Overview
Franz Liszt’s Two Concert Études, S.145, composed in 1862–63 and published in 1863, are virtuosic piano pieces that combine technical brilliance with lyrical expressiveness. These études were written during Liszt’s Weimar period, a phase in which he was shifting from a flamboyant virtuoso composer-performer to a more introspective and spiritual artist. The set consists of:
🎵 1. Waldesrauschen (“Forest Murmurs”) in D♭ major
Character: Impressionistic, serene, and flowing.
Texture: Delicate arpeggios that mimic the rustling of leaves in a forest, often compared to Debussy-like sonorities despite predating them.
Technique:
Rapid arpeggios and broken chords
Voicing a melody within the right-hand figuration
Control of pedal and tone color
Musical significance: This piece is an early precursor to impressionism in its shimmering textures and natural imagery. It’s a poetic soundscape rather than a bravura showpiece.
🎵 2. Gnomenreigen (“Dance of the Gnomes”) in F♯ minor
Character: Whimsical, mischievous, virtuosic.
Texture: Starts with staccato leaps and finger-twisting runs, building into energetic, sparkling passages.
Technique:
Light, fast repeated notes and jumps
Precise fingerwork for demonic scalar runs
Rhythmic control and clarity in complex figurations
Musical significance: A brilliant toccata-like work with a mischievous spirit, “Gnomenreigen” challenges the performer with its combination of speed, articulation, and musical storytelling.
📝 General Notes:
Both études were dedicated to Dionys Pruckner, one of Liszt’s students.
Though less famous than his Transcendental Études or Paganini Études, S.145 is often praised for its balance of musical substance and technical demand.
They represent Liszt’s poetic maturity, where virtuosity serves expression rather than mere display.
Characteristics of Music
The Two Concert Études, S.145, by Franz Liszt are a highly refined pair of piano études that showcase a blend of virtuosic brilliance, poetic imagery, and advanced harmonic language. Though short and more intimate than some of Liszt’s grander études, they are considered profound examples of programmatic miniatures, each evoking a specific natural or fantastical scene. Below is a detailed outline of the musical characteristics of the collection as a whole and of each étude:
🎼 General Musical Characteristics of Two Concert Études, S.145
Programmatic Nature:
Each étude conveys a vivid image: Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) evokes the natural sounds of a forest, while Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes) conjures a fantastical scene of capricious creatures dancing.
These are not études in the academic sense, but poetic tone-paintings with a narrative spirit.
Virtuosity with Expression:
Technique serves musical meaning. Unlike earlier bravura works, these études are subtler and more atmospheric.
They demand delicacy, agility, and tonal control, not just speed or power.
Innovative Harmony and Color:
Use of chromaticism, modulatory flexibility, and rich extended harmonies.
Extensive use of pedal to blend sounds, especially in Waldesrauschen.
Structural Compactness:
Each piece is self-contained with tight formal construction (e.g., ternary or variation-like forms).
Despite their brevity, they create a deep impression and emotional journey.
Technical Challenges:
Both pieces feature advanced pianistic demands: swift figurations, wide leaps, rapid note repetitions, and refined voicing within dense textures.
🎵 1. Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) — D♭ major
Musical Characteristics:
Atmospheric texture: Flowing, continuous arpeggios create the illusion of wind through leaves.
Melodic lines: Hidden melodies must be drawn out from the middle or top of arpeggios with subtle voicing.
Harmonic color: Lush modulations and chromatic inflections evoke natural complexity.
Dynamic control: Requires extreme sensitivity to touch and pedal to shape dynamic waves and soft climaxes.
Form: Ternary (ABA), with lyrical outer sections and a more intense middle.
Mood: Gentle, impressionistic, reminiscent of nature’s calm and mystery.
🎵 2. Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes) — F♯ minor
Musical Characteristics:
Staccato mischief: Quick, dry articulations and sudden rhythmic shifts suggest the playful and erratic movements of gnomes.
Virtuosity: Features swift scales, jumps, hand-crossings, and crisp repeated notes.
Contrast: Alternates between playful skittishness and more lyrical episodes, often using sharp dynamics and articulation to portray character.
