Liszt - Prelude on 'Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen'

[andhow04]

i think more people know the organ / piano Variations on 'W,K,S,Z' which is a much bigger and ambitious piece. but i first heard this, and i guess a lot of people did, on Horowitz: The Last Recording, when i was a boy and really was fascinated by it. so now i have the time to learn it.

liszt uses bach's chromatic passacaglia to create a small progression of variations, building in intensity to a really superb climax. bach used this passacaglia not only in his Cantata, but also in the 'Crucifixus' movement of the Mass. it has a special hypnotic power, i really urge you to listen to both of those choral pieces if you don't know them.

not a lot of technical demands in this piece but the voice leading is a little tricky, i don't know when this was written but am guessing it is later Liszt.