Franz Liszt ： Tasso’s Funeral Triumph S.517 R.184

This dramatic work moves from a solemn, deeply shaded funeral expression toward an increasingly powerful and radiant sense of triumph. Its weighty chords and expansive melodies give the music a grand scale, while the contrast with quieter passages creates tension. The piece unfolds through sections of contrasting character, in which funeral grief and an exultation suggesting victory intersect. In performance, it is important to distinguish the character of each section clearly and bring the melody out from within the resonance of the chords. Even in fortes, avoid crushing the sound; carefully controlled pedaling will preserve the sonority, while attention to the direction and climaxes of the long phrases will convey the work’s sweeping drama.