Liszt is considered to be the world's first rock star and revolutionized the field of music with his innovative techniques and stunning performances. Here is a brief history of my personal selection of his best solo piano pieces spanning from his original compositions to transcriptions. You can watch/listen to all 10 songs with accompanying AI story art in the video above. The music was performed by Fatjon Zefi and will be available on Spotify June 30th, 2023.
Consolation No. 3 in D-Flat Major, S. 172/3 (1850)
There are two versions of the Consolations, the first one S. 171a was composed from 1844 to 1849. The second version, and most well-known, is S. 172 was completed between 1849 and 1850.
Consolation No. 3 is the most popular of the Six Consolations. It is in the key of D♭ major and marked Lento placido (slow and peaceful).
Despite its popularity, Liszt himself is said to have considered the piece relatively unremarkable compared to some of his other works. He reportedly referred to the Consolations as “little salon pieces” and expressed frustration that they overshadowed some of his more ambitious and complex compositions.
Each composition within the set features a distinctive style, while collectively, they take on the musical form of Nocturnes. The Style of Consolation No. 3 sounds similar to Chopin's Nocturne in D♭major, Op. 27 No. 2. Both pieces belong to the Romantic period and share some common features such as a slow tempo, a lyrical melody, and the use of delicate arpeggios in the left hand. They are also written in the same key of D♭ major. Some have interpreted the similarities as a tribute to Chopin, who passed away in 1849, a year before Liszt's Consolations were published. Despite these similarities, the piece has significant differences in terms of structure, harmonic language, and overall character.
The title Consolations may have been influenced by Alphonse de Lamartine's poem “Une larme, ou Consolation” from the collection Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (Poetic and Religious Harmonies).
Another possible source of inspiration for the title is Charles Sainte-Beuve's Consolations, a collection of Romantic-era poetry that extols the virtues of friendship as a solace for the loss of religious faith. Additionally, the Consolations are sometimes known as Six pensées poétiques (Six poetic thoughts), a title that was not used for the 1850 publication, but for a set that was published soon after the same year.
It has also been said that Liszt wrote the initial Consolations as a response to the illness of his mistress, the Countess Marie d'Agoult. The story goes: The two had a tumultuous and passionate relationship that lasted for several years, during which Liszt composed many of his most famous works, including the first version of the Consolations. According to some sources, the Countess fell ill during one of their travels and Liszt wrote the Consolations as a way of comforting her during her recovery. This Consolation in particular, is said to have been a favorite of the Countess and Liszt was said to have played it for her frequently, however this story has only been speculated.
Liebestraum No. 3 in A-Flat Major, S. 541/3 (1850)
Liebesträume is a set of three piano works published in 1850. Two versions of Liebesträume were published simultaneously: one as a set of songs for high voice and piano, and the other as transcriptions for piano two-hands. Liszt referred to each piece as “Notturnos” or “Nocturnes,” which was influenced by Chopin, who died a year earlier before they were published. It is the most famous of the three and written in A♭major. It is often referred to as “Love Dream.” or “Dreams of Love.”
The three pieces were originally intended as lieder based on poems by Ludwig Uhland and Ferdinand Freiligrath, each depicting a different form of love: exalted love, erotic love, and unconditional mature love. The third piece is based on a poem by Freiligrath and is about unconditional mature love, encouraging to love as long as possible.
The piece is divided into three parts, separated by fast cadenzas that use the full range of the piano as a way to represent entering a dream. The same melody is used repeatedly throughout the piece, with variations each time. Liszt modulates the key to B major, a deliberately clashing key change that symbolizes the themes of love and death. The sections constantly change key producing a sense of turmoil that reflects both pain and hope as themes for love. The second cadenza marks the transition from the dream state to reality, as the range of the piano remains grounded, conveying a sense of real life. The fast passages and chromaticisms in this sections are used to emphasize the dream-like state coming back to reality. The melody reappears for a final opportunity to be heard before the piece's conclusion and Liszt once again modifies the accompaniment, incorporating a delicate and subtle use of cross-hands. The codetta offers a humble conclusion that imparts a gentle sense of solemnity to the end of the piece.
