Jando: 00:00 - St Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Birds 10:08 - St Francis of Paola Walking on the Waves Pierdomenico: 19:04 - St Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Birds 28:59 - St Francis of Paola Walking on the Waves *St Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Birds* 00:00 - Introduction. A downward arpeggiated B min chord integrating an C#-A# enclosure and an added 6th, dissolving into a chromatic swirl. Likely meant to evoke the fluttering of wings, while the embellished 3rds which enter represent birdcalls. This pattern is repeated/developed. 00:46 - Theme 1; the birds gather. The 3rds now organise themselves into a melody, while the LH accompanies with repeated chords containing an A pedal. The inside texture consists of a vibrating filigree that continually transforms: sometimes turning into semiquaver triplets, sometimes widened from a neighbour-tone trill into a tremolo, sometimes doubled (m.35), sometimes turning into a chromatic line (m.39). 02:09 - the fluttering returns, implying a descending bass line. 02:39 - Theme 2 = Dialogue 1. St Francis’ sermon is represented by a monodic recitative which repeats 4 times. Each time it is followed by the birds’ response in the high registers. 03:55 - Blessing in Db, represented by the cross motif (Ab, Bb, Db - see also the Chapel of William Tell) in m.72. Builds into a climax in Bb. 05:03 - Theme 3 = Dialogue 2 = development (?). St Francis’ words are heard from mm.85-87, while the birds’ response in the high registers follows in mm.88-89. Strong contrast between the call and response - St Francis is solemn, the birds rhapsodic. Also striking that the harmonic relationship between both sections can be read as a gap of a tritone (G# dominant 7th, and a D chord with an added 6th over an E pedal). This call/response pattern is repeated 3 times, reaching F# in m.97, and a short cadenza (m.102, 5:58). Then the whole section is repeated, but with more intensity: the repeated RH chords are now a tremolo, the LH recitative in octaves. At m.116 (6:34) the climax of this section is reached, incorporating the recitative from Theme 2 (6:37 in the LH, and similar). This grand statement repeats itself twice, modulating up by a major 2nd each time. Eventually it trails off into a stark statement in bare LH octaves that rises up again into the high register. 07:24 - Blessing, now in Bb = recapitulation? followed by a rapt modulation back to A. 08:22 - The recitative from Theme 2 returns and is followed by a fragment of Theme 1, while now takes the place of the birds’ response. This pattern repeats twice. 09:21 - Closing cadence, taking up the harmonic pattern of the preceding section by oscillating between a C# dominant 7th (3rd inversion) and the tonic A. the birds continue to flutter on the C# -- this fluttering intensifies (while staying in ppp), before three arpeggiated chords close. *St Francis of Paola Walking on the Waves* 10:08 - Introduction. The theme is intoned deep in the bass, ancient and inward. The dotted note rising fragment in m.2 (= Motif A) will be developed extensively later. 10:29 - Variation 1. The theme takes on the character of a chorale over a magisterial tremolo in the bass. From 11:07, the second half of the melody in introduced, in which Motif A is developed. The LH grows more agitated. At m.32 (11:56), Motif B is introduced before a dramatic LH passage evoking the rising and falling of waves enters (m.36; 12:07). 12:23 - Variation 2. The chorale (St. Francis) remains steady over churning waters below. At m.52 (12:56), a variation of Motif B is introduced which culminates in a shift from C# to F - a harmonic shift upward by a major third which Liszt associates strongly with religious feeling. This pattern is repeated once, (now in Eb to G). The upward arpeggio flourishes at mm.54 and 60 evoke light flashing through gathering clouds (the latter is suggested by the flattened 6ths low in the bass at mm.56 and 62). 13:30 - Variation 3 = development. The tone darkens and shifts - one moment swathed in glory, another in menace. The harmony becomes unsettled in the manner of a sonata’s development section. The waves in the RH are craggier now, leaping through different octaves. Moves through C, F min, Db, F# min. At m.72 (13:50) the storm arrives and we are treated to a blizzard of violent effects: large leaps (m.72), cluster-like chromatic figures (m.73), chromatic double thirds (m.79 - a passage that is actually a transformation of Motif B), alternating diminished 7th chords (m.86), and a passage of Liszt octaves (m.91 - reminds you of waves beating higher and higher against the shore). 14:57 - Variation 4 = recapitulation. A magnificent arrival, reminiscent of the Grandioso from the B minor sonata. At m.113 (15:21) you get a passionate variation of Motif A. 16:08 - Recalling the passage at m.52, ending again with a major third harmonic shift. 16:24 - Recitative. The arrival on the opposite shore. 17:46 - Coda, incorporating the theme in the bass. Builds into a haze of glory.

