PIANO masterclass by Olivier Gardon | Vallée d'Obermann (Années de pèlerinage) by Franz Liszt.

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This is actually the one piece in the first volume that is not supposed to have a relation to a specific landscape despite its name. The piece is mostly based on the Obermann character, while still representing Liszt's own struggles with identity and isolation. Exactly how autobiographical this piece is, is not known to me, but I do know that Liszt was deeply affected by this piece, so much so that in his later years he refused to hear it (or play it) in its entirety. It is crucial to read the poem and the excerpt from the novel, both printed in the Henle edition and the now public domain Breitkopf edition as well. If I remember correctly, Liszt even had problems with publishing this piece because he didn't want the cover to include an image of a landscape. It is safe to say that this anxious and mostly pessimistic piece (a later arrangement was given the name "Tristia") is one of Liszt's most important works and deserves a very careful and well thought out interpretation. At least a little research is necessary to understand it in my opinion. That being said, the masterclass seems to be successful and informative still, as Panonacle's playing is very beautiful! One can tell that Gardon's insight is based on his own experiences with this extraordinary piece.