André Watts, the pianist on this album, was born in Nuremberg in 1946 to American-Hungarian parents and first performed publicly at age nine.
Critical Reception
Pianists who dared to perform Liszt, especially a Hungarian Rhapsody, could expect severe public criticism, as happened to Hungarian pianist György Cziffra.
Recording & Production
The Schwetzingen SWR Festival, where this album was recorded, became the biggest classical radio festival in the world, with around 550 broadcasts annually on all continents.
Historical Context
Liszt's symphonic poem Les Préludes was misused by Nazi propaganda as the signature tune for German military reports, causing Liszt to fall into disfavor.
Performer Biography
At 16, André Watts fascinated a wide television audience under the direction of Leonard Bernstein, a conductor who later promoted his talent.
Critical Reception
After World War II, Liszt's compositions were often dismissed as 'carefree, loquacious musical entertainment of little substance' by German music critics.
Performer Biography
André Watts was the first successful Black classical pianist in America and the first to achieve international recognition.
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