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.

Franz Liszt composed his Two Episodes from Lenau's Faust between 1856 and 1861. The composer intended to portray two emotionally contrasting scenes from Lenau's Faust in a set for orchestra, the first being The Night Procession and the second The Dance in the Village Inn. Liszt created a duet version of the orchestral set, and also a solo piano version of The Dance in the Village Inn, known as the Mephisto Waltz No. 1. The set was not performed together due to the immense popularity of The Dance in the Village Inn but also due to an unfortunate publication history resulting in the pieces being published separately by Schuberth publishers, published years apart from each other. As a result The Night Procession is largely forgotten today and The Dance in the Village Inn is interpreted as a single work outside of its context in a set. In this dissertation the works are examined from within its context in a set. Background information includes information on Liszt's student Robert Freund (1852-1936), and a solo piano transcription of the orchestral alternative ending to The Dance in the Village Inn. A comparison between Liszt's orchestral, solo and duet versions of the Mephisto Waltz No. 1 and the Liszt-Busoni Mephisto Waltz No. 1 is also made.