Franz Liszt

Freie Bearbeitungen 2 (II/2) (Neue Liszt-Ausgabe II A

This volume marks the 40th volume of Liszt's published piano works for two hands. The free arrangements and fantasies created in the second half of the 1830s accurately represent the composing skills of the already mature, celebrated piano virtuoso that Liszt was by that time. The themes of Trois morceaux de salon (the first work of this volume) are derived from Swiss and Spanish melodies in the first two movements, respectively. The third movement, on the other hand, quotes Giovanni Pacini's opera Niobe. Following this ''trilogy'' melodies from Bellini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer, and Mercadante's major operas appear. Examples include reminiscences and fantasies based on Ipuritani, Lucia di Lammermoor, Les Huguenots, and Il giuramento. To the best of our knowledge, the latter has not appeared in print anywhere so far.