In the score, Liszt included a quote from the poem that inspired it, which reads:
“Love as long as you can love, love as fervently as you can, for when love is gone, you will sigh and lament in vain.”
Romance "O pourquoi donc" in E Minor, S. 169 (1848)
Based on the song “O pourquoi donc,” (Why, oh Why) which originated as a vocal piece in 1844 and was initially published in Moscow. Liszt would later create a piano adaptation of the song in 1848 which became Romance, O pourquoi donc, S. 169.
During Liszt’s third tour of the Russian Empire in 1847 at the peak of his international celebrity, Liszt was playing a recital in Kyiv where he met Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, a wealthy Polish noblewoman who would become his romantic partner and muse for over a decade. After the recital she invited Liszt to her estate in Woronińce for her daughter's 10th birthday party. Liszt would return again for an extended stay in the autumn of 1847 where he adapted “O pourquoi donc” to solo piano. During this time his feelings for Princess Carolyne were developing and were likely a source of inspiration for the adaptation.
After his visit, Liszt permanently retired from touring in 1847 and began residing with Carolyne in Woronińce. They then relocated to Weimar, Germany the following year, where Liszt was appointed as Kapellmeister Extraordinaire. However, their relationship was not without controversy. She was still married to her estranged husband, and she had to convince the Roman Catholic authorities that her marriage to him was invalid. After an intricate process that involved relocating to Rome and two direct papal audiences, she was temporarily successful in 1860. The couple then planned to marry on Liszt's 50th birthday, October 22, 1861, in Rome. However, Liszt arrived in Rome the previous day to discover that the princess was unable to marry him. It is possible that her husband and the tsar of Russia prevented permission for the marriage at the Vatican. The Russian government also seized several of her estates, making it unfeasible for her to marry Liszt or anyone else. Moreover, the scandal could have seriously jeopardized her daughter's eligibility for marriage, which could have been the main reason why her husband put an end to her scheduled remarriage. Following the unsuccessful wedding, Carolyne's relationship with Liszt transitioned into one of platonic companionship, they remained close thereafter and named each other as the primary beneficiary of their wills.
Over thirty years later “Romance, O pourquoi donc” would serve as a precursor to the “Romance Oubliée,” (Forgotten Romance) published in 1881. Liszt had forgotten about the work until it was presented to him on the album leaf in 1880/81. Rather than publishing the older composition, Liszt decided to create a new work based on the material, scoring four different versions of the piece. The Romance Oubliée can be seen as a slightly impressionistic old man's reminiscence of his youth and forgotten love.
Liszt and Princess Carolyne never did marry, but they remained close until his death in 1886. She was deeply saddened by Liszt's passing and died only a few months after.
3 Études de concert, Un sospiro, S. 144, No. 3, Un sospiro (1849)
Composed between 1845 and 1849, this is the third of the Three Concert Études and is commonly referred to as Un sospiro, which means “a sigh” in Italian, however the title did not originate with Liszt and first appeared in the French edition. He always referred to the piece by its key signature, but never attempted to remove the title from its future publications.
It is written in the key of D♭major and was published in 1849.
They were dedicated to his uncle, Eduard Liszt, the youngest son of Liszt's grandfather and the stepbrother of his father. Eduard managed Liszt's business matters for over three decades until his death in 1879.
Études are intended as studies on musical composition created with the purpose of helping the performer perfect better technique. This concert study focuses on crossing hands, playing a straightforward melody with alternating hands and arpeggios. Furthermore, it functions as a study by which hands should shape the melody through accentuations and phrasing while switching hands. particularly when alternating between hands. The flowing background is superimposed by a simple melody expanding onto a third staff as it rises and falls. It exhibits elements of impressionism and significant dynamic changes at various points. It is undoubtedly one of the most captivating and expressive pieces of music Liszt wrote for solo piano.
Even though the piece is a study on concert performance, Liszt himself never got to play it in a public concert during his lifetime. It was not published until after his concert career had prematurely ended in 1847. However, he did keep the étude in his repertoire until the end of his career, likely playing it in smaller settings.
