Yang Yang Cai - La Leggierezza (2023)

For Liszt’s biographer Derek Watson - “The music reflects the man in its range from the ascetic to the sumptuous, from the trivial and profane to the sublime and spiritual.” Alfred Brendel, another Liszt-admirer, has remarked: “For Liszt … the piano was an object to be transformed into an orchestra, turned into the elements, lifted into the spheres.” In addition to this keyboard-related revolution, Liszt's harmonic language deeply influenced Wagner, while his pioneering development of the symphonic poem genre also contributed to his far-reaching influence.

Liszt's Trois Études de Concert S 144 (Trois caprices poétiques in the 2nd edition) date from 1848.
The origin of their individual titles (Lamento, La Leggierezza Sospiro) which were added later, is something of a mystery, but they have proved to be generally popular and evidence suggests that Liszt himself was happy with them.

Liszt was only twenty-two when he composed the three Apparitions. These innovative, surprisingly forward-looking pieces are among the most important of his early works, imbued with an otherwordly spirit, suspended and dream-like.

Liszt composed his Six Grandes Études de Paganini in 1851. He had first heard Paganini play in 1831 and, in common with many other composers and performers, was bewitched – so much so that he was inspired to emulate his astonishing degree of technical mastery in extending the musical expression of his own instrument. No 2 in E flat major (marked Andantino capriccioso) is based on the seventeenth of Paganini's solo violin Caprices, but Liszt superbly recreates this music in pianistic terms.

The sparkling Valse-Impromptu in A flat major (c1850) is Liszt at his most elegant and charming.

Du Bist die Ruh' is one of twelve Schubert lieder which Liszt transcribed in 1838. Here Liszt writes a decorative, widely-spaced left hand part but preserves the calm, dignified mood of the song.

The outlandishly demanding Transcendental Études date from 1851. Chasse-neige is the final Étude No 12 in B flat minor. Busoni described it as “the noblest example, perhaps, amongst all music of a poetising nature … a sublime and steady fall of snow which gradually buries landscape and people.”

Tracklist
01. Valse-impromptu, S.213
02. Grandes études de Paganini, S.141: II. Andante
03. Apparitions, S.155: I. Senza lentezza quasi Allegretto
04. Apparitions, S.155: II. Vivamente
05. Apparitions, S.155: III. Fantaisie sur une valse de François Schubert. Molto agitato ed appassionato
06. Trois études de Concert, S.144: I. Il Lamento
07. Trois études de Concert, S.144: II. La Leggierezza
08. Trois études de Concert, S.144: III. Un Sospiro
09. Études d’exécution transcendante, S.139: Étude No. 12 “Chasse-neige”
10. 12 Lieder von Schubert, S. 558: III. Du bist die Ruh’