Liszt: Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 (Transcriptions)

Featuring

Konstantin Scherbakov
Ludwig van Beethoven

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Composer Biography

Franz Liszt, the transcriber of these Beethoven symphonies, met Beethoven in Vienna in 1823 when Liszt was eleven years old.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Liszt viewed Beethoven's work as a guiding force for musicians, comparing it to the pillar of cloud and fire that guided the Israelites.

Composition History

Liszt began working on his piano transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies in the summer of 1837 and completed the full set, with revisions, by 1865.

Compositional Technique

Liszt's transcriptions do not simply mimic an orchestra but re-create the combined sound of orchestral instruments in a pianistic style, pushing the limits of the piano.

Cultural Impact

Liszt's piano transcriptions were pioneering achievements that brought Beethoven's symphonies into homes and ushered in a new era for 'symphonic' transcription.

Composer Biography

A famous legend claims Beethoven gave Liszt a "kiss of consecration" after a concert, but historical evidence suggests this public display never occurred.

Performer Biography

Konstantin Scherbakov, the pianist on this album, won the first Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow in 1983 and has performed with leading orchestras worldwide.