During the height of his concert touring Liszt would perform three to four times a week in concert. Given his frequent appearances, it is likely he performed over a thousand public concerts over the course of 8 years. By gracefully stepping away from the concert platform at 35, Liszt succeeded in preserving the legendary status of his performances, and his reputation as a pianist continued even after his official retirement from the concert stage. He had accumulated significant wealth from touring and donated almost all of his performing fees after 1857 to charitable organizations. Additionally, his reputation was further elevated by his generous philanthropy and dedication to humanitarian causes.
After retiring, Liszt finally accepted the long-standing invitation from Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna to be the Chapel Master in Weimar. He moved there with the Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein where they lived until 1861. Over the next twelve years, Liszt also took on the role of conductor at court concerts and special theatrical events and gave lessons to several pianists, among them was the renowned virtuoso Hans von Bülow, who later married his daughter Cosima in 1857. However, Cosima later had an affair with the famous German composer Richard Wagner, who she ended up marring and having 3 children with. Liszt would help raise the profile of Wagner, who had been exiled due to political activism, by conducting the overtures of his operas in concert. They had a profound friendship that lasted until Wagner's death in Venice in 1883.
Liszt had ample time to compose after his concert career ended and was a period of some of his greatest music production. Un Sospiro being one of the most revered romantic era pieces written during that time. The aptly named title reflects themes of breathing and movement of air through the notes that rush up and down. The melody naturally emerges from the highest note of each breath, effortlessly rising and falling. The rise and fall of the accompanying harmonies become equally significant, creating a sense of a longing “sigh.”
Despite Liszt being a Romantic composer, Un Sospiro exhibits certain elements reminiscent of Impressionism, which is music that is intended to evoke a particular mood or atmosphere. He also embraced the concept of program music, where a non-musical subject, referred to as the “program,” is connected to the musical work itself. Liszt wrote a letter to Marie d'Agoult, expressing his thoughts on program music stating:
“Without any reserve I completely subscribe to the rule of which you so kindly want to remind me, that those musical works which are in a general sense following a program must take effect on imagination and emotion, independent of any program. In other words: All beautiful music must be first-rate and always satisfy the absolute rules of music which are not to be violated or prescribed.”
Additionally, Liszt is also widely credited with pioneering the symphonic poem, which is an adaptation of a non-musical artwork, such as a poem or a painting, into a musical composition. This genre was not common during his time, but would later gain popularity among post-Romantic composers like Claude Debussy.
Un sospiro is considered one of Liszt's most well-known and technically challenging works for piano. Liszt himself was a virtuosic pianist, and this piece stands as a testament to his incredible skill both as a performer and a composer.
Années de pèlerinage, Au lac de Wallenstadt No. 2, S. 160 (1855)
Années de pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage) is a collection of three suites composed in 1855.
The title is derived from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's renowned novel of self-discovery, “Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship,” and particularly its sequel, “Journeyman Years” (originally titled “Wanderjahre,” meaning Years of Wandering or Years of Pilgrimage.
The suites are largely based on his earlier piano cycle, Album d'un voyageur, which he composed between 1835 and 1838 and published in 1842. They were influenced by a trip he took with his mistress Marie d'Agoult through Switzerland and Italy from 1837 until 1839. In 1835 the countess left her husband and family to be with Liszt in Geneva where they lived together for the next four years and had 3 children together. During this time they traveled through Bellagio, Milan, Venice, Lugano, Modena, Florence, Bologna and Rome. Liszt was particularly inspired by the picturesque scenes of Switzerland, and he sought to capture his personal reflections in musical form. He would return to these pieces later in 1848, revising them until 1854 and adding two more: Èglogue, which had been previously published, and Orage, composed in 1855. The revised and expanded cycle was published the same year and renamed as Première année: Suisse (First Year: Switzerland).
This piece, Au lac de Wallenstadt (At Lake Wallenstadt) is the second piece in the first suite Première année: Suisse. It is written in the key of A-flat major, with a somewhat Impressionistic accompaniment of arpeggios, supported by a tonic pedal. As the accompaniment ebbs and flows between tonic and dominant harmonies like gentle waves on the surface of the lake, the melody rises and falls gracefully, evoking the image of bright sunlight reflecting off crystal-clear waters. According to Marie d'Agoult, she recalls their time by Lake Wallenstadt, writing:
“Franz wrote for me there a melancholy harmony, imitative of the sigh of the waves and the cadence of oars, which I have never been able to hear without weeping.”
