| dc.description.abstract | I was always fascinated by the genre of the piano transcription. The art of
transcription allows you to express yourself through a different medium and still
bring out the meaning of a composition to the audience. Worlung on this project
was challenging both musically and pianistically. I concentrated on works by
Sergey Prokofiev and Franz Liszt for my project, exploring the beautiful world of
their compositions, expanding my knowledge of music and the piano.
The genre of keyboard transcription that appeared as early as the 14'c~e ntury
reached its peak in the 19" century with Franz Liszt who was one of the greatest
masters of arrangement. He transcribed not just for the demonstration of the
variety of tone-colors that could be produced on a grand piano, but was also
anxious to bring recognition for compositions which were perhaps less
appreciated in their original forms.
The Winterreise, Schubert's song cycle written on poems by a German poet
Wilhelm Mueller in 1827, was published in 1828. Liszt chose 12 songs from this
cycle and transcribed it for piano in 1839. He changed the order and chose songs
that evoked the most expressive images and were convincing without text. Liszt
took many songs that were originally written in major keys, malung the general
mood more optimistic than that of Schubert whose cycle was mostly in minor
keys.
In 1851 Liszt also finished his transcription of Schubert's Fantasie, Op.15,
for piano and orchestra.
Prokofiev followed Liszt's tradition, and in 1937 finished the very effective
piano version of his ballet Romeo and Juliet, composed in 1935-36 and first
performed in Brno, in 1938. Consequently, selected arrangements for piano from
his ballet Cinderella were published in 1942-44 Prokofiev started Cinderella in
1940 but was interrupted when the Second World War began. The ballet was
performed in Moscow in 194 | en_US |
