Chapter 5 - Czerny and Liszt, 1823-1825 and 1826

Summary

SYNOPSIS

The following chronicle of works and accompanying text reveal the crucial significance of Czerny's involvement with Liszt's early European tours. Some of the material below refers to material also presented in Chapter 1.

WORKS composed by Czerny for Liszt to perform:

Reichstadt Waltz with brilliant variations for piano, Op. 14.

Reichstadt Waltz with brilliant variations for piano and orchestra, Op. 14. Both versions were probably composed and published in 1823.

Grande Polonaise brillante in B-flat for piano, Op. 18. Probably composed and published in 1823.

COLLABORATIVE WORK, edited by Czerny and published in London (1824), promoting Liszt as composer:

“A Favorite Waltz [the Diabelli Waltz] with variations for piano…”

The legacy of Liszt's early repertory includes four works composed by Carl Czerny, one for piano and orchestra with available orchestral parts and three for solo piano. All are held in British libraries. A fifth piece by Czerny, played by “Master Liszt” and also scored for piano and orchestra, is presently untraced. They were cited collectively for the first time in Liszt literature in 2007 by Belgian scholar, Malou Haine as ”un Concerto, des Variations, un Thème varié et une Polonaise … [et] “les Variations sur un thème de Rode (“La Ricordanza”) de Czerny.” Regarding the Polonaise, again see Illustration 1.

There can be little doubt that Czerny played a pivotal role in Liszt's development as a performer and composer. Unfortunately, Czerny's influence on Liszt has only recently begun to be recognized.6 Liszt's biographical legacy is therefore incomplete, and Czerny's influence deserves its place within that legacy. Consider Liszt's youthful repertory. Since the publication of two Theatre Royal, Manchester, playbills in Lina Ramann's Liszt biography, it has been accepted as fact that Liszt performed Hummel's Concerto in A minor with the Theatre Royal orchestra on 16 June 1825. This did not happen. Instead, the 25 June issue of the Manchester Courier and Lancashire Advertiser clearly states that Liszt played Czerny's Grand Concerto [in F Major, Op. 28] “instead of” Hummel's A-minor Concerto. As the paper reported:

In the Course of the Evening [i.e., 28 June 1825] Master George Aspull will play on the Grand Piano Forte Czerny's Grand Concerto (with Orchestral Accompaniments) as played by him at his Second Concert at the Hanover-Rooms [on 14 June 1824].