Piano Transcriptions and Tributes
Franz Liszt was one of the greatest piano virtuosi of his time. He was also a remarkable composer and pianistic poet, creating works that incorporated melodic and emotional depth and pianistic pyrotechnics. In addition to his own symphonic pieces, opera paraphrases and reworkings of other orchestral works, he made many transcriptions of vocal and song music. These were often used as a means of exploring and refining piano techniques and styles. Liszt also created a number of smaller-scaled piano compositions such as etudes, études with poetic titles and other assorted short pieces.
In this magnificent collection, Dover presents piano lovers the chance to enjoy some of these lesser-known yet equally important works in their original form. These works are not only beautiful in themselves, but they also give insight into the complexities of Liszt’s genius and his musical style.
As well as orchestral transcriptions, Liszt transcribed a number of songs including the twelve Lieder from Schubert’s great cycle Winterreise and the four songs of Geistliche Lieder. These wonderful transcriptions preserve the intense lyricism of the original songs while providing pianists with an opportunity to display their own unique pianistic talents.
Liszt’s Piano Transcriptions and Tributes
These reworkings of other composer’s work allowed nineteenth century audiences to enjoy their favourite works even when no orchestra was available. Moreover, they demonstrate how skillfully Liszt was able to translate orchestral effects and drama into piano terms. The success of Les Preludes, for example, is due in large part to the beauty of its cantilena melodies and to the brilliance of its storm and stress writing.
The set also includes a set of eight chorales from Bizet’s Carmen, including the popular air La Rose, et la flamme and the poignant song Les visiteurs du soir. These chorales, like the rest of the works in this volume, reflect the recurring themes of Man’s struggle against mythological gods and nature, his need for spiritual enlightenment and his fear of death.
Liszt was fascinated by the capabilities of the piano and was constantly pushing the boundaries of its technical possibilities. He also loved to pay tribute to other composers and his virtuosity as a pianist was evident in his piano versions of their works. The works featured in this volume are therefore a fitting tribute to one of the most significant and versatile composers of the past century. This edition of piano transcriptions and tributes from one of history’s greatest pianists is a must for all lovers of piano music.
