pianomania: LISZT'S TRANSCENDENTAL ETUDES / Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Piano Studio of Albert Tiu

TRACING THE ROOTS OF

LISZT’S TRANSCENDENTAL ETUDES

Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Concert Hall

Thursday (13 April 2023)

Franz Liszt’s Twelve Transcendental Etudes are the pinnacle of piano virtuosity, marrying compositional and invention digital brilliance with unparalleled lyricism. Completed in 1852, Etudes d’execution transcendante (S.139) were the culmination of years of revision and refinement, which transformed Liszt’s early Etude in Zwolf Ubungen (Study in Twelve Exercises), humble Czerny-influenced exercises from 1826, to something really special. In between, these also took the guise of his Douze Grandes Etuden (Twelve Grand Studies) of 1837, which were nigh unplayable and almost forgotten.

Albert Tiu addresses the audience.

This recital was special as for the first time in Singapore, the twelve final thoughts of Liszt were performed alongside his initial efforts as a fifteen-year-old. Within these, one would discern the processes of Liszt’s transformation and metamorphosis, rendering the mundane into something transcendental. Performing these works (one from each set) were twelve Yong Siew Toh Conservatory piano students, pupils of Albert Tiu’s studio affectionately known as “Tiudents”.

The first pages of Etude No.1 and Preludio.

Adrian Tang opened the recital with the C major Etude No.1, a fussy little exercise that attempted to sweep the keyboard but ended up sounding even longer than its famous successor, Preludio. There is no doubt that the final outcome was infinitely superior, which under his capable hands yielded maximal impact.

Venus Chai, dressed in flashy fire engine red, played Etude No.2 in A minor, a workaday and somewhat uninspiring number. Its final version, unnamed but marked Molto vivace and possessed with a Paganinian level of diablerie, was very well brought out.

Chakrit Khanonvej was allotted Etude No.3 in F major, which had exactly the same melody as its eventual iteration, Paysage. Now the bare bones have been fleshed out, sounding far richer with its successions of chords. When Allegro sempre legato was broadened to became Poco Adagio, an ugly duckling was transformed into a graceful swan.

Whoever thought that a sequence of thirds without a melody marked Allegretto (Etude No.4) could eventually become the mighty Mazeppa? Wang Huang Hao Jia's performance of both studies amply demonstrated Liszt's remarkable progression. On the strength of his imperious showing, one can scarcely wait for his Rach 3.

Similarly, only a genius could transform the Moderato of Etude No.5, a succession of syncopations and dotted rhythms, into Liszt’s most fiendish work, the firebrand Feux follets. Kuo Lyu-Yan was given the rare honour and did not disappoint. The leggiero of the original finding greater refinement in the latter’s leggierissimo was delivered with much aplomb.

It was interesting to see how Liszt could completely transform the complexion of a work while retaining the original themes. A case in point is the Molto agitato of Etude No.6 which would become a lububrious Lento in Vision. Panyakorn Lertnimitphan's performance of both works were as exemplary as they were widely contrasted.

The following Etude No.7 was a curious one, simply because it did not end up as Eroica, which had no preceding version. Its unmistakeably serene melody would however turn up in Harmonies du Soir (No.11 of the 1862 set). So for the first time this evening, two totally unrelated pieces were performed by the same pianist. Liang Ray-Heng did so with much lyricism and requisite heroism.

Etude No.8 retained the same C minor key and loudness of Wilde Jagd. Both are thematically related but sounded rather different. There was a brashness to the earlier version but nothing quite like the galloping, pulverising brilliance of the later edition, which Jet Stephen Co Chong delivered with much alacrity.

The John Field nocturne-like countenance of Etude No.9 made it sound like a children’s version of Ricordanza, a simplicity which Papat Lertchanvit played with tenderness and sympathy. The transformation into its famous final version was a case of musical alchemy, where base metal becomes pure gold. He clearly luxuriated in its series of harp-like arpeggios, a daunting prospect for all but concert pianists.

Lee Ann mastered Etude No.10 in F minor and its breathless runs of fast triplets with passion and relative ease. Its spirit was immediately replicated in the unnamed final version, marked Allegro agitato molto. Both are the most tempestuous numbers of each sets, and she gave them the full monty, flying locks and all.

Wang Chien-Jou had pride-of-place of playing Harmonies du soir, easily the final set’s most passionate number. Its counterpart, Etude No.11 also in D flat major, was not thematically related and totally forgettable. Its true predecessor was Etude No.7 (heard earlier but in E flat major), this being another case of musical alchemy. The result: unforgettable.

Etude No.12 and Chasse-neige have the same melodic material but when heard together, what a world of difference it made. Sean Gan completed both sets with the same spirit of learning and discovery which opened the recital, where innocence became experience and ultimately wisdom. Lasting almost two hours, the concert seemed like a breeze, but that could only happen in the face of true virtuosity. With the “Tiudents”, one is safe in the knowledge that the future of piano playing is literally in good hands.