Busoni's "Berceuse Elegiaque" in a four-hand piano version, trans. by Egon Petri

[barry guerrero]

A friend of mine, Daniel Revenaugh, is coming out with a new EMI CD in early December of Busoni's two-piano music, along with Lawrence Leighton Smith. Smith was a former conductor of the Louisville Symphony; long known for their specializing in modern music. Revenaugh is best known as the conductor on the world premiere recording of Busoni's piano concerto, with John Ogden tinkling the ivories. Daniel currently also has an EMI CD of short piano works - a very enjoyable disc. Anyway - to make a long story even longer - this disc concludes with a four-hand version of Busoni's "Berceuse Elegique" - the last work that Mahler ever conducted (and it ends with a solo tam-tam stroke!). Egon Petri made the four-hand transcription from Busoni's orchestral version. To the best of my knowledge, this will be the premiere recording of that version. Here's the rest of the two piano program:

Mozart: Magic Flute Overture; transcribed for two pianos by Busoni

Busoni: Improvisation on a Bach Chorale

Mozart: Fantasie For A Clockwork Organ

Busoni, after Mozart: Duettino Concertante

Busoni: Fantasia Contrappuntistica - built on Bach's "Art Of The Fugue" (this is a half-hour long work!)

Busoni: Berceuse Elegique

I love the "Berceuse Elegique". It has a sort of funeral procession feel to it; yet, it's quite bittersweet - not at all dreary or depressing, in my opinion. It could very easily be a sketch for Mahler's 12th symphony (that's counting "DLvdE" as a symphony). The fact that the orchestral version ends with a solo tam-tam stroke just kills me. Low notes on the piano do the job here (maybe on both pianos, I don't know).

Barry