Liszt: 21 Selected Piano Works: Piano Book & CD

Banowetz's curation balances Liszt's most lyrical and approachable works alongside pieces that demand genuine virtuosity, making this collection ideal for advanced pianists seeking to deepen their Liszt repertoire without needing specialized editions. The performance notes and recorded examples provide both interpretive guidance and a clear audio reference, turning this book into a genuine teaching tool rather than a score alone.

These twenty-one works sweep across Liszt's emotional range: intimate nocturnes that whisper, virtuosic studies that dazzle, character pieces that intrigue, and transcriptions that transform beloved melodies into piano poetry. The collection balances bravura passages with moments of genuine tenderness, creating a recital experience that rewards both the performer's technical skill and interpretive maturity.

Advanced pianists building a solid foundation in Romantic solo repertoire and serious students preparing for college auditions, recitals, or competitions. This collection serves musicians ready to engage with Liszt's harmonic language and technical demands while seeking guidance from one of the most respected contemporary interpreters.

• Study Banowetz's recorded interpretations of each piece before settling on your own approach; his choices regarding pedal, pacing, and rubato reflect decades of Liszt performance and offer valuable benchmarks for comparison.
• Pay close attention to Liszt's sparse dynamic and tempo markings, particularly in the Consolations and character pieces; resist the urge to over-interpret with excessive rubato until you understand the underlying harmonic structure.
• Use the accompaniment CD to verify your sense of pacing in longer works, especially the Marche de Rákóczy and Romance oubliée, which can drift if the underlying pulse isn't secure.
• Address the transcriptions (Schumann's Widmung and Schubert's Ständchen) as distinct pianistic challenges; Liszt's transformations of these works require different voicing strategies than original compositions.

Select individual pieces for solo recitals throughout the year; the Consolations and shorter character pieces work well as program openers or lighter contrasts in varied recitals, while the Marche de Rákóczy and more substantial works anchor second halves. Alternatively, curate a complete Liszt recital using selections from this edition, pairing the transcriptions with original compositions to show Liszt's creative range across a single program.

• Pedaling in Romantic repertoire, particularly managing resonance in pieces with sparse texture
• Reading and interpreting Liszt's characteristic harmonic language and voice leading
• Executing technically demanding passage work with clarity and control
• Balancing lyrical expression with precise rhythm in rubato sections
• Understanding the pianistic voice in transcriptions and how composers reshape source material