Transcendental Etudes
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The Transcendental Etudes (French: Études d'exécution transcendante), S.139, are a series of twelve compositions written for solo piano by Franz Liszt in 1852. They are revisions and simplifications of a set of pieces published in 1837 called Douze Grandes Etudes (S.137) (published simultaneously in Paris, Milan and Vienna). These were, in turn, a hugely expanded reworking of a youthful set of etudes which Liszt had composed in 1826, called Étude en douze exercices (S.136).
The third and final version (S.139 - the most often recorded version) was published in 1852 and dedicated to Carl Czerny, Liszt’s piano teacher, and himself a prolific composer of etudes. One of the benchmark recordings of this version was originally made in 1974 by the great Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau and has since been remastered and rereleased (in 2008 by Pentatone as PTC 5186 171).
The etudes, particularly in their 1837 version (S.137), are among the most difficult pieces for piano ever written. Robert Schumann declared that they were playable by "at the most, ten or twelve players in the world." Liszt realised that his piano technique was unsurpassable[citation needed]. Consequently the etudes in their final form are less difficult, but still pose incredible physical and technical demands for the performer. Also, all stretches larger than a tenth were removed from the revisions, as were certain effects which were more easily achievable on the piano of the 1830s, with its lighter action than the more heavy piano of the 1850s (which by and large has the same action as a modern piano).
The 1837 version of the studies has only been commercially recorded three times: by Janice Weber, Leslie Howard, and Massimo Gon. The only recording to remain available is that by Leslie Howard (as part of his series of the complete recordings of the piano music of Franz Liszt, for Hyperion Records), which is held by critics[who?] to be the one which does best justice to the technical and musical demands. Gramophone magazine declared: 'Howard brings his customary technical wizardry to bear on this outrageously difficult music in an arresting virtuoso display.'
The famous 4th etude of the final set, Mazeppa, is the only one in the 1852 version which is technically more demanding than its 1837 version, with its altered crossed-hands configuration of the 'galloping' theme.
When revising the 1837 set (Douze Grandes Etudes) into the 1852 version commonly known today (Etudes d'execution transcendante), Liszt added programmatic titles to all of the Etudes except for No. 2 and 10, which he left as "Molto vivace" and "Allegro agitato molto" respectively. However, Ferruccio Busoni, gave the name "Fusées" (Rockets) to No. 2, and "Appassionata" to No. 10, in his edition. These nicknames are not commonly used today.
The twelve Transcendental Etudes are as follows:
[edit] Other works with the same title
- Sergei Lyapunov, Études d’exécution transcendante, op. 11 (1897-1905)
- Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, [100] Études transcendantes (1940-44)
[edit] External links
- Etudes in 12 exercices (first version), Douze Grandes Études (second version), Douze Etudes d'Exécution Transcendante (final version): Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