Lake Walenstadt is one of Switzerland's largest lakes and Liszt captures both the serene waters he likely gazed upon and the broader philosophical significance of his chosen excerpt from Lord Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage:
“Thy contrasted lake
With the wild world
I dwell in is a thing
Which warns me, with its stillness, to forsake
Earth's troubled waters for a purer spring.”
This chosen excerpt perfectly prefaces all the beauty and transformative journeys that inspired the piano cycle Années de pèlerinage.
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor, S. 244/2 (1851)
The Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 was composed in 1847 and is the second piece in a series of 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies.
The Rhapsody is divided into two distinct sections, the Lassan and Friska. The first section is the lassan (Hungarian for “slowly”) that begins after a brief introduction in C-sharp minor.
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 was dedicated to Count László Teleki, who was a Hungarian writer and statesman.
Initially published as a piano solo in 1851, its immediate popularity on the concert stage led to an orchestrated version, arranged in collaboration with Franz Doppler, and published by Schuberth in 1874–1875. Additionally, Liszt arranged a piano duet version in 1874, published the following year.
Liszt drew significant inspiration from the music he heard during his upbringing, particularly the unique gypsy scales, rhythmic spontaneity, and direct expression of Hungarian folk music. These elements played a vital role in shaping his compositions, which encompassed a diverse range of styles.
The title can be misleading though as the initial theme is Romanian rather than Hungarian. The other themes in the composition were derived from Heinrich Ehrlich, a German pianist. During the mid-19th century, various European regions within the vast Austrian Empire began to assert their cultural pride and national identity and music became a powerful medium for expressing these sentiments. Among the many regions under Austrian control was Hungary, which had no greater popular musical advocate than Liszt. Liszt had a strong commitment to Hungarian causes and even made appearances on stage in traditional Hungarian national attire.
Although he spent most of his life abroad and had limited proficiency in the Hungarian language, he remained deeply attached to his homeland. Liszt wrote:
“I am Hungarian and know no greater pleasure than to present honorably the first fruits of my development and education as an initial offering of the most sincere affection and gratitude before leaving to France and England; steady hard work and travels may bring what is still lacking in my playing to greater perfection, and perhaps place me in the fortunate position to have become a branch to adorn my beloved country.”
During his visits to Hungary in 1839–40, he collected a variety of folk melodies from both the Magyar and Romany Gypsy traditions. Liszt had not visited his homeland since childhood and these pieces served as inspiration for Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies. In his compositions, Liszt incorporated numerous themes which he attributed to being Hungarian folk music, though many of these tunes were actually composed by individuals from the Hungarian upper middle class and Roma Gypsy bands. While the lassan is generally dark and melancholic, it also contains some playful and capricious moments. Additionally, Liszt skillfully mimics distinct characteristics from Gypsy bands into his works, including pianistic renditions resembling the sounds of the cimbalom, a type of chordophone in a trapezoidal box with metal strings.
The compositions are adopted from a large-scale structure influenced by the verbunkos, a Hungarian dance featuring multiple sections with varying tempos.
The second section is the friska (The fast section of a Hungarian folk dance), which opens quietly in F♯minor, but soon recalls a theme from the lassan in C♯major, the dominant chord. The friska gains momentum with alternating dominant and tonic harmonies, leading to the main theme in F♯major. From this point on, the friska builds energy and pianistic bravura, still underpinned by alternating tonic and dominant harmonies. Modulations are limited to the dominant and submediant, also known as the lower mediant. Before the final crescendo of prestissimo octaves, a moment of calm prevails in the key of F♯minor with a recalled theme from the lassan. The lively and energetic friska suddenly shifts to a major key lightening the mood from the preceding serious and dramatic lassan. The simple, yet impressive pianistic techniques are created with alternating tonic and dominant harmonization and toe-tapping rhythms.
