Liszt: Years of Pilgrimage

The exciting Taiwanese-American pianist Brian Hsu plays the "Années de pèlerinage" suites for solo piano by Franz Liszt on this album. This monumental cycle, released as a 3-CD set, traces a physical and emotional journey of the composer through the magnificent Alpine landscapes of Switzerland, the art and literature of Italy, as well as a journey through his inner self. The album was recorded and edited in Dolby Atmos® spatial audio by Grammy-nominated producer Sergei Kvitko. Brian Hsu explains how the album came about during the COVID epidemic: "These pieces became a way for me to travel through music - to hike through the mountains of Switzerland, to stroll through the canals of Venice, and to experience the art and architecture of Italy through Liszt's imagination. In a moment characterized by isolation, this repertoire offered connection, movement, and emotional liberation." A complete recording of the suites has been realized by fewer than two dozen pianists to date. Hsu presents Liszt not only as a virtuoso whose technical brilliance reshaped piano literature, but also as a poet, philosopher, and artist whose musical language evolved in parallel with his professional and personal life. Since his concert debut at the age of 16 with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Brian Hsu has established himself as a pianist of electrifying energy and highly communicative performance. Critics have praised his playing in superlatives, highlighting his "breadth of expression and technical ability." An avid chamber musician, collaborator, and educator, Hsu performs constantly with renowned artists around the world and gives masterclasses at various colleges and universities in the United States and Asia. He is currently an Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Oregon.