Ligeti Musica Ricercata, Op 1 Nos 1-8
Liszt  Funérailles