Although an output as vast and varied Liszt’s might resist being narrowed down, the three volumes of Années de pelerinage afford a plausible overview of its creative evolution. These pieces take in the uninhibited virtuosity, the philosophical striving then the spiritual communing that were Liszt’s focus at successive stages of his life, their relative overlapping just part of their fascination.

The Swiss-themed ‘Première année draws mainly on the earlier Album d’un voyageur, compensating for the earlier collection’s spontaneity with a newfound formal clarity and expressive poise. Understated in the proclamatory Chapelle de Guillaume Tell’, Hsu duly brings out the poignancy of “Au lac de Wallenstadt’, the vernal freshness of Pastorale’ and the teasing intricacy of Au bord d’une source…Vallée d’Obermann’ emerges as fluent and cohesive…In the Italian-themed Deuxième année, Hsu is unduly matter-of-fact in the opulent ‘Sposalizio, suitably speculative in ‘Il penseroso and brings out the deadpan humour of ‘Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa’. Even more notable are the three ‘Sonetti di Petrarca, pointing up their subtly changing personas to infer appreciation of their texts as initially set by Liszt before being filtered through the piano medium…Hsu controls its wrathful and supplicatory extremes with acuity. Venezia e Napoli provides a worthwhile supplement, the allure of Gondoliera and pathos of ‘Canzone’ followed by a “Tarantella’ of dextrous though never decorous brilliance…Hsu brings out the gentle radiance of ‘Angélus!’ with the deftest of touches…the proto-Impressionist harmonies of ‘Les jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este are rendered admirably so that this never descends into a textural wash…Hsu can seem under-characterised, but this would be to overlook the subtleties with which his recording abounds.