Liszt: Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 (Transcriptions)

Featuring

Konstantin Scherbakov
Ludwig van Beethoven

Did you know?

1/6

Compositional Technique

Liszt's transcriptions are meticulous in reproducing original phrasing and specifying original instrumentation, focusing on balance and sonority rather than just technical display.

Composer Biography

Franz Liszt, born in Hungary in 1811, received early encouragement from Hungarian nobility, allowing him to move to Vienna in 1822.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Liszt treasured a special relationship with Beethoven, expressing it through his concert performances and 'pious transcriptions' of works like Beethoven's symphonies.

Composition History

Liszt's piano transcriptions of Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, and 7 were first published in 1840, with later revisions and additions of the other symphonies completed by 1865.

Critical Reception

Konstantin Scherbakov's recording of Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was awarded the German Critics' Prize in 2005.

Performer Biography

Konstantin Scherbakov, the pianist on this recording, won the first Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow in 1983 and has recorded extensively, including Liszt's Beethoven Symphony transcriptions.