AB II-23

Description

Franz Liszt

GÖTTLICHE GEDANKEN

Arranged for piano solo by Albert Brussee

The well-known Liszt interpreter Leslie Howard published in the Music Section of The Liszt Society Journal (Volume 41; 2016) some unknown, largely unpublished songs by Franz Liszt, including a composition entitled Göttliche Gedanken, in manuscript kept in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv in Weimar (GSA-60/ Z12). Playing through the score, I was immediately impressed by the beauty of the music and it all sounded so well on the piano that soon the thought surfaced that the musical material would also come into its own as a keyboard piece. After an initially literal transcription, I subsequently allowed myself greater liberties: two short cadences were inserted, the left-hand accompaniment figures were worked out more brilliantly from b. 37 onwards and some imitations were added. Next, the whole was carefully marked in terms of phrasing, articulation and dynamics, this in contrast to the original sketch, which came to us almost unmarked. The song was composed on a poem by Friedrich Rückert, which in the Preface is published in its entirety, both in the original language and in English translation. The arrangement has been dedicated to the pianist Toos Onderdenwijngaard, one of the Liszt pioneers in the Netherlands and an honorary member of the Franz Liszt Circle.

REVIEWS
“(…) It cannot be said otherwise: this is an exceptionally successful arrangement. Of course, that depends primarily on the material itself: the plain, long-drawn line of the melody, supported by the quietly descending chromatic bass, convey aptly the words ‘Göttliche Gedanken’ – words that Liszt noted in the sketch under the singing voice. But also Brussee’s elaboration of the left hand, which Liszt had only elementarily notated, contributes to the success of this transcription. The mood of the music is reminiscent of Liszt’s Consolations, in particular the second one in E with its almost identical accompaniment figures, and the third in D flat with its broad melody. In terms of difficulty, this transcription is at the same level, which makes the piece well worthy of performance by good amateurs.
Bart van Sambeek set the note texts excellently and placed them broadly on the page. Moreover, the edition contains a historically well-founded explanation, as we are used to from Albert Brussee.
Jan Marisse Huizing in Piano Bulletin 2018-1.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
© 2017 AB Music Productions & Editions.
ISBN: 978-90-808920-4-0
16 pages, with a Preface in Dutch and English.
Available through the usual music channels (distribution by Hal Leonard MGB in Holland and Belgium) and direct from AB Music Productions & Editions.