Liszt: Wild New Wizardry

Performers

View Profile »

Adam Sherkin

Event Details

Franz Liszt sent shock waves through Europe as he burst onto the concert stage in the mid-1830’s. The very concept of pianism would never be the same again. Liszt quickly reached celebrity with his dizzying technique, bewitching audiences the European continent over. He continued to innovate throughout his long life: seeking out new sounds and dazzling effects, delving deeper into the very soul of the piano.

Through an illustrious career as both pianist and composer, his early magnum opus, the Transcendental Etudes, would remain at the heart of his catalogue. These pieces threw down an imposing gauntlet that signalled a brave new world for future generations: one full of fresh trails ablaze and a wild new musical wizardry.

Adam Sherkin adds his own brand of virtuosity to the mix, with a recent set of piano etudes entitled “Tagish Fires,” inspired by a meteor shower in northern British Columbia. He also plays a companion piece to Liszt’s Wild Hunt etude: the Cwn Annwn, or “Hounds of Hell.”

Featured Program

• Liszt – Transcendental Etudes: No. 7 (Eroica), No. 8 (The Wild Hunt), No. 11 (Harmonies du soir)
• Sherkin – Cwn Annwn (The Hounds of Hell) (2013)
• Sherkin – Tagish Fires (2014)