Some questions about Liszt

[Miggy848]

My reach is a tenth(C natural-E natural)but I see some of these reaches that look fake even made up. What was his reach on the piano?What would be some good stradegies or techniques to practise when I get into his music? (Any post can help.)Thanx.

[allchopin]

I don't know for a fact, but I believe it was around my hand size, about an 11th/12th (to F/G).  And he used this too.  As far as reaching these intervals, that's not something you can practice.  However, you CAN practice covering it up  .

[joeltr888]

As I recall, Liszt himself said that he could barely reach a tenth, and that the myths about his hand size were highly exaggerated.

[allchopin]

I actually just inferred this from some of his pieces.  He notates chords that are around the 12th range, without gliss. written... so I would have to assume he could play this.

[cziffra777]

As I recall, Liszt himself said that he could barely reach a tenth, and that the myths about his hand size were highly exaggerated.

He did say that. I think you can find something about his span in Schonberg's "The Great Pianists".

[Sketchee]

Liszt is one composer where if you can't reach, changing to a broken chord usually works very well. Often, even parts where you'd have to 'break' the chord he wouldn't notate it that way.  Liszt wrote in a very orchestral style which his notation shows.  It was said he could sight transcript an orchestral score.

In his manuscript and many versions of Un Sospiro for example, many of the rolled chords aren't marked.  The final chords from F to the C and Db to Ab for example aren't written as appeggiated

[Spatula]

Speaking of Liszt...I just found out that:

Here we go:

My communication teacher's husband who plays for the CPO as a 1st section violinist, performed with a concert pianist way back in the 80's.  And this particular pianist was going to perform Beethoven PC number 5, but in the program, it said PC # 3.  This was during the dress rehearsal.

Right just when the conductor raised his baton, the pianist said, "whoa whoa ...are we doing the PC #5?"
The condcutor said,"um no the program did say PC #3... "

After that, the pianist has a blank look, and said, "okay", and performed the PC #3 straight cold and did an amazing job, even though he didn't rehearse for that specifc piece.

Now here's the real kicker.  It turns out that the pianist's teacher was actually once one of the last students of the great Liszt!  Now how about that?!?! 

So three "generations" if you will:

Liszt --> Teacher of Pianist --> Pianist. 

[donjuan]

Speaking of Liszt...I just found out that:

Here we go:

My communication teacher's husband who plays for the CPO as a 1st section violinist, performed with a concert pianist way back in the 80's.  And this particular pianist was going to perform Beethoven PC number 5, but in the program, it said PC # 3.  This was during the dress rehearsal.

Right just when the conductor raised his baton, the pianist said, "whoa whoa ...are we doing the PC #5?"
The condcutor said,"um no the program did say PC #3... "

After that, the pianist has a blank look, and said, "okay", and performed the PC #3 straight cold and did an amazing job, even though he didn't rehearse for that specifc piece.

Now here's the real kicker.  It turns out that the pianist's teacher was actually once one of the last students of the great Liszt!  Now how about that?!?! 

So three "generations" if you will:

Liszt --> Teacher of Pianist --> Pianist. 

If that happened to me, I would pinch myself to make me wake up.  When I realized it wasnt a dream, I would probably faint right there, or piss myself with fear..
brr