Les Jeux D'eaux À La Villa D'Este / Bénédiction De Dieu Dans La Solitude / Sonetto 123 Del Petrarca / Après Une Lecture Du Dante (Klavierwerke = Piano Works)

This 1982 Philips release serves as a distillation of Alfred Brendel's profound engagement with the works of Franz Liszt. By the early 1980s, Brendel had been instrumental in shifting critical perception of Liszt, moving the composer's catalog away from mere displays of technical virtuosity toward an appreciation for his structural innovation and philosophical depth. This particular pressing compiles key movements from the 'Années de pèlerinage', showcasing Brendel's meticulous, analytical approach to Liszt’s intricate harmonic language and introspective narrative style.

The selection highlights the contrast between Liszt’s impressionistic tone painting in 'Les Jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este' and the dense, dark spiritualism of 'Après une lecture du Dante'. Philips produced this record as part of their broader initiative to document Brendel’s definitive interpretations of the Romantic repertoire. As a high-fidelity artifact of the era, the album reflects the label's commitment to balanced, clear studio engineering, which complemented Brendel’s preference for clarity and architectural precision over the more overtly sentimental interpretations common in the mid-20th century.