Liszt's famous studies known today as Transcendental Études took the author a good number of years to finish. The first seed dates from when the author was fifteen years old, and already had pupils, in Paris. Ten years later, the author revised the twelve original studies and proceeded to intensify the technical difficulties, since at that time he was himself a piano virtuoso. The final version would be published in 1852 under the title Douze Études d'Exécution Transcendante, dedicated to his teacher, Karl Czérny.
For practicing, or a challenge?
In this way, Liszt added his contribution to the current custom of writing works for piano intended for the practice and improvement of technical skills on the instrument. The most prominent contribution to the tradition up to that time was Chopin's Etudes, in two series, opus 10 and 25, the first of them dedicated precisely to Franz Liszt. But unlike the Polish composer, Liszt's Études do not have such a clear didactic intention. They do not seem to be designed for the practice of this or that specific technical difficulty, but rather as a challenge to the already experienced performer.
Chopin vs Liszt
Thus, for example, it is a general opinion that in order to approach Etude No. 4, Mazeppa, one must first have the skill that allows you to play "double thirds" with ease. On the other hand, with Chopin's Etudes, a pianist with, let us say, a timid left hand, may well decide to spend some time preparing the Revolutionary Etude precisely in order to transform this "timidity" into gallantry.
Etude No. 12 in B-flat minor, "Chasse-neige"
The twelve Etudes are rather heterogeneous in their conception. There are those of "pure music" as well as "programmatic". To the latter category belongs the last of the series, the one Liszt called "Chasse-neige". ("Pure" or "programmatic", all bear evocative or descriptive titles except No. 2 and No. 10). It is one of the five that pose the greatest technical difficulties of the entire series. The title alludes to a sort of "snowstorm" although the music itself is rather more tempestuous than an ordinary snowstorm might suggest.
The rendition is by Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa.