During the 1840s, these songs were released as a collection of compositions known as “Magyar dallok” (Hungarian National Melodies). Liszt's Hungarian Dances unmistakably acknowledge his commitment to Hungarian nationalism. However, due to mistaking some of the gypsy music for genuine Hungarian folksongs it attracted notable adversaries within his own homeland. No matter their interpretation, Liszt skillfully reimagined passionate improvisations, infused them with rhythmic spontaneity, and conveyed captivating musical expressions, resulting in the evolution of a more personal and subjective verbunkos style.
La campanella, Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141/3 (1851)
“La campanella” (The little bell) is the third Étude in the six Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141 revised in 1851.
The composition is a revised version of an earlier piece from 1838 called Études d'exécution transcendente d'après Paganini, S. 140. Liszt's revisions involved simplifying the textures and removing some of the more extreme technical challenges, such as large hand stretches. Yet, the revisions are still recognized as some of the most technically demanding pieces in the piano repertoire. The key was also changed from A♭ minor to G♯minor and it is the finalized version that is primarily performed today.
Both the original and revised versions were dedicated to madame Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann.
The main theme is derived from the final movement of Niccolò Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor, which features the sound of a small handbell. This motif is conveyed by the bell-like effects from the rapid succession of sixteenth notes in the right hand of the piano.
In 1832, Liszt attended a concert by Paganini and remarked:
“What wonderful things might be done with the piano if its technical possibilities were developed as those of the violin have been by Paganini.”
At that time, the violin had already undergone significant improvements and was considered a mature instrument, while the piano was still in the process of being refined and perfected. Liszt was so inspired by Paganini's virtuosic performance that he devoted himself to intensive practice for the next three years. He stopped doing public performances during this period and worked on developing similar techniques to the piano as Paganini did for the violin. He went on to expand on the possibilities of the piano, which was evolving into a much more powerful instrument. He did this by pushing the boundaries of what was considered possible, and showed that the only limitation was the player's technique.
Liszt revolutionized the concert culture of his time by introducing solo recitals, which was an unprecedented concept at the time. Prior to Liszt, it was considered immodest for an artist to give a solo performance. By breaking with tradition, Liszt opened up new possibilities for pianists to showcase their talents as solo performers. He also changed the position of the piano on the stage, placing it to the right and opening the lid towards the audience, which created a more intimate connection between him and the audience and has since become standard practice for piano performances.
Liszt had a highly charismatic personality and was able to captivate audiences and was considered Europe’s first “Rock Star.” Women would often become frenzied and tear at his clothing, fighting over broken piano strings, and even taking locks of his hair. They would also fight over his silk handkerchiefs and velvet gloves often tearing them to pieces as cherished mementos. This phenomenon became known in Europe as “Lisztomania,” a term coined by the German poet Heinrich Heine.
Liszt saw playing the piano in front of an audience as a theatrical event that required not only musical elements but also physical aspects on the stage. He had dramatic on-stage presence, often whipping his head around while playing, his long hair flying and sweat spraying into the audience. Liszt's impact on classical music went beyond his music and celebrity status, however. He is still revered by many contemporary pianists because of the way he transformed the art of performance.
Schwanengesang, S. 560: No. 4 Ständchen (1840)
Ständchen was composed by Franz Schubert in 1828. It is the fourth lied (art song) in the 14 song cycle Schwanengesang (Swan Song). The title for the cycle did not originate with Schubert, it was added by its first publisher, Tobias Haslinger.
Schubert composed the cycle for solo voice and piano towards the end of his life and it was published posthumously in 1829. Liszt transcribed all the songs from the cycle for solo piano in 1840 and reorganized the order of the songs. In his arrangement, Liszt embraced a unique order aiming to create “a sequence that captures an emotional journey” rather than a specific storyline. He also frequently alters the piano texture to offer his own personal commentary on the text and music.
Liszt transcribed nearly 60 pieces by Schubert and described him as “the most poetic musician who ever lived.” His enduring commitment to Schubert's music may have been greatly influenced by the French composer Chrétien Urhan, who was the first to introduce Schubert’s music into France where Liszt was living at the time. His transcriptions of Schubert's music also go beyond simple “arrangements” of the original songs. They maintain the essential melodic and emotional depths of Schubert's compositions yet presents a style that is uniquely his. Many of these works consist of multiple piano accompaniments and a single melodic line or a doubling of the melody. In Stänchen, Liszt introduces a variation in the strophic repetition by shifting the melody to a lower octave, creating a cello-like tone. The final iteration is the most intricate, and during performances of this piece, Liszt often included an ad lib cadenza.
