Consolation No. 1, S. 172

History

Liszt had begun the six-piece Consolations cycle by 1844. A revised version appeared in 1850. This opening Consolation belongs to that larger history of revision; the collection's dates do not establish a precise composition day for its first piece.

Sources

• henle.de

What to listen for

1. 1

   Gentle chords include an inner descent

   The chordal opening moves with an inner descending line. Listen within the held texture as well as to the upper sound.

2. 2

   Repeated tones receive a changed answer

   Repeated upper tones sit above alternating inner chords before a changed answer. Hear the continuity across the repeated sounds.

3. 3

   Familiar tones lead to an opening-related reply

   Repeated-tone material returns and leads into an opening-related answer. Compare its shape with the earlier gentle phrases.

4. 4

   A recalled phrase reaches an arpeggiated close

   The closing recall settles into quiet arpeggiated harmony. Hear the chord as an arrival after the preceding inner movement.

How to practise it

Connect the calm upper chords while respecting ties and initial silence.

1. Count the rest and play the two opening chord positions with a soft attack.
2. Practise these chord changes slowly and distinguish held from newly attacked notes.

How hard is it

About this piece

Licence

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Source

mutopiaproject.org

Credit

“Consolation, S.172 No.1” by F. Liszt (1811 to 1886). Mutopia edition maintained by Ryan Prince. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=1654. Licensed under CC BY 3.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.

More by Franz Liszt

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2. 2Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro