Those familiar with Beethoven's nine symphonies who patiently dedicate themselves to the listening experience can rest assured: This recording offers unusual perspectives on Liszt's early transcriptions, created some twenty years before their later revisions. At that time, Liszt was primarily active as a concert pianist and a dedicated advocate for Beethoven's music. He placed particularly high demands on performers, leading to diverse and dramatic approaches. The direct comparison of the different versions illuminates both Liszt's artistic development and the significance of Beethoven's compositions.
The first series of Liszt's Beethoven transcriptions, published by Richault, was dedicated to Monsieur Ingres. It is noteworthy that Ingres painted a portrait of Liszt in Rome in 1839, precisely when Liszt was working on the Beethoven transcriptions. Liszt's intentions are clearly evident in the preface, which remained unchanged in later editions.
For his piano transcriptions of orchestral music, Liszt used the term "partition de piano" and sought to transfer the orchestra's rich sonic texture to the piano while incorporating the performer's creative spirit. His aim, however, was not to reproduce the originals with meticulous accuracy, but rather to adapt them idiomatically to the piano.
Liszt initially began work on the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, intending to transcribe a total of four works. Ultimately, however, he completed only three transcriptions, though he later added the slow movement from the "Eroica" Symphony to his repertoire.
In Liszt's time, transcribing Beethoven's orchestral works to the piano was a significant challenge, as orchestral performances were rarely exact. Liszt's transcriptions offer a new perspective on Beethoven's masterpieces and broaden their scope.
These new interpretations demonstrate Liszt's exceptional talent as a transcriber and his profound respect for Beethoven. They document the development of Liszt's work and reveal the complexity of Beethoven's works, which appear in a new light through Liszt's piano transcriptions.