Busoni / John Ogdon
Fantasia Contrappuntistica, Fantasia After J.S. Bach
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Sealed 1986 UK Original. John Ogdon, Piano. "These Are Three Of The Hardest Pieces In Piano Literature -- The Notorious Two-Hand Version Of The Fantasia Contrappuntistica; Busoni's Shimmering, Mysterious Fantasia Nach Bach; And His Fiery And Frantically Intense Toccata, Among Busoni's Last Works For The Piano. In The Toccata Alone, Ogdon Briefly Gets His Fingers Tangled Up In The Opening "Preludio," But Other Than That The Music Is All There. It Is Played Brilliantly For The Most Part, But That Is Not What One Turns To Ogdon For In Busoni. Of The Many Pianists Who Have Braved The Stormy Waters Of Busoni's Piano Music, Ogdon Seemed The Best At Evoking The Alchemical, Mephistophelian Side Of The Composer, As Opposed To His More Balanced, Classicistic Profile, The Latter Aspect Well Explored On Record By Busoni's Pupil Egon Petri And Realized Efficiently By Alfred Brendel In His Few Busoni Recordings. The Music Roars Out Of The Mystery Of Darkness As Ogdon Pilots His Craft Through The Dark And Turbulent Seas Of Busoni's Demonic, And Often Sublimely Beautiful, Harmonic Combinations, Trills, And Rumbling Low-Register Chords". AMG - Uncle Dave Lewis