Consolation No. 2

Over the first half of the 19th century, virtuoso performers were immensely popular in both Europe and the Americas. With their dazzling technical abilities and often norm-bending lifestyles, they were perceived as Romantic gods, the rock stars of their day. Franz Liszt, one of the most famous of this elite group, played a large role in shaping the musical life that we know today. Virtuosos usually performed concertos, showpieces, and elaborate variations on tunes from popular operas, and their concerts often included vocalists and other soloists as well as an orchestra. Liszt was the first to do away with these extraneous elements in his performances, introducing the term “recital,” borrowed from the literary world, to describe his solo concerts. He also expanded the solo piano repertoire in startling new ways, playing transcriptions of orchestral works like Beethoven symphonies, piano arrangements of Schubert songs, and even “ancient” music by composers like J.S. Bach and Handel.

During these years, Liszt continued to write and perform original piano music, and tonight’s program concludes with two contrasting examples of his solo output. Consolation No. 2 is from a collection of six that he first composed between 1844 and 1848, before revising them for final publication two years later. The title might have been inspired by a collection of poems, Les Consolations by Charles Sainte-Beuve, and each of the six pieces is in either the key of E major or D-flat major.

Consolation No. 2 is a short, lyrical piece that is deceptively simple. The poignant, legato melody requires an exquisitely delicate touch by the performer to ensure that there is no separation between the notes. The resulting effect is one of calm, gentle reflection.

— Michael Strasser