BUT THE BIRDS STILL SING ...

2010

4 min.

Piano solo

published by Doblinger

The piece is part of the piano book "Liszten to:". The book features pieces for solo piano from 10 Austrian composers. It was initiated by publishing house Doblinger as a tribute to Franz Liszt whos 200 birthday we celebrate this year.

Program Notes:

A few days ago Paul Gulda kindly gave me a short introduction to Liszt’s oeuvre. Of course I know the composer and have heard his works, but so far I had not closely studied them. My composition reflects the impressions the selected pieces have made upon me. Three of Liszt’s works have especially remained in my consciousness: Lyon from the Album d’un Voyageur, Legende no.1 „La predication aux oiseaux“ and Nuages gris.

Liszt gives his piece Lyon the following inscription: „Vivre en travaillant on mourir en combattant“. The music is full of pathos and heroism; a truly great music which euphorises through and through. In spite of – or maybe because of these uplifting feelings one becomes slightly skeptical. Too often the masses have been aroused in this manner, and the rest is history. In hearing Liszt’s late piano works such as Nuages gris one can surmise that he was or became very conscious of this problematic.

I wrote the following lines about my piece:

            calm and quiet appears their song to me

            bells resound like distant memories

            on the road to the last march

            but the birds still sing ...

I wish to thank Paul here wholeheartedly for the inspiring hours at his piano. In sharing them with me he became crucially important for this composition’s creation.