Harmonic novelty: Chromatic modulations, diminished and augmented sonorities create a supernatural feel.
Rhythmic vitality: Irregular groupings and syncopations add to the magical and unpredictable character.
Form: Rhapsodic or variation-based, with recurring motives that transform throughout.
Mood: Playful, capricious, impish — almost scherzo-like in energy and wit.
📌 Summary: Character of the Collection
The Two Concert Études stand out in Liszt’s œuvre for their refined poetry and sound imagery. As a set, they contrast each other beautifully:
Étude Key Mood Imagery Technical Focus
Waldesrauschen D♭ major Lyrical, serene Forest, wind, rustling Arpeggios, tone color, voicing
Gnomenreigen F♯ minor Sprightly, eerie Dancing gnomes Staccato, speed, clarity, articulation
Together, they represent Liszt’s mature vision of the étude: a technical study fused with poetic expression, exploring not just the limits of technique, but the depths of musical imagination.
Analysis, Tutoriel, Interpretation & Importants Points to Play
Here’s a complete analysis, tutorial, interpretation guide, and performance tips for Franz Liszt’s Two Concert Études, S.145 — Waldesrauschen and Gnomenreigen. These études are both advanced in technique and rich in expression, each portraying vivid imagery through sound.
🎵 Étude No. 1 — Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) in D♭ major
🔍 ANALYSIS
Form: Ternary (ABA’), with a brief coda.
Texture: Predominantly arpeggiated figures with melody embedded in upper or inner voices.
Harmony: Lush Romantic harmony with chromaticism; the piece remains rooted in D♭ but flows through rich modulatory detours.
Mood: Evokes the delicate rustling of leaves and the breath of wind through trees. It’s impressionistic in color, nearly Debussy-like.
Rhythm: Uses flowing sixteenth-note arpeggios in compound meter (6/8 and 9/8), generating a continuous and rippling texture.
🎹 TECHNICAL TUTORIAL
Right Hand:
Maintains flowing, even arpeggios. Prioritize fluid wrist motion and loose rotation.
Highlight the melody within the arpeggios, often the top note. Use finger weight and subtle phrasing.
Keep fingers close to the keys for rapid control; use economical motion.
Left Hand:
Acts both rhythmically and harmonically. Requires balance — it must support without overpowering the RH.
Bass notes often sustain or punctuate — pedal timing is crucial to preserve harmonic clarity.
Pedal:
Employ half-pedaling or flutter-pedaling to avoid blurring.
Clear harmonies especially at harmonic shifts and cadences.
🎼 INTERPRETATION
Use a pastoral tone, especially in the A sections. Don’t rush — let it “breathe.”
Tone painting: The goal is to portray movement, like a breeze or water.
In the middle section (B), a more agitated character develops — deepen dynamics and phrasing while maintaining flow.
Final return (A’) should be more luminous and reflective, leading to a serene closure.
🎯 PERFORMANCE TIPS
Practice the RH arpeggios slowly, focusing on evenness and shaping the melody.
Isolate melody lines and practice them alone, then reintegrate.
Be very sensitive to dynamics — pianissimo passages need clarity and resonance.
Treat the piece like a miniature tone poem, not a technical showpiece.
🎵 Étude No. 2 — Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes) in F♯ minor
🔍 ANALYSIS
Form: Fantasia-like, with multiple contrasting sections (ABACDA).
Texture: Alternates between staccato, leggiero passages and lyrical interludes.
Harmony: Unusual chromatic shifts and modulations add to its eerie, mischievous quality.
Mood: Sprightly and impish. The music embodies the quick, unpredictable movement of gnomes.
🎹 TECHNICAL TUTORIAL
Right Hand:
Requires precise staccato, often in repeated notes and leaps.
Later sections demand scales in thirds, rapid runs, and intricate fingering.
Avoid tension: use wrist and finger staccato, not arm staccato.
Left Hand:
Plays alternating bass and accompaniment lines, often jumping.
Needs precise placement and timing to support RH rhythms.
