Reflections on LisztIn a series of lively essays that tell us much not only about the phenomenon that was Franz Liszt but also about the musical and cultural life of nineteenth-century Europe, Alan Walker muses on aspects of Liszt's life and work that he was unable to explore in his acclaimed three-volume biography of the great composer and pianist. Topics include Liszt's contributions to the Lied, the lifelong impact of his encounter with Beethoven, his influence on students who became famous in their own right, his accomplishments in transcribing and editing the works of other composers, and his innovative piano technique. One chapter is devoted to the Sonata in B Minor, perhaps Liszt's single most celebrated composition. Walker draws heavily on Liszt's astonishingly large personal correspondence with other composers, critics, pianists, and prominent public figures. All the essays reveal Walker's broad and deep knowledge of Liszt and Romantic music generally and, in some cases, his impatience with contemporary performance practice. |
From inside the book
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... already in place. Carl Czerny had been a pupil of Beethoven, and through him the necessary approach could be made to Beethoven's amanuensis Anton Schindler with a request to arrange a meeting with Beethoven. The deaf composer's ...
... Cornelius has the Master “drawing the child-artist to him with a kiss.”17 The existence of the poem is proof that the story of a personal meeting between Beethoven and the young Liszt was already well established in the Weimar of the 1850s.
Alan Walker. was already well established in the Weimar of the 1850s. And the details could have come only from Liszt himself. Cornelius here provides unwitting corroboration of the essential points of the Horowitz-Barnay narrative. By ...
... already on the market, and publishing houses across Europe vied with one another to bring out “hack”arrangements of these works. Kalkbrenner had completed a version of the entire set as early as 1840;Hummel's set had appeared even ...
... later life he often spoke of this meeting, the memory of which was a powerful stimulus to the further study and performance of Beethoven's music.8 He was already playing some of the Beethoven sonatas, even at this early.
Contents
Liszt and the Schubert Song Transcriptions | |
A Study in Declining | |
Three Character Sketches | |
Liszts Sonata in B Minor | |
Liszt and the Lied | |
Liszt as Editor | |
Some Thoughts and Afterthoughts | |
On Music and Musicians | |
An Open Letter to Franz Liszt | |
Sources | |