Album insights
One of Liszt's most unusual works, inspired by two markedly different motets heard in the Sistine Chapel: Gregorio Allegri's famous "Miserere mei deus" and Mozart's final work of the genre - "Ave verum corpus" KV618. Allegri's piece, famously composed for the papal chapel singers under Pope Urban VIII, was not allowed for publication and circulated for centuries in a few handwritten copies. Liszt's focus lies on the harmonies at the beginning, leading to a passacaglia in G minor with variations reaching a tumultuous climax before Mozart's "Ave verum" in a simple transcription in B flat major. Liszt expands Mozart's music, allowing for a gentle modulation to G major and concluding with subtle echoes of Allegri in the bass. Liszt created an orchestral version of the piece, a four-hand piano version, and a more commonly performed organ version, extended with the prefix "Évocation."
In a time where transcriptions were once ridiculed, today we celebrate composers' enthusiasm and understanding towards others' works. Transcription has been an effective method in creating music through various phases of Western music history. Liszt, a proponent of reviving serious engagements with polyphonic organ playing, played a significant role in bringing back Bach's neglected compositions to audiences. Liszt also published an edition of Bach's organ music and transcribed two additional pieces for the organ by Bach. Liszt's transcriptions not only aim to convey Bach's music through the instrument the composers were most comfortable with but also exploit the inherent advantages of the piano. Liszt doubles the pedal part carefully in octaves where practical, rarely altering Bach's original except for octave transpositions to accommodate hand ranges and enhancing rhetorical chords. Liszt neither introduces tempo nor dynamic markings or phrasing directions, staying close to Bach's intentions. Bach's organ works, originating mostly from his Weimar period, exhibit a mature style, exploring a variety of ideas and structures that continue to amaze audiences.
When playing Liszt's transcriptions, it's advisable to practice on the organ to avoid unnecessary pianistic effects, though remembering variations with and without the pedal part can be a challenge. Emulating registration effects, articulation, and embellishments of the 18th century where feasible is recommended, as well as referring to the best available sources for accuracy. For J. Seb. Bach's "Fantasy and Fugue in G minor," Liszt approached it differently, adding dynamics, tempo, pedal instructions, and phrasing, possibly in response to Siegmund Lebert's request for better guidance in teaching the piece. The modified version, with additional voices in some parts, aims not to improve Bach's work but to strengthen its structural magnificence.