Key Passages:
Repeated notes (bars 1–16): Use finger substitutions (e.g., 3-2-1-3) and rotate the wrist slightly.
Chromatic thirds (middle section): Practice hands separately, then in rhythmically stable patterns.
Final Presto: Secure rhythm before speed. Play lightly but accurately.
🎼 INTERPRETATION
Emphasize contrast between impish scherzo sections and lyrical digressions.
Use rubato cautiously — rhythmic clarity is essential for humor and surprise.
In lyrical sections, relax tempo slightly and use expressive dynamics and legato.
Highlight the demonic humor — imagine grotesque little creatures darting around.
🎯 PERFORMANCE TIPS
Think percussively but lightly — don’t overplay.
Practice fast passages in rhythmic groupings (long-short or short-long).
Use silent motion practice for jumps and hand-crossings to build accuracy.
Let the audience “see” the characters — gnomes, sprites, even mischief — through color and timing.
📘 Conclusion: Playing the Two Concert Études, S.145
Étude Focus Challenges Interpretation
Waldesrauschen Color, voicing, pedal control Inner melody in arpeggios, tonal layering Natural imagery, lyrical, serene
Gnomenreigen Lightness, articulation Rapid repeated notes, leaps, staccato clarity Whimsical, mischievous, scherzo-like
These études are best approached not just as technical challenges, but as expressive sound worlds. They mark Liszt’s transition into a composer of introspective, narrative-driven music — and they challenge the pianist to balance virtuosity with subtlety.
History
Franz Liszt’s Two Concert Études, S.145 — comprising Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) and Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes) — were composed in 1862–63, during the composer’s mature period when he had largely withdrawn from the concert stage and settled in Weimar and later in Rome. By this time, Liszt was no longer the flamboyant virtuoso dazzling audiences across Europe, but had become a more introspective artist, deeply engaged in composition, religious contemplation, and musical mentorship.
These études were not written for his own performance, but rather for the Austrian pianist Dionys Pruckner, one of Liszt’s students and protégés. In fact, they reflect Liszt’s shift in compositional purpose: rather than being showpieces for personal display, they were crafted as artistic and poetic studies, demonstrating how piano technique could serve expressive, imaginative ends.
Unlike his earlier works such as the Transcendental Études, which were feats of daring virtuosity and drama, the Two Concert Études show Liszt leaning toward economy of means, tonal refinement, and atmospheric subtlety. Waldesrauschen and Gnomenreigen both suggest pictorial or programmatic scenes — the first evokes the gentle rustle of a forest breeze, while the second conjures the jittery dance of mischievous gnomes — but Liszt left no detailed programs for them. The evocative titles, however, hint at his desire to blend narrative and technique, something he had already explored in his symphonic poems and operatic paraphrases.
The études were published in 1863 by Schott, and they quickly gained popularity, not only for their imaginative content but also for their distinctive demands: Waldesrauschen requires delicate control of voicing and color, while Gnomenreigen is a rhythmic and technical tightrope. Pianists appreciated how these pieces showcased refinement over bombast.
Historically, they also signal Liszt’s transitional style, linking the heroic Romanticism of his youth with the mystical and impressionistic tendencies of his later works. Some music historians even view Waldesrauschen as a precursor to the impressionist style that would flourish in the hands of Debussy decades later. Meanwhile, Gnomenreigen echoes Scherzo elements found in the works of Chopin or Mendelssohn, but through Liszt’s more harmonically adventurous and volatile language.
In sum, the Two Concert Études reflect Liszt’s evolution into a composer of imaginative intimacy. They are gems of the piano repertoire — technically demanding, poetically evocative, and emblematic of a composer who had nothing left to prove, but still so much to express.
Popular Piece/Book of Collection at That Time?
The Two Concert Études, S.145 by Franz Liszt — Waldesrauschen and Gnomenreigen — were not as widely known or sensational at the time of their publication in 1863 as Liszt’s earlier virtuosic works (like the Transcendental Études or Hungarian Rhapsodies), but they were well received within musical circles, especially among pianists and students of Liszt’s school.