This just occurred to me, but given the ingenuity and diversity of water-related works Liszt wrote, he really ought to be taken more seriously as an impressionist, especially since stuff like Reflets dans l'eau, Ondine (both of them), Poissons d'or, Jardins Sous La Pluie, La Cathedrale Engloutie, and Jeax D'eau are all considered impressionist calling cards. As far as I can recall, Liszt's output includes (apart from St Francis of Paola) Orage, Au lac de Wallenstadt, Au bord d'une source, and Les jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este. All of them are incredibly well-written, especially the last two. And only the last is really acknowledged as part of the impressionist tradition, which is weird. Another fun tidbit: Liszt met Debussy once, in 1884, when he played Au bord d'une source for him. Not much evidence of what Debussy thought of Liszt, but in any case I love Debussy's description of Liszt's pedaling: "a kind of breathing".

I'm glad I'm not the only one to think Liszt was the first impressionist composer

I would also recommend Cziffra's stunning rendition of the 2nd Legend. He truly manages to conjure those waves.

Absolutely love the Légendes! Glad to see Liszt is getting more recognition for his unprecedented musical naturalism :)

2:09 This part is so beautiful, I wish it lasted longer The melody and harmony are both amazing in these ripples

The effect of waves in the second legend is great, I feel water under my feet

This piece was ahead of its time, for sure.

I enjoy reading the descriptions of the pieces you post just as much as the pieces themselves. Thank you for always sharing such interesting and relevant info ❤️

These two pieces are among my favourite piano pieces of all time. Thanks for this wonderful upload!

Omfg I can't believe this is Liszt. Super impressed.

Thanks a lot for all your videos. The more I discover about Liszt, the more I love him.

Les 2 Légendes font partie des œuvres aquatiques ou impressionnistes de Liszt avec en plus son emphase qu’il savait donner aux morceaux ! Du grand art aussi dans l’interprétation de Jando . Clidat était aussi merveilleuse.

Thank you for using recordings of Jenő Jandó ! He is, in my view, the most terribly underrated pianist. Perhaps, considering the wide reach of your channel, this video could introduce his pianistic greatness to some new people.

23:23 not only birds but angels! divinely

Thank u so much for this content.

Great Ashish !!! 👍👍👍 I am a pianist and this is a great performance, full of virtuosity and subtlety !!! respect 👍

Thank you! 🙏🏻😊🎶🎶🎶

Bravo super music

I like this piece, really

For some reason, the late introspective Liszt pieces always remind me of Parsifal.

18:00 this finale is so so so powerful

This is awesome

I can just feel my fingers getting tired doing all those trill-y things just by listening to this.

I hear some similarities between Leg. n2 and Etude Transcendent n.11, anybody else? PS. Horowitz waves are the best (imo), check here on YT.

thanks

Another amazing and uniquely creative “impression” work by Liszt and piano playing. Although it is each day evident that many pianists only know of one tempo (the vivace, the presto, the allegro), and ignore the sustenuto, the maestoso, lento; and prefer to ignore heartbeat, do not know subtleness and sensibility as when the tempo ordinario was the basis of music; and prefer to ignore “staccati”, while indications of smorzando are treated as pedestrian ritardandi. Have we seen someone dying? It’s way more dramatic than what our spirits of frenetic fastness (and institutions) dictate us. Good luck with those accelerandi at the end. Playing like these artists is truly a human achievement through really hard work. Thank you for your work in sharing and narrating/explaining these works.

No conocia Las Leyendas ,Lizst ,me hipnotiza BELLISIMAS

Thanks for this.. the last page of the 2nd Legend reminded me of Rachmaninoff’ prelude op 23 no 2. An influence perhaps?

13:50 This is metal 🥶

Only LEGENDS can play these pieces

Your channel makes me less of a normie pianist when it comes to pieces I've never heard before.

Rest in peace, Jando.

„LiSzT iS jUsT a ShoWoFf“

Lol, I got an ad for the Franciscan Friars.

Got sleep at the first legend, got dreamy with the second.

Are you ever planning on uploading non piano works? Or is there a reason why you haven't yet? Just curious

Love Liszt. Is this a friggin opera?

The theme of the second legend sorta recalls the Art of Fugue...

34:59

I suppose the first Legend had a very personal meaning to the master given that he chose to join the Franciscan Order late in life.

11:33, 13:54

Dear Ashish Xiangyi Kumar, May I offer a recommendation for you to upload? I suggest Liszt's two piano treatment of major orchestra music and Beethoven's 9th. He transcribed both the Faust and Dante Symphonies for two pianos as well as the first 12 symphonic poems. They are marvelous transcriptions. The two piano version of Beethoven's 9th is nothing short of amazing as well. The "Franz Liszt Piano Duo" recorded all of this music perhaps with the exception of Beethoven's 9th to the best of my knowledge. I do own recordings of all these works but I'm too afraid to upload them to KZfaq because I don't know the technicalities associated with copyright law and I simply don't want to get in any trouble.

Liszt two legends. Who is the other one😂

Pausa

'LEGENO'

ss

There's more black on the page than white...

Liszt, when he talks about his friendship with Chopin:

Please, let me say this... Italians do it better.