The German translation of Schubert's title “Ständchen” is “Serenade” in English. Schubert also composed another lied called Ständchen, D. 889 (“Hark, hark, the lark”), that often gets confused with this one. It is based on the setting of the “Song” in Act 2, Scene 3 of William Shakespeare's play “Cymbeline.”
Ständchen, D. 957, is based on a poem by Heinrich Friedrich Ludwig Rellstab, who famously nicknamed Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 Moonlight Sonata. Rellstab had entrusted the words to Beethoven in 1825. Beethoven's assistant, Anton Schindler, then passed these lyrics on to Schubert.
Quietly implore my songs
Through the night to you;
Down into the silent grove,
Darling, come to me!
Whispering slender treetops rustle
In the moon's light;
The traitor's hostile eavesdropping
Don’t be afraid, dearest, now.
Do you hear the nightingales beating?
Oh! they beseech you,
With the tones sweet lamentations
They plead for me.
They understand the bosom's longing,
Know the pain of love, Stirring with the silver tones Every soft heart.
Let your chest move too, Darling, hear me!
Trembling I await thee; Come, make me happy!
This rough German translation of the song’s lyrics tells of a young lover calling out for his sweetheart to join him, hoping the “betrayer” has not poisoned her heart against him.
Schubert's most lasting impact was made in the genre of Lied and he composed over 600 of them. Schwanengesang was his last collection of songs composed in the genre before his death. In contrast to his earlier song-cycles that only used works from one poet, Schwanengesang sets poems by multiple authors. The collection features 7 texts by Ludwig Rellstab, followed by 6 texts by Heinrich Heine. The inclusion of the final song added by the publisher, with words by Johann Gabriel Seidl, may not have been Schubert’s choice for the cycle and likely was included to round up all of Schubert's last compositions.
After completing the manuscript, Schubert presented the 6 songs based on Hein’s poems to a Leipzig publisher, implying he initially intended the cycles as two separate collections for each poet. Furthermore, the order of songs 8-13 in the manuscript differs from the published sequence of poems by Heine. Schubert typically respected the poet's sequence, so the manuscript may not reflect his intended order. Liszt's reordering of the cycle placed "Stänchen" as the seventh song instead of the fourth, and it is one of the most recognizable songs in the cycle.
12 Lieder von Franz Schubert, Auf dem Wasser zu singen, S. 558/2 (1838)
Auf dem Wasser zu singen (To sing on the water) is a Lied composed by Franz Schubert in 1823.
Liszt transcribed the piece in 1837 and it was published around 1838.
Harmonically, both the song as a whole and within each stanza follow a progression from A♭minor to A♭ major. The song's rhythmic character, set in a 6/8 meter, is reminiscent of a barcarole, which is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers.
The song’s lyrics were inspired by Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg-Stolberg's poem of the same title. The poem depicts a water scene observed from a gondolier, delving into their contemplations on the fleeting nature of time.
In the midst of the shimmering, mirroring waves
Glides like swans the rocking boat
Ah, on softly shimmering waves of joy
Glides the soul away like the boat.
For from the heavens down on the waves
Dances the evening glow round about the boat.
Above the treetops of the western glade
Beckons to us amiably the ruddy glow;
Under the branches of the eastern glade
Rustle the reeds in the ruddy glow.
Joy of the heavens and peace of the glades
Breathes the soul in the reddening glow.
Ah, with dewy wings
On the rocking waves, time escapes from me
Tomorrow with shimmering wings
Like yesterday and today may time again escape from me,
Until I on towering, radiant wings
Myself escape from changing time.
Schubert's reputation was limited to Vienna, and he remained largely unknown in several European cities during his lifetime. Liszt attempted to change that by promoting and disseminating his music through transcribing 56 of his songs for solo piano. He began transcribing his works in 1833, five years after Schubert's death, and completed the final one in 1846. These transcriptions varied in style, sometimes faithfully replicating the original vocal line while at other times offering a more interpretive approach. These transcriptions played a significant role in establishing Liszt as a prominent musical figure of his generation as well as elevating Schubert’s works.