Popularity at the Time
These études were appreciated more as refined concert and salon pieces rather than as grand virtuoso showpieces. Their technical brilliance paired with poetic imagination made them especially appealing to professional and advanced amateur pianists. However, they were not the kind of compositions that created a public stir in the broader musical world. They did not become popular “hits” in the same way that Liszt’s paraphrases on operatic themes or Liebesträume did.
Liszt was already shifting away from public performance and composing for sensation; these pieces represent a more intimate, artistic direction in his output. They were part of Liszt’s effort to elevate the artistic and poetic value of études, aligning with his later philosophy that technique should serve expression.
Sheet Music Sales and Circulation
While detailed 19th-century sales data is rare, we know that the études were published by the major publisher Schott, who had strong distribution networks across Europe. Because these works were written for and dedicated to Dionys Pruckner, a known Liszt pupil who actively performed and taught, the pieces circulated well in academic and professional piano communities. They were not bestsellers in the commercial sense, but they sold reasonably well, particularly among serious pianists, conservatories, and teaching studios.
Over time, Gnomenreigen in particular gained popularity as a virtuoso encore or recital piece, while Waldesrauschen became admired for its tone color and lyricism. Today, both études are staples of the advanced Romantic piano repertoire, especially valued for their musical expressiveness combined with technical challenges.
In Summary:
The Two Concert Études were not blockbusters upon release but were respected and admired in serious musical and pedagogical circles.
They sold modestly through Schott, mainly to advanced pianists and conservatories.
Their long-term influence and popularity grew as Liszt’s mature style came to be more appreciated in the 20th century and beyond.
Episodes & Trivia
Here are some notable episodes and intriguing trivia surrounding Franz Liszt’s Two Concert Études, S.145 (Waldesrauschen and Gnomenreigen) — works that reflect both the personality of the composer and the artistic world of mid-19th-century piano music:
🎹 1. Composed for a Favorite Student
Both études were composed for Dionys Pruckner, one of Liszt’s talented pupils. Pruckner was not only a skilled pianist but also a close follower of Liszt’s artistic ideals. Liszt tailored these pieces to fit Pruckner’s style — a blend of technique, elegance, and characterful expression. These études were not meant for Liszt’s own public performance, but rather to develop and showcase his students’ artistry.
🌲 2. Nature and Imagination Over Virtuosity
Liszt gave these études programmatic titles (Waldesrauschen = “Forest Murmurs”, Gnomenreigen = “Dance of the Gnomes”), but without attaching detailed descriptive notes. This follows Liszt’s tendency to suggest imagery without prescribing a narrative — allowing pianists and audiences to imagine their own stories.
These titles also show Liszt’s deepening poetic and philosophical interest: Waldesrauschen reflects Romantic nature mysticism, while Gnomenreigen may evoke the supernatural and grotesque — a fascination shared with other Romantics like E.T.A. Hoffmann.
👻 3. Liszt’s Love of the Fantastic
Gnomenreigen’s whimsical and unpredictable energy reflects Liszt’s fascination with folklore, spirits, and the macabre. This was a recurring theme in his works — from Totentanz to the Mephisto Waltzes. Some scholars consider Gnomenreigen a miniature character study of demonic or playful forces, in line with Liszt’s broader interest in the supernatural.
🎼 4. They Anticipate Impressionism
Waldesrauschen has often been cited by critics and pianists as foreshadowing the style of Debussy and Ravel. Its liquid arpeggios, transparent textures, and natural imagery suggest a proto-impressionist aesthetic. This makes it an important historical stepping-stone between Romanticism and early modernism.
📜 5. They Were Composed in Rome, Not Weimar
Unlike many of Liszt’s earlier works that emerged during his time in Weimar, the Two Concert Études were composed while he was living in Rome (1862–63). There, Liszt was moving increasingly toward religious contemplation and composing sacred music — yet these études stand out as secular, poetic, and playful pieces in that context.
🔥 6. They Were Not in Any of His Earlier Étude Collections
Despite Liszt having written multiple famous étude collections (Transcendental, Paganini, Years of Pilgrimage), the Two Concert Études are entirely separate works, not revisions or additions to previous sets. This gives them a unique standalone identity within his piano output.
