🇭🇺Franz Liszt ： Bénédiction et serment (Benvenuto Cellini) S.396

This arrangement for solo piano treats two motives associated with “blessing” and “oath.” The songful melodies and dramatic gestures of the source are condensed on the keyboard, creating a contrast between passages of differing character. It is important to project the melody clearly while listening for the density of the accompaniment and changes in the harmony. Maintaining a sense of flow in each section, conveying the strength associated with the oath, and balancing the voices so that the sonority does not become overly heavy will bring out the relationship between the two motives. Rather than letting the virtuosity dominate, the listener should attend to the work’s broad dramatic direction.