Two Concert Études (Zwei Konzertetüden), S.145, is a set of two piano works composed in Rome around 1862-63 by Franz Liszt and dedicated to Dionys Pruckner, but intended for Sigmund Lebert and Ludwig Stark’s Klavierschule. It consists of two parts: Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) and Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes).
Contents
Waldesrauschen
Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) in D-flat major is the first of the two pieces in this set. It is known for its beauty and imitation of wind in the forest.
Gnomenreigen
The second piece is Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes) in F-sharp minor. It is known for its technical difficulty in its fast and soft passages, where the pianist imitates the sound of gnomes. It first has a theme in F-sharp minor consisting of grace notes followed by eights. Then it goes to a fast, playful theme in A major. It repeats themes, and also has a theme with repeating bass notes, such as the sixty consecutive low Ds. Finally, the A major theme is repeated for a climactic part of the étude, this time in F-sharp major.
The piece was heard in an orchestral arrangement as part of the Little Mermaid Ballet in the 1952 Danny Kaye film, Hans Christian Andersen.