Schubert Liszt The Trout Die Forelle D550 version for piano ed. Kissin

Schubert Liszt The Trout Die Forelle D550 version for piano ed. Kissin

Arrangement for piano

Versions 1844 and 1846.

As an avowed Schubert fan, Franz Liszt also liked to play transcriptions of Schubert’s songs in his piano recitals.

He initially had an arrangement of the Trout by Stephen Heller in his repertoire, but in the summer of 1844, he took the opportunity to make his own arrangement. It also appeared in print shortly afterwards as one of 6 Mélodies célèbres.

But in the best tradition of Schubert, who left behind several versions of his Trout, Liszt also later created yet another arrangement.

Thus, today we know two versions: the first from 1844, which is peppered with breakneck passages, and a second, likewise highly virtuoso but somewhat (!) easier to perform, that was published in Vienna and Paris in 1846.

For this Henle Urtext edition (with fingerings by Evgeny Kissin), it was possible to consult, among others, a personal copy with annotations by Liszt. The edition offers both versions – and thus leaves pianists spoiled for choice.