The Official Lisztomaniac Complete Transcendental Etudes Challenge!

Jul 1 at 2 PM - Jul 31 at 2 PM EDT

Event by

This is it, dear piano friends, the ultimate celebration of our love for the piano, and of the 140th anniversary of Franz Liszt ascending to the heavens!

You are all invited to submit a recorded performance of one or more Études d'Exécution Transcendante, in whichever iteration you like! (S.136, S.137, or S.139)

As of July 1st you have probably learned the notes of your Etude(s), so the following 4 weeks will be to bring it to the most Lisztomanic state possible!

The watch party is set for July 31st, 2026 (the exact date of His 140-year anniversary of death) at 2pm EST.

Let's get the dopamine and catecholamines surging like never before!

Looking forward to being dazzled beyond recognition!

- Noel_Nguyen
- 3 mths ago
- Reported - view
Re: Chasse-Neige, since it's probably the most stamina-demanding Etude, how about a joint effort?? I MIGHT accept to submit a section, like 4 pages. Maybe. Just not the whole piece.

But come on, friends, we cannot fail to complete the marathon just before the finish line!
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Yes! I was actually thinking, if enough of us volunteer for specific shortish sections (2-3 pages each?) of Chasse-Neige, we could definitely pull it off for October. In fact, it could even lead to a climactic finale to the project. I can put the videos together into one track that would transition more or less seamlessly from one performer to the other. The musical result may not necessarily be satisfactory, but at least the mission would be accomplished! We just need to determine in advance who plays what.
- Pediatrician
  
  a_weymann
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  wow, I love that idea! This way, I could learn the entire piece if I find the time but would only have to get 2-3 pages (yes, exactly) polished enough to record. Do you want to set up a template?
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Sure! Here's an idea, each of us could say which parts (s)he would like to prepare, in decreasing order from most to least favourite. I haven't completely decided for myself yet, but I can say my top choice at this point would be the ending of the piece. Of course we should all be very open to not playing our favorite section, because the priority is to finish the piece, together!
- Pediatrician
  
  a_weymann
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  perfect. I’ll get on it tonight or tomorrow. Do you have a list of everyone who has voiced interest in braving the blizzard?
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  So far I think it's only you, me, and maybe . The three crazy hobbits.
- Pediatrician
  
  a_weymann
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  🤣
- Pianist, composer and piano teacher
  
  Sindre_Skarelven
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  How I wish I could be part of this, also given that this is my clear favorite in the set, but I have so much on my plate that I would not dare to sign up before I could see that it’s really possible. I have barely started the La Campanella, but have decided to really go for this one (since it has been on my liszt for so long).
  BUT, are I we thinking October instead for this one, that’s a different story and I can certainly be part of it!
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Yes! We're aiming for a two part challenge: one for the 140th death anniversary (July 31st) and one for the 215th birth anniversary (October 22nd). This is shaping up to be about as big as Woodstock😅.
- Mark_Cooper
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  ok guys , if we are aiming for October , then I’m prepared to be one of the crazy hobbits
  
  could I please at this stage put in a request to do the first two or maximum 3 pages of this piece Chasse neige, I should cope with that …
  
  I’ll do the liebestraum, then, in July
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  You get a yes, my dear fellow crazy hobbit, for the first 2-3 pages. Feels like we are currently in the Council of Elrond chapter😄.
- Pianist, composer and piano teacher
  
  Sindre_Skarelven
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Haha! That sounds perfect! I can volunteer to do one part of the Chase-neige then :D
- Pediatrician
  
  a_weymann
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  since there are different editions of these études, and since page breaks rarely correspond to musical structure, can we please split this up by bar/measure numbers (the way Noël has started doing it already)? That way, we’ll have clean borders between assignments and there’ll be no question as to who will learn and prepare what section. I’ll be happy to let you fine gentlemen pick, and take whatever is left.
- Amateur piano enthusiast
  
  Marc_M
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  I’ve been working at the Eroica starting from the hardest parts (octave fury till the end). I figure if I can get myself to manage that section, the rest shouldn’t be too bad. We’ll see by end of June whether I’ll be able to get through the whole thing or whether I’ll need to cut it down to bite size!
- Pediatrician
  
  a_weymann
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  cannot wait to hear you play it! 😀
- Akzent oder Diminuendo?
  
  Maria_F
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Can I volunteer for a section, or is it too late?
  
  If so, I would like to learn either the first or last page (I don't know if I am able to learn more than 1 page, as I am busy with other piano-related assignments).
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Maria, it's not too late at all, the final watch party being in October! And sure you can play the first or last page. I am volunteering for the last pages, and it seems is playing the beginning, so the best would be for you to submit another part, but I'd much rather you submit what you want than submit nothing from the piece at all!
- Akzent oder Diminuendo?
  
  Maria_F
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  I was hoping to take one of the easier parts (as I said I am busy and don't have much time to learn a very hard section); what is the easiest available page?
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  I'd say the first page. But it's all difficult 😅.
- Akzent oder Diminuendo?
  
  Maria_F
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Is the first page available? If so, I will learn it. And yes, it is definitely all difficult. I personally think Mazeppa is easier.
- Angela_Fogg
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  that is such a good idea Noel!
- hot4euterpe
- 3 mths ago
- Reported - view
I notice the Eroica has a ? for the performer. Is this one still uncertain? If so, I would be willing to try this one.
- Noel_Nguyen
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Liszt updated😄. And speaking of heroics please consider Chasse-Neige 😁.
- Noel_Nguyen
- 3 mths ago
- Reported - view
said:
perfect. I’ll get on it tonight or tomorrow

To make it easy, we could start with stating our respective top choices. If there's overlap then we move on to the next choice. I have my favorites but I'm very open to preparing any section!
- Pediatrician
  
  a_weymann
  
  3 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  that’s great; let it be done thusly. I ended up coming back from my weekend trip to NYC super late and couldn’t get anything accomplished anymore, but I will share my preferences later tonight (Monday).
- Noel_Nguyen
- 3 mths ago
- Reported - view
Liszt of participants updated:

No. 1 - "Preludio": Noel Nguyen

No. 2 - "Molto vivace; Fusées": Noel Nguyen, Sachi

No: 3 - "Paysage": Thurmond, Maria

No. 4 -"Mazeppa": Judy Kuan

No. 5: - "Feux Follets": Yihan

No. 6: - "Vision": Noel Nguyen

No. 7 - "Eroica": Dustin Anderson, Marc M?

No. 8 - "Wilde Jagd": Alexander Weymann

No. 9 - "Ricordanza": Angela Fogg

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

No. 11 - "Harmonies du soir": Astrida

No. 12 - "Chasse-neige": (joint effort) Mark Cooper (beginning 2-3 pages), Alexander Weymann (), Sindre Skarelven (), Noel Nguyen (bar 53 to end)

Encores:

La Campanella: Sindre Skarelven (to be confirmed)

Liebestraum no.3: Mark Cooper