Richard Wagner

O Thou Beloved Evening Star

Arrangements for the piano, transcriptions and opera paraphrases take up a large part in Franz Liszt's complete œuvre. He even arranged scenes from the music dramas of Richard Wagner. The transcription of 'Lied an den Abendstern' comes from the third act of the romantic opera Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg. In his transcription of 1849 Liszt kept exactly to Wagner's original but he divided the scene into 'Recitative' and 'Romance'. He transposed the piece to the keys of G sharp minor and A flat major, which sound warmer on the piano and which also allow for a more easy-to-play romantic piano setting. Liszt uses the cantilena of the violoncellos in Wagner's original as tonal highlight with octaves in the descant. A transcription that is beautiful to listen to for both pianist and audience and perfectly suitable for concert performances and recitals.