The unofficial Tonebase-piano-wide Liszt Complete Transcendental Etudes project!

My dear piano friends,

 

It is with trembling hands that I am writing this. But this HAS to be done, if only because I'm getting old and in a few years I won't be able to tackle this repertoire anymore.

 

As you may have read in the other thread, I recently came up with this manic idea, but it's doable, isn't it?

 

The objective is to record and share performances of all 12 Etudes Transcendentales, between all of us, on volunteer basis of course, as a celebration of our love for the piano, Liszt, and Tonebase.

 

To stay within the existing formats, this could be officially launched as a community challenge in June, with the watch party being set for July 31st (Liszt's death anniversary, because I can't wait until October for such an exciting project!).

 

We know that Feux Follets is in Yihan's repertoire (  ), Paysage in Thurmond's ( ), Wilde Jagd soon to be in 's, and nos 1 & 2 soon to be in mine.

And we can count on and the other pros here to save the day if needed😁.

 

So, are you in? Suggestions/thoughts welcome!

71 replies

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    • Dominic_Cheli
    • 4 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Hey guys! This is an amazing project that was started by 

    I just want to send my full ADMIRATION for all of you taking part in this!

    If I have time, I want to try and participate too - TBD😂

    But thank you so much for organizing this Noel!

    I will schedule the community challenge in June, and Watch party on July 31st!

      • Pediatrician
      • a_weymann
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

       PLEASE do participate! We “allow” 😉 double or triple performances of individual pieces, and we’d all be thrilled beyond description to hear you play any or all of them. 

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Your participation would be a highlight for sure! Especially if someone pulls out before the watch party. We have to consider that possibility, considering the difficulty of the repertoire. If that happens, then you would be our Deus Ex Machina😁

    • Maria_F
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    That is an interesting idea!

    I don't know if I will participate, but if I do, I will either contribute no. 9 or no. 11. If there wasn't already a volunteer, I would definitely contribute Paysage. 

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       multiple submissions of same pieces are welcome!

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I am on multiple other piano-related deadlines, but if I have time I will review Paysage (I haven't played it in a long time) and try to contribute it!

    • Maria_F
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Also, more potential projects/Community Challenges:

    Schubert Impromptus op. 90 and 142

    Liszt Schubert transcriptions

    Complete Schubert Sonatas

    Chopin Etudes, Nocturnes or Preludes

    Debussy Preludes (either book 1 or complete)

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       All good ideas too! But there's just something about the Complete Transcendental Etudes, the over-the-top'ness of it, that I find irresistible.

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I agree. That is a great idea. I still think we should do either Schubert-Liszt, Chopin Nocturnes, or Chopin Etudes some time. 

    • Noel_Nguyen
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    July 31st will be Liszt's 140th death anniversary. This has to be done.

    • Yuchao_Zhou
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    I can play No.10

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

      YES!

    • Personal trainer
    • Judy_Kuan.1
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    What a fun (and a little crazy) idea! I've been working on #4 (Mazeppa) 😅 one of the reasons I've been quiet on Tonebase for a while. It'll be far from perfect, but I think I can play it solid under-tempo from memory with another month or so of work. 

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       YES!

      I was actually thinking to myself, "please, God, make someone volunteer for Mazeppa, I don't want to play that piece!"

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I almost volunteered (I learned Mazeppa 2 years ago), but didn't because I thought I micht have to relearn it because I haven't played it since last year.  

      • Personal trainer
      • Judy_Kuan.1
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Lol if it weren't a recording, no way. Also, I forgot I actually got quite far with #11 last year but didn't finish it (2025 was a Liszt focus year for me). So this project would be great motivation to put more work into #4 or #11

      • Personal trainer
      • Judy_Kuan.1
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I bet it would come back quickly for you! Since it's so thematic...

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

      are you volunteering for no. 11, too?

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Probably. 

      • Personal trainer
      • Judy_Kuan.1
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Not formally, but if it ends up being a gap, I'm happy to fill in :)

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Ok. That is what I said, too. 

    • Maria_F
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Liszt of participants: 

    No. 1 - "Preludio": Noel Nguyen

    No. 2 - "Molto vivace": Noel Nguyen

    No: 3 - "Paysage": Thurmond, me

    No. 4 -"Mazeppa": Judy Kuan

    No. 5: - "Feux Follet": Yihan

    No. 6: - "Vision": Doug Weiss?  

    No. 7 - "Eroica": Volunteers needed

    No. 8 - "Wilde Jagd": Alexander Weymann

    No. 9 - "Ricordanza": Volunteers needed  (I can volunteer if no one else does)

    No. 10 - "Allegro agitato molto": Yuchao Zhou

    No. 11 - "Harmonies du soir" Astrida

    No. 12 - "Chasse-neige": Alexander Weymann

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

        Is Thurmond participating/volunteering?

      • Mom, fitness instructor, lover of music
      • Michelle_Russell
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

            

      is set to actually work on #3 this month with his teacher (his performance recording last month was after only about a week of playing around with it) - but he’s also in a piano mentorship with Filippo Gorini this month in Portland, OR (any TB piano members in Portland?). The pieces he’s chosen for that are taking precedence right now. 
      (Though he did say he thinks he might be able to learn 11 by summer, pending teacher approval.)

      • Maria_F
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Ok. Should I remove the question mark and add him as a volunteer, and if so, which etudes?

Content aside

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