FRANZ LISZT
Beethoven for two pianos, through the eyes of the Romantics: a set of variations by Saint-Saëns, and a transcription by Liszt. A special evening with works that are rarely heard.
The Variations, Op. 35, by Saint-Saëns are based upon a Beethoven theme, the Trio from the Menuetto (3rd movement) of the Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-flat major, Op. 31, No. 3, with a subtle reference, at the beginning, to ‘The Tempest’ sonata from the same opus (No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2). Saint-Saëns’ ten variations were written in 1874, seventy-two years after the Beethoven sonatas. A coincidence: Beethoven’s Op. 35 was also a set of variations for piano, based on a theme from his Symphony No. 3 (‘Sinfonia Eroica’).
Apart from his monumental set of transcriptions of Beethoven’s nine symphonies for solo piano, Liszt transcribed Symphony No. 9 for two pianos in 1850, twenty-six years after its composition.
– Camille Saint-Saëns: Variations on a Theme by Beethoven, for two pianos, Op. 35
– Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
(transcription for two pianos by Franz Liszt)
Charalambos Angelopoulos piano
Titos Gouvelis piano