Franz Liszt - Après une lecture du Dante - Fantasia quasi Sonata

In the second volume, “Italie”, of the three-part “Années de pèlerinage”, which was released in 1858, the great names of Italian art and poetry take centre stage. This also includes Dante with his famous “Divina Commedia”, which occupied Liszt over a long period and inspired him to his reflection “Après une lecture du Dante”. Four versions of the piece, which was subtitled “Fantasia quasi Sonata”, were created between 1839 and 1853. The subtitle alludes to the then new fundamental concept of an ambiguous formal arrangement, since the four parts can be interpreted as a sonata form as well as a four-part sonata. At the same time, they offer everything that characterizes Liszt’s piano writing, from relaxed cantilenas to virtuoso passages in octaves.This piece, which is not only the longest but also the most challenging in the Italian collection in terms of artistry and technique, is one of the most popular of the “Année” volumes. Here it is available as a revised single edition!