Franz Liszt ： Années de pèlerinage troisième année Sursum corda S.163/R.10

Placed as the concluding piece of the third year of the Années de pèlerinage, this is a solemn and introspective miniature. At the opening, weighty chords are presented quietly, and the music gradually gathers strength through a progression that makes effective use of space. Where the supporting bass and the sonorities in the middle and upper registers overlap, it is important to bring out the harmonic changes with care. The work moves between dramatic intensification and relaxation, building toward a major climax near the end. In performance, the pedal should enrich the resonance while preserving the outline of each chord; an unhurried approach can balance prayer-like calm with grandeur. Even in forte passages, avoid forcing the sound, and attend to the direction of each phrase and its after-resonance to convey the work’s profound spirituality.