, Hero allowed him to make love to her. This routine lasted through the warm summer. But one stormy winter night, the waves tossed Leander in the sea and the breezes blew out Hero’s light, and Leander lost his way, and was drowned. Hero threw herself from the tower in grief and died as well.
Liszt’s ending definitely is not a tragic one, though. There is certainly a storm at the end as the soaring waves of the Hellespont and the love duet commingle, but one way or another they make it out of the storm.

Recorded on may 1st 2011 at Passadori Steinway Hall – Brescia
Produced in collaboration with Passadori Pianoforti
Video release date : 6/6/2011

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Produced by © WHITE NOISE FACTORY

Piano technician: Giulio Passadori
Logistic supervisor: Flavio Gheruzzi
Piano: Steinway & Sons, Concert Grand mod. D
Recorded in super high definition: 96khz/24 bit technology.

Special thanks to: Giovanni Doria

© by Alessio Nanni – All Rights Reserved



3 responses to “FRANZ LISZT – BALLADE N.2 IN B MINOR”

  1. Edgar says:

    Great performance.
    I am a nonprofessional pianist, but I love the compositions of Franz Liszt. In fact, I am working in the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 C# minor. But, the question is: Can you recommend me more songs of Liszt?.
    Thanks and greetings from Venezuela.

  2. Giulio Passadori says:

    resto senza parole ogni volta
    Giulio

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