Liszt reception has largely suffered from lack of academic research. In 2011, Michael Saffle’s initiative detailing Franz Liszt’s influence on musicians around the world spearheaded the historicization of Liszt reception. In response to his efforts, this thesis provides the first detailed documentation of the Faust Symphony’s reception in the United States. Occupying a unique approach, focusing purely on United States reception, this thesis demonstrates United States music dissemination trends and contributes to efforts creating a more global picture of Liszt and his music. Above all, the documentation of conductors, performances, broadcastings, recordings, and requests proves Liszt’s symphonic work impacted larger audiences than previously acknowledged. This impact was lasting, especially in the United States. Analyses of early influential United States symphonic compositions demonstrate clear influence from Liszt’s Faust Symphony. These pieces created a foundation built upon by succeeding United States composers, producing a uniquely “American” sound through a Lisztian form. This reception recognizes Liszt as an influential symphonic composer, and in doing so, begs its audience to reassess preconceived histories describing the development of the United States symphonic tradition.

The lecture recital was given April 2, 1973. A discussion of Liszt's late piano works included information about specific compositional techniques and innovations which influenced twentieth-century composers. Five selections of the late works were performed by memory. In addition to the lecture recital, three public solo recitals were performed. The first solo recital, performed on April 9, 1972, consisted of works by Haydn, Beethoven, Ravel, and Chopin. The second solo recital, performed on August 4, 1974, included works by Beethoven, Debussy, and Brahms. The final solo recital, performed on April 5, 1976, consisted of works by Bach, Chopin, and Prokofieff. All four programs were recorded on magnetic tape and are filed, along with the written version of the lecture recital, as part of the dissertation.

Undoubtedly, Totentanz has been one of the most famous works by Franz Liszt. Totentanz has been recorded by many pianists and addressed in much of the vast literature about Liszt and his works; however, little research has been focused on this work. Most studies of Totentanz address only the historical background of the piece in relation to the theme based on Dies irae. Currently, there are no specific studies about the solo piano or two piano versions and only one recording was located. Liszt's own piano solo transcription of this famous work is an excellent addition to the concert repertoire. Totentanz consists of six variations that include canonic and fugato sections. The main theme is based on the Gregorian chant Dies irae, a melody that has been used by many other composers, most notably Berlioz in Witches Sabbath of Symphonie fantastique, op. 14 and Rachmaninoff in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. This study contains five chapters. Chapters I and II provide background information, historical background and influences of Totentanz. Chapter III presents an outline of Liszt's achievement as a transcriber. Liszt revised his own works numerous times from the 1840s and 1850s, including Transcendental Etudes, Paganini Etudes, and piano and orchestra works. Like in the case of Totentanz, transcribed form piano and orchestra into piano solo, Liszt transcribed and paraphrased hundreds of other composers' works as well. Chapter IV discusses and compares the two main versions for solo piano and piano and orchestra. Form and harmonic language in particular the use of tritone in Totentanz is discussed. The adjustment required in transcribing the work for piano solo is discussed in detail, followed by a conclusion.

An understanding of the piano transcription is basic to any proper comprehension of nineteenth-century piano music and performance practice. In this study, the transcription for solo piano is examined in relation to several musical milestones in the mid-nineteenth century, including far-reaching technical developments in the piano, the beginning and growth of the public concert, the birth of the solo piano recital, and the influence of virtuosity as a Romantic ideal. In addition, as Liszt was undoubtedly the greatest transcriber of the nineteenth century, several representative transcriptions of Liszt are analyzed and compared to their original models, including Schubert's Gretchen am Spinnrade and Auf dem Wasser zu singen, Chopin's Moja pieszczotka ("My Joys"), Wagner's Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, and the quartet from the final act of Verdi's Rigoletto.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Amy Rosine / This report consists of extended program notes for a master’s vocal recital for soprano, given by Mai Shibahara on April 20, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in All Faiths Chapel Auditorium on the Kansas State University campus. Included on the recital were works by Franz Lachner, Vincenzo Bellini, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Giacomo Puccini, and Dominick Argento. The program notes include biographical information about the composers and a textual and musical analysis of their works, which were performed on this recital. / Seit ich in gesehen by Franz Lachner; Vaga luna che inargenti, Per pietà, bell̕idol mio, Ma rendi pur contento by Vincenzo Bellini; Oh!quand je dors, S'il est un charmant gazon by Franz Liszt; Die Mainacht, Wir wandelten, Wie Melodien zieht es mir by Johannes Brahms; "O soave fanciulla" from La Bohème, "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" from La Rondine by Giacomo Puccini; Six Elizabethan songs by Dominick Argento.

