Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert?s songs served three purposes: promotion of Schubert, solution of technical problems of transcription, and expansion of the repertory. First, Liszt's admiration for Schubert and promotion of the master's works began in his youth, as illustrated in his transcribing of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy for piano and orchestra, his conducting of Schubert's operas in Weimar, and his editing of Schubert?s piano works. Second, they expanded pianistic technique and sonority that solved the technical problems related to transcription in an unprecedented way. Liszt telescoped the vocal line of the songs and accompaniment into a self-contained piano piece, as demonstrated in his reduction of the first line of Schubert's Erlkönig. Third, they broadened Liszt's own repertory. His virtuosic keyboard writing, intended to dazzle the audience, helped widen his repertory, as shown in his transcription of Schubert's Ave Maria. The significance of Liszt's transcriptions lies in his attempts to preserve the master's works on the piano.

Works: Liszt: Transcription of Auf dem Wasser (54-55), Transcription of Erlkönig (55-57), Transcription of Ave Maria (58-59), Transcription of Gretchen am Spinnrade (60-61), Transcription of Ständchen (61).

Sources: Schubert: Erlkönig (55-56), Gretchen am Spinnrade (60-61).

Index Classifications: 1800s

Contributed by: Hyun Joo Kim