Liszt's Piano Transcription Of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony

First Movement

Liszt provides a very enjoyable transcription here, using the piano's abilities to great effect. They are of course the same in pitch and rhythm, and although a solo piano can't possibly be as loud as an entire orchestra, Liszt still uses the piano's expressive capabilities to provide the same dynamic contrast.

The opening 'fate' chords I think are particularly effective on piano. I think the three chords that are heard just prior to the return of the opening chords are lacking in depth of texture compared to the orchestral version; I would have liked to have heard some strong bass support here. Looking at the score, I see that in this section both hands are completely occupied in the treble register playing the full harmony, so there is no option for the pianist to reinforce the bass.

Another way that I think the piano transcription falls short of the original orchestral version is in the lack of orchestral colour. All the various 'voices' that the piano plays in this transcription, although played in character, will still sound like a piano. Beethoven would have specifically chosen certain instruments for appropriate roles and which blend together to paint the overall picture. This plethora of timbres is something that can't be replicated on a single instrument.

On the whole this piano transcription sounds great, and is very enjoyable to listen to. As the listener you can be aware of the shortcomings without them detracting from the enjoyment of the music as it stands on its own merits. In any case, the reason for any such shortcomings lie not in the instrument (the piano being the most suitable choice of solo instrument for this task) but in the fact that the music wasn't originally composed for piano. Liszt, with all the will in the world, was limited in what he could do in that he couldn't change the notes or rhythm, or make the piano sound like an oboe.