No. 1 in C Major:
Presto
No. 2 in A Minor:
Molto vivace
No. 3 in F Major:
Poco adagio
No. 4 in D Minor:
Allegro patetico
No. 5 in B-flat Major:
Egualmente
No. 6 in G Minor:
Largo patetico
No. 7 in E-flat Major:
Allegro deciso
No. 8 in C Minor:
Presto strepitoso
No. 9 in A-flat Major:
Andantino
No. 10 in F Minor:
Presto molto agitato
No. 11 in D-flat Major:
Lento assai
No. 12 in B-flat Minor:
Andantino

Franz Liszt was a composer who constantly revisited and reimagined his own works, leaving behind multiple versions that reveal his evolving artistry. His 12 Grandes Études (S. 137), later transformed into the Études d’exécution transcendante (S. 139), exemplify this creative process. Originating from his earlier Étude en douze exercices (1826), these studies chart Liszt’s growth from prodigy to visionary, pushing pianistic and harmonic boundaries. Far beyond displays of technique, these Études embody a fusion of profound musical thought and extreme technical demands one reason they remain rarely recorded. This new recording, the first ever on a historical instrument, brings fresh insight into one of Liszt’s most daring achievements.

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Recording: Steingraeber Haus Bayreuth (Germany), from 27 February to 2 March 2025