Originally released by Marco Polo, Francesco Nicolosi’s justly praised four-disc survey of Sigismond Thalberg’s operatic paraphrases is being reissued by Naxos, starting with the present recital of fantasias based on Bellini operas. Thalberg’s efforts in this genre may not match the harmonic genius and visionary drama of those by his arch rival Franz Liszt; compare, for example, Liszt’s mesmerizing Norma Fantasy with Thalberg’s more conservative concoction. All the same, Thalberg’s ingenuous, ear-tickling effects and pianistic fireworks hold your attention. Nicolosi not only surmounts the myriad pyrotechnical hurdles but also projects Bellini’s long-lined melodies with the same dynamic inflections and phrasing that you find in great bel canto singing. If you’d like to explore Romantic pianism’s ornate byways, this disc’s for you. I look forward to the remaining volumes as they resurface at Naxos’ budget price.
