Three questions about Liszt's "Un sospiro"

[presto agitato]

Hello

I know many pianists who play this piece, but they play it etiher too fast or very flat.

In my opinion, this is the most beautiful piece Liszt wrote and it is not easy to play at all.
All those jumps, arpeggios and chromatic scales make it very challenging. Besides, you need to have a very good cross hand technique.

What's your opinion about this piece?
What makes it so challenging?
How long did it take you to learn properly?

Thanks

[presto agitato]

Anybody?

[birba]

I like it, too.  I started playing it when I was about 18 - it seemed really difficult at the time.  The hand crossing and playing the melody alternating both hands, the broken octaves and playing them without rushing them,  the measures before the second cadenza are taxing because of the enormous stretching of the hand, etc.  But after many years, I took it up again, and it wasn't difficult at all.  It was probably overplayed for many years and became another liebestraum, in a way.  It was used in the soundtrack of a couple films as well, I believe.  But played with elan and romantic ardor, it's an effective encore piece.

[teccomin]

One thing I find about Liszt is that its extremely easy to make his music sing. Once you get the techniques sorted out then you are set. The only hard part of Un Sospiro is the middle climax and the cadenza runs. But I wouldn't aim to play it perfectly, its not necessary. The key is to create the atmosphere and flurry of sound. Its easier than La Campanella for sure..