🎤 7. Popular with 20th-Century Virtuosos
Both études became increasingly popular in the 20th century, especially among pianists who appreciated Liszt’s subtlety more than his flash. Notable pianists who championed them include:
Claudio Arrau, who brought poetic depth to Waldesrauschen.
Vladimir Horowitz, who emphasized the demonic charm of Gnomenreigen.
György Cziffra, who gave electrifying performances of both.
🎶 8. A Surprise Favorite of Composers
Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy both reportedly admired Waldesrauschen for its coloristic ingenuity. While there’s no concrete letter or record of them analyzing it formally, many pianists and scholars consider it an influence on the atmospheric textures in French impressionist piano music.
Similar Compositions / Suits / Collections
Franz Liszt’s Two Concert Études, S.145 (Waldesrauschen and Gnomenreigen) are unique in their combination of virtuosity, lyricism, and programmatic suggestion, yet they belong to a broader tradition of character études—works that are technically challenging while evoking a poetic or dramatic image. If you’re looking for similar compositions, collections, or suites, here are some strong parallels grouped by context and purpose:
🎹 Similar Works by Liszt
1. Three Concert Études, S.144 (1845–49)
Titles: Il lamento, La leggierezza, Un sospiro
Like S.145, these are expressive concert études, each with a clear poetic mood. Un sospiro, for instance, explores hand-crossing and sonority, much as Waldesrauschen does with texture and flow.
2. Grandes Études de Paganini, S.141
These transform Paganini’s violin fireworks into piano language. Though more overtly virtuosic than S.145, they share Liszt’s fascination with technique as expression — especially La Campanella (No. 3), which has a similar mischievous character to Gnomenreigen.
3. Transcendental Études, S.139
While generally more monumental and extreme, individual études like Feux follets (No. 5) or Paysage (No. 3) evoke nature and supernatural imagery, much like Waldesrauschen and Gnomenreigen.
🇫🇷 French Impressionist & Poetic Études
4. Claude Debussy – Études (1915)
Debussy admired Liszt and extended his coloristic and atmospheric techniques. His études (e.g., Pour les arpèges composés, Pour les octaves) push technical limits but are also sonically rich and painterly, in the spirit of Waldesrauschen.
5. Maurice Ravel – Jeux d’eau (1901)
Inspired by Liszt and particularly Waldesrauschen, this water study for piano is a descendant of Liszt’s tone-painting style, emphasizing texture, flow, and impressionistic coloring.
🧙♂️ Whimsical or Supernatural Études
6. Alexander Scriabin – Études, Op. 8 and Op. 42
Some études in these sets have frenzied, mysterious, or gnome-like qualities—particularly Op. 8 No. 9 or Op. 42 No. 5. They combine extreme technique with a psychological or mystical charge like Gnomenreigen.
7. Leopold Godowsky – Etudes after Chopin
These highly virtuosic reimaginings of Chopin’s études have a Lisztian grandeur and experimentation with color and technique, though often denser in texture.
🎼 Romantic and Character Études by Others
8. Stephen Heller – 25 Études, Op. 45 / Op. 47
Less technically intense, but emotionally rich. Some have programmatic or fairy-tale qualities, making them a more modest cousin to Liszt’s poetic études.
9. Moszkowski – 15 Études de Virtuosité, Op. 72
Moszkowski inherited Liszt’s ethos of lyricism plus brilliance. Several studies, like No. 6 or No. 11, showcase characterful flair and musical imagination.
10. César Cui – Kaleidoscope, Op. 50
A set of 24 miniatures, many with descriptive titles. While less technically formidable, they share Gnomenreigen’s whimsical and fantastical mood.
🌍 Modern or Contemporary Tributes
11. György Ligeti – Études, Book I–III (1985–2001)
Ligeti cited Liszt as a major influence. His études are rhythmically complex, innovative, and often nature- or movement-inspired, such as Fanfares or Der Zauberlehrling (“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”).
(This article was generated by ChatGPT. And it’s just a reference document for discovering music you don’t know yet.)
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