This album is the first release of a series of three albums on which pianist Sebastien Dupuis will record 12 Transcendental Etudes by Liszt. On each album, he will record four Etudes combined with works by another composer. The first four etudes were composed by a young, ultra-virtuoso, extravagant Liszt, who was looking for limits of the instrument and of himself. Fascinated with literature and poetry, the etudes are thundering frescos, romantic, passionate, and incredibly modern. Dupuis writes of choosing La lugubre gondola No. 2 to pair with the etudes: “In order to create contrast, I chose a radically different piece by Liszt; a Liszt who was in the last phase of his life, he became an abbot, he had retired from the world of virtuosos long ago…” Also included on this release are 4 Scherzos and a Mazurka by Frederyk Chopin, without a doubt the most virtuosic and demanding pieces by that composer. Chopin was an admirer of young Liszt’s art, thus making these pieces a practical choice for inclusion on this album.
