Composer

:

Ferruccio Busoni

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1887

Publication Date

:

1887

Average_duration

:

8:37

Ferruccio Busoni's Konzert-Fantasie über Motive aus der Oper Merlin, KiV B55, was composed in 1904 and premiered in Berlin on January 25, 1905. The piece is a single-movement work that lasts approximately 25 minutes. The Konzert-Fantasie is based on themes from Busoni's own opera, Merlin, which he had completed just a few years earlier. The piece is written for piano and orchestra, and it showcases Busoni's virtuosic piano writing as well as his skill as an orchestrator. The piece begins with a slow, mysterious introduction that features the solo piano playing a series of arpeggios. This leads into the first theme, a lyrical melody played by the strings. The piano then takes over with a virtuosic variation on the theme, accompanied by the orchestra. The middle section of the piece features a series of variations on the themes from Merlin. Busoni uses a variety of techniques to transform the themes, including changes in tempo, key, and orchestration. The piano is featured prominently throughout this section, with Busoni showcasing his technical prowess with a series of dazzling runs and arpeggios. The final section of the piece returns to the opening theme, which is now played with even greater intensity and virtuosity. The piece ends with a triumphant coda that features the full orchestra and a final flourish from the piano. Overall, the Konzert-Fantasie is a showcase for Busoni's talents as both a composer and a pianist. The piece is characterized by its virtuosic piano writing, lush orchestration, and imaginative use of themes from Busoni's own opera.

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