He also transcribed the works of almost 100 other composers ranging from lesser knowns to the masters such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. Liszt famously played one of Beethoven’s songs for him and after he kissed him on the forehead replying:
“Go! You are one of the fortunate ones! For you will give joy and happiness to many other people! There is nothing better or finer!”
Liszt later shared that:
“This event in my life has remained my greatest pride, the palladium of my whole career as an artist.I tell it but very seldom and only to good friends!”
Étude No. 6, Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141/6, (1851)
Étude No. 6 is the sixth Étude in the six Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141 revised in 1851.
Liszt transcribed the piece after the final caprice in Niccolò Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A minor.
Paganini was a preeminent virtuoso of his era, he established himself as a cornerstone of contemporary violin technique. His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, stands prominently as his most renowned compositions. Paganini composed the pieces between 1802 and 1817, during his time under the Baciocchi court.
Caprice No. 24 is comprised of a theme, 11 variations, and a finale. Regarded as one of the most challenging compositions for solo violin, the Caprices are in the form of études, with each number exploring different skills, demanding a mastery of numerous highly advanced techniques. These include executing parallel octaves and swift shifts across wide intervals, performing extremely fast scales and arpeggios, employing left hand pizzicato, navigating high positions with agility and executing rapid string crossings. Caprice No. 24 specifically incorporates numerous double stops, including thirds and tenths.
Upon the release of his Caprices, Paganini dedicated them to “alli artisti” (to the artists) instead of an individual. However, within Paganini's own score, annotations made between 1832 and 1840 suggest a potential dedication for each Caprice. Caprice No. 24 was dedicated to Paganini himself, “sepolto pur troppo” (to myself, regrettably buried).
In 1832 Liszt attended a charity concert organized by Paganini aimed to aid the victims of the cholera epidemic in Paris. After which he became determined to attain the same level of virtuosity on the piano that Paganini had achieved on the violin. This was a pivotal moment in Liszt's career when his fascination with virtuosic technique resurfaced, prompting him to stop touring for 3 years and translate the mesmerizing violin effects of Paganini into the realm of the piano. During this period, he gained a reputation for devoting extensive hours to daily practice, once stating in a letter to Pierre Wolf:
“My mind and fingers are working like the damned Homer, the Bible, Plato, Locke, Byron, Hugo…..Beethoven, Bach, Hummel, Mozart, Weber are all around me. I study them, meditate on them, devour them furiously. Furthermore, I practice for four or five hours a day….If only I don’t go mad, you will find in me an artist.”
For a considerable period, Liszt was often dismissed as a composer of superficial and dazzling works. However, Liszt’s true artistic stature emerged with his unwavering motivation, relentless drive, and diligent efforts culminated in an unrivaled mastery of piano technique that dubbed him the title of “The Paganini of The Piano.” When he began touring again the audience greeted Liszt's performance with the same fervent applause that Paganini received.
Liszt composed over 700 works during his lifetime. Approximately about half of those works consist of adaptations and arrangements of music originally composed by other artists. Several of these are known for their exceptional technical demands, especially the Paganni Études even after Liszt simplified them in 1851.
Liszt himself performed numerous transcriptions in highly acclaimed concerts, contributing significantly to the popularization of many other unknown composers at the time to a wider audience.
Liszt is recognized as a visionary and virtuoso who revolutionized the music of his era. In the words of Liszt’s life partner of over 40 years, Princess Sayn-Wittgenstein eloquently stated:
“Liszt has cast his spear far into the future,” signifying his profound lasting impact on music forever.
Conclusion
Franz Liszt's legacy as a virtuosic pianist, paired with his complex compositions and unprecedented performances remain unparalleled. He revolutionized piano technique, created technically demanding compositions, and mesmerized audiences with his magnetic stage presence. His mastery of the instrument and innovative musical contributions continue to inspire and awe musicians and music lovers today. You can listen to The Best of Liszt: Solo Piano while you learn about the history of each piece on my YouTube channel, Classical Oasis.
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