Piano Transcriptions

[johannesbrahms]

I have a question for y'all. Do you think piano transcriptions of works such as symphonies have a place in today's world? For example, suppose a pianist were to play a Beethoven symphony in a concert. Would that be okay, or do you think that they really shouldn't do that? Thanks in advance!

[andreslr6]

Depends, I would include transcriptions in my program if I´m playing somewhere where I know there is no local orchestra, or knowing that the orchestra there doesn´t play X types of works, and if I as a pianist can fill that "hole", then I would do it.

These last month I have been thinking a lot on doing my own transcriptions of Scriabin´s 4th symphony and Shostakovich´s 8th string quartet, with the intention of playing them for personal pleasure and learning. But now that you mention it, they might work in a recital program as well, lets say a didactic piano recital were the subject is, let´s say "the range of the piano as an instrument" and you can show it´s capabilities when playing music that was originally written for an orchestra. In the end you would at least give the attending public the curiosity of hearing the original orchestral version, drawing them closer to classical music in general and not just solo piano music.

There´s a documentary where GG talks about this subject and makes some good points. I posted it right after he stops playing Byrd´s Gallarda no.6. He speaks his thoughts and then finishes by playing a fragment of his Wagner transcription.

[ Invalid YouTube link ]t=2126s

[johannesbrahms]

Thank you so much. I intend on doing quite a few piano transcriptions. The first one I am going to do is the William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini.

[j_menz]

There are lots of fantastic transcriptions of shorter works out there that certainly could have a place in any concert. 

A whole symphony would be a bit more a specialised thing, I think, but some of them are excellent and could draw an appreciative crowd.