🇭🇺Franz Liszt ： La lugubre gondola (first version) As-Dur S.200/1 R.81

Liszt’s first version of “La lugubre gondola” is a work in which a somber, long-breathed melody emerges above an accompaniment suggesting a quiet rocking motion. Although set in A-flat major, its chromatic harmonies and shades suggestive of the minor mode create an unease and sadness befitting the title. Rather than relying on abrupt contrasts, the piece deepens its tension through the changing melody and harmony, gradually seeming to return to stillness. In performance, the regular motion of the accompaniment should not sound mechanical; the pedal should connect the resonance while avoiding blurring. The melody should remain clear without allowing the inner voices to disappear, and should be shaped as a gentle song with natural breathing. Even in restrained passages, bringing out the harmonic changes will heighten the work’s profound afterglow.