Jenny Liu Ng Mui. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-128). / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / PART I LISZT'S RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT AND HIS POSITION IN 19TH-CENTURY CHURCH MUSIC REFORM / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Liszt's religious development --- p.5 / The influence of Adam Liszt / The first religious outburst / The influence of the Saint-Simonians / The influence of the Abbe de Lammenais / The influence of Princess Wittgenstein / The Abbe Liszt / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Liszt's position in 19th-century church music reform --- p.13 / The Cecilian Movement / Liszt's ideal of church music / Liszt's sacred choral works / The evolution of Liszt's church music reform / The reception of Liszt's sacred choral works / "PART II LISZT'S VIA CRUCIS: COMPOSITIONAL BACKGROUND, RECEPTION AND TEXT" / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The compositional background and reception of Via Crucis --- p.26 / Liszt's late years / Date and place of composition / The influence of artworks on the composition / The reception of Via Crucis / Chapter Chapter 4 --- The text of Via Crucis --- p.32 / Biblical excerpts / Verses from Latin hymns / The German chorales / The text of Via Crucis as compared with traditional Passions / PART III UNITY AND CONTRAST IN VIA CRUCIS / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Thematic design in Via Crucis --- p.42 / Thematic cross-reference / The Cross motif / Jesus' theme / Veronica's theme / Large-scale repetition / The Prelude and Station XIV / The theme of the procession / Stations III， VII and IX / Stations IV and XIII / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Harmonic design in Via Crucis --- p.54 / The structural importance of the tritone / Station V / Station XI / The six monologues / The broad layout / The emphasis on the use of symmetric structures / Station II / Station IV / Station VIII / Station X / Station XII / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Stylistic contrast in Via Crucis --- p.67 / The adoption of Palestrina style / Texture / Rhythmic design / Melodic design / Harmonic design / Text setting / The adopt ion of Bach chorale style / O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden / O Traurigkeit / The coexistence of German chorales and Latin hymns / CONCLUSION --- p.78 / EXAMPLES --- p.80 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.123

In 1970, the Hungarian publishing firm Editio Musica Budapest began a long term project, ending in 2005, that endeavored to compile and publish all Liszt's works in a complete edition titled, The New Liszt Edition (NLE). Through the efforts of this firm, Liszt's Technical Studies were published in the way that he had originally intended for the first time in 1983. Yet, although the eminent Liszt-scholar Michael Saffle has stated that 'Pedagogy is one of the most thoroughly-mined veins of Liszt material ever uncovered', academic discussions on Liszt's Technical Studies (Walker, 2005), his definitive pedagogical work for piano, are scarce. What it was that Liszt set out as being fundamental to the acquisition of pianistic virtuosity in the Technical Studies and the nature of its trajectory is generally unknown. Through an examination of the didactic instruction Liszt supplied in the Preface of the autograph manuscript to the Technical Studies and specific technical commentaries written by Mme. Auguste Boissier in her Liszt pedagogue, I will argue that the Technical Studies are built on six artistic and mechanical principles, exemplified by Liszt in the exercises, written to help the pianist acquire technical virtuosity. The methodical divisions of the work into sections that deal with specific mechanical objectives are illustrated with musical examples and their technical trajectory defined.

Rachmaninoff, one of the greatest Romantic composer of the turn of 19-20 centuries, characterized by his lyrical melody, rich changing chords, and others unique personal style, is considered an important late Romantic composer. After the October Revolution of 1917, Rachmaninoff left Russia to begin a new life in the United States, was a significant turning point in Rachmaninoff's career of music composition. After that, he lived in the United States as a pianist, and devoted himself to transcriptions. Kreisler, creator of ¡§Liebesfreud,¡¨ was a violinist. Besides performance, he also created some of the sketches as the concert repertoire. He composed ¡§Liebesfreud¡¨ in the style of the Austrian Landler. Rachmaninoff and Kreisler met and became friendly in the United States, and later Rachmaninoff transcribed the piece to memorize their friendship. He not only reedited of original pieces and arrangements for piano with great skill in piano but also remarked the transcriptions his personal style to enrich it with artiness and skills. The study aims to explore Rachmaninoff¡¦s piano transcription ¡§Liebesfreud¡¨ to understand its adaptation practices. We finally discuss the innovation and meaning of the transcriptions by Rachmaninoff.

Liszt was distinguished as the most important virtuoso in the Romantic period of music history, whose Weimar period between 1848 and 1861 was the time of Liszt¡¦s golden age of composition. The Mephisto Waltz No.1, finished in 1860, was based on the second episode The Dance in the Village Inn from Nikolaus Lenau¡¦s poem ¡§Faust.¡¨ Exercising the virtuosic elements and thematic transformation technique, Liszt combined both literature and musical ideas in the Mephisto Waltz No.1 successfully. This work remains one of the most popular works on today¡¦s piano recital repertoire ever since. This research consists of two parts. Part one discusses the characteristics of Liszt¡¦s compositions, with a focus on how Liszt¡¦s style was influenced by the nineteenth century virtuosity. Part two analyzes Mephisto Waltz No. 1 by exploring its historical background, formal structure, and the techniques of thematic transformation. The corresponding pianistic techniques are summarized from the various sources of scholarly suggestions as the conclusion of this analysis.

Sonata had gone through the development of Baroque and Classical Era and reached the high point in the beginning of 19th century. Liszt¡¦ s Piano Sonata in B minor is an important work. It is also an arguable piece in the sonata literatures. Its musical form or content are both the issues of which is considered to carry on the past musical heritage and opened up the future. This thesis starts from the introduction of the composing background of Piano Sonata in B minor. It then focuses to the significance of this work in Romantic Era. After that, many pianists¡¦ and scholars¡¦ view points are collected and analyzed for discussing how this work has the characteristics of absolute music and program music. The relationship between Liszt¡¦s Faust Symphony and this sonata is also explored. Finally, the structure of this sonata is analyzed for understanding how the technique of thematic transformation works in this piece.