FRANZ LISZT'S TRANSCRIPTION OF BEETHOVEN'S AN DIE FERNE GELIEBTE: A GUIDE TO PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Liszt's transcription of An die ferne Geliebte is not part of the standard repertoire for pianists even though it is based on Beethoven's most important song cycle. Pianists might only know of the cycle from the quotation of the final song in the first movement of Robert Schumann's Fantasie, op 17. My monograph aims to identify those things that make this transcription effective and worthy of performance and to place it in a clear, historical context. This monograph is organized into 4 chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter contains background information and explores the general characteristics of Liszt's transcription. This chapter illustrates how Beethoven inspired Liszt to transcribe the work, including the story of Weihekuss, Liszt's family romance regarding Beethoven, and Liszt's contributions towards the Beethoven monument. In the second chapter, I investigate the historical context of Liszt's transcription of An die ferne Geliebte. This chapter presents research on Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte and background information on Liszt's transcription. I trace Liszt's musical life in Weimar where he produced most of his best transcriptions, including An die ferne Geliebte. An examination of some of Liszt's letters from 1848 to 1850 serves to uncover the reasons behind Liszt's decision to transcribe this song and is also included in the second chapter. In addition, the general characteristics of Liszt's vocal music are examined along with how An die ferne Geliebte is different from Liszt's other transcriptions. I compare some of Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert's songs with the An die ferne Geliebe transcription. In chapter three, I compare and analyze three editions--the Peters Edition, the New Liszt Edition, and the Breitkopf & Härtel Edition--with Beethoven's manuscript of An die ferne Geliebte. The goal of this chapter is to discover the best possible interpretation for a pianist. As I examine these editions, I provide guidance to the pianist for how to select a edition when preparing to study and perform this piece. In the last chapter, I provide advice on practical performance matters with specific interpretive and technical recommendations for pianists. In particular, German diction, the interaction of the vocal line and piano accompaniment, and how the text affects the music are examined. In chapter four, I discuss how Liszt brings out the complex textures of the vocal line in his transcription.