Yejin Noh - Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, Reminiscences de Norma (2021) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178
02. Liszt: Widmung (Schumann, Arr. Liszt, S.566a)
03. Liszt: Reminiscences de Norma, S.394
04. Liszt: Liebestraume No.3 in A Flat Major, S.541

Pianist Noh Yo-jin returned with a new album recording Liszt's masterpieces three years after the release of in 2018.
If the last album showed the neat and clean piano tone of Haydn, a representative classical composer, this album shows the sophisticated virtuosic technique of Liszt, one of the best piano music composers in history, and beautiful heavenly melodies that touch the heart.
is Liszt's only piano sonata and is truly a masterpiece that leaves a mark in the history of classical music. In this piece, which consists of only one movement and is 30 minutes long, Liszt uses his unique pianism to create a perfect story using conflicting yet non-contradictory musical ideas such as human joys and sorrows, good and evil, heaven and hell.
It is a song that is always considered one of the best songs among pianists, as most world-class pianists have left recordings of this song. Horowitz is said to have loved this song so much that he played it well into his later years. It is a song that is so technically difficult that most pianists would find it difficult to play, and because it must be played non-stop for 30 minutes, it is also a piece that requires great mental strength from the performer.
During the 30-minute running time, Noh Yo-jin does not waver at all and delivers a performance that is comparable to that of world-class performers. You fall into a trance to the point that even the deep sighs heard between thematic changes feel like they are part of this song.
Although is a masterpiece with great technique and a very beautiful melody over a 17-minute running time, it is not a song that can be heard often live or on record. Like , it is not a song that can be approached hastily because it is technically very difficult and emotionally requires a lot of energy from the performer. Perhaps that is why this album appears to be the first album to be released as an album in Korea.
It is said that Noh Jong-jin first came into contact with this song while studying abroad at the Indiana University School of Music in the United States. At the time, her advisor, Arnaldo Cohen, recommended this song, saying it would be a good fit for Noh Jin-jin, and since then, this song has become one of her favorite songs to play on stage. In fact, enthusiasts from all over the world who watched Noh Jin-jin's Seoul Arts Center 2020 live YouTube video continue to leave many comments, saying that it is a more original and excellent interpretation than any other that has been released so far.
The relationship with this song continued until Noh Yo-jin chose this song as the topic of her doctoral thesis at Seoul National University College of Music. Noh Noh-jin said, “Liszt’s songs are not just flashy and virtuosic, but also have melodies that are extremely moving,” and said that through this song, she gained a deeper understanding of Liszt’s genius and its significance in music history.
In addition, songs with beautiful melodies that are familiar to the ears, such as and , an arrangement of Schumann's music, are also waiting for listeners.
For recording, German-made Telefunken/Siemens V72 vacuum tube preamps from the 1950s and American Josephson Engineering microphones, which have unrivaled capabilities in classical recording, were used, and German Klangfilm vacuum tube equipment from the 1950s was also used for mixing and mastering. Although it is a recorded album, it conveys the depth and warmth of the golden age of European classical recording decades ago.
In order to digest Liszt's unique and magnificent phrases that are breath-takingly spread across all eight octaves, the piano used the Fazioli F278, which boasts excellent bass and sophisticated sound, to enhance the album's completeness.
This album is a must-listen album that leaves a great impression as artist Noh Noh-jin's tremendous playing ability, energy, and outstanding musicianship are exquisitely combined with the warm and rich sound unique to the NCM KLASSIK label.

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