Liszt's Piano Works 9: Song Arrangements comprise various transcriptions of art songs for solo piano. A virtuoso pianist, Liszt transformed numerous songs into sophisticated yet appealing piano pieces, imbuing them with his characteristic polish.
This collection, edited by Emil von Sauer, primarily contains arrangements of Schubert's compositions, such as "Sei mir gegrüßt" in B-flat major, "Auf dem Wasser zu singen" in A-flat major, "Du bist die Ruh" in E-flat major, the well-known "Erlkönig" in G minor, "Meeresstille" in C major, "Die junge Nonne" in F minor, and "Frühlingsglaube" in A-flat major.
In addition to these Schubert transcriptions, the edition also includes works by Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Lassen. Remarkably, this collection even contains an arrangement of one of Liszt's own songs.
Liszt's innovative compositional contributions also include concert paraphrases – brilliant piano pieces based on operatic themes. His piano technique remains influential to this day, and these song arrangements exemplify how he reinterpreted other composers' works in his own style, thereby imbuing them with a unique pianistic quality.