Virtuoso pianism from the QWERTY keyboard: The electronic realization of Liszt's scores

Abstract

For a decade or so, Liszt thrilled and astounded audiences at a time when virtuosity (often as an end in itself) was the norm and the piano had rapidly evolved into a form recognisable as a close relative of the instrument we know today. During this period Liszt frequently performed hisGrandes Etudes (1838), which he had developed from his boyhoodEtude en 12 exercices (1826) and which he later revised and technically simplified asEtudes d'Execution transcendante (1851). Although Liszt's own performances cannot be recreated, procedures for generating electronic realizations, which contain nuances of balance and tempo, are described. All three versions of the eighth of Liszt's set of 12 studies are used for illustration. Contrary to received opinion, it is argued that the 1838 version is more satisfying than the 1851 revision and that this is due to its formal structure.