Hexameron (composition)

Cover of the score of the first print from 1839

Hexaméron, Morceau de concert is a composition for solo piano, which consists of six variations by various composers around Franz Liszt and was partially presented in 1837, but only published in print in 1838. The variations are connected with interludes and were completed with an introduction and a finale. The theme is the March of the Puritans from the opera I puritani by Vincenzo Bellini .

The piece is a conception by Princess Cristina Trivulzio Belgiojoso , who persuaded Franz Liszt in 1837 to put together a number of variations of the march together with five of his pianist friends. Liszt composed the introduction, the second variation, the connecting sections and the finale. He also turned the piece into an artistic unit. Five well-known composers each contributed a variation: Frédéric Chopin , Carl Czerny , Henri Herz , Johann Peter Pixis and Sigismund Thalberg . The princess commissioned the work for a benefit concert for the poor on March 31, 1837 in the princess' salon in Paris. The title Hexameron refers to the biblical six days of creation.

The musicians did not complete the piece on time, but the concert went on as planned. But the composers did not, as is often wrongly reported, play their contributions in concert. The highlight of the concert was a piano duel between Thalberg and Liszt for the title of "greatest pianist in the world". The diplomatic verdict of the princess: "Thalberg is the best pianist in the world - Liszt is unique".

Hexameron is divided into nine parts:

Introduction: Extremement lent (Liszt)
Theme: Allegro marziale (transcribed by Liszt)
Variation I: Ben marcato (Thalberg)
Variation II: Moderato (Liszt)
Variation III: di bravura (Pixis) - Ritornello (Liszt)
Variation IV: Legato e grazioso (heart)
Variation V: Vivo e brillante (Czerny) - Fuocoso molto energico; Lento quasi recitativo (Liszt)
Variation VI: Largo (Chopin) - (coda) (Liszt)
Final: Molto vivace quasi prestissimo (Liszt)

The pianists Ingolf Wunder , Raymond Lewenthal , Leslie Howard , Francesco Nicolosi , Marc-André Hamelin and others have recorded this piece.

Liszt also arranged the piece for piano and orchestra (p. 365b) and for two pianos (p. 654). The pianists Ingolf Wunder , Leslie Howard and Eugene List recorded the version for piano and orchestra.

Web links

Hexaméron : Sheet Music and Audio Files in the International Music Score Library Project

Individual evidence

^ Leslie Howard : Franz Liszt (1811-1886). Complete Works for Piano Solo, Vol. 53 - Music for Piano and Orchestra I. Introduction. Hyperion Records , accessed January 1, 2017 .
^ Alan Walker : Franz Liszt: The virtuoso years, 1811-1847 . Cornell University Press , 1988, ISBN 978-0-8014-9421-5 , pp. 520 ( full text in Google Book Search).
↑ Deutsche Grammophon 2015 [1] .

[1] Leslie Howard : Franz Liszt (1811-1886). Complete Works for Piano Solo, Vol. 53 - Music for Piano and Orchestra I. Introduction. Hyperion Records , accessed January 1, 2017 .

[2] Alan Walker : Franz Liszt: The virtuoso years, 1811-1847 . Cornell University Press , 1988, ISBN 978-0-8014-9421-5 , pp. 520 ( full text in Google Book Search).

[3] Deutsche Grammophon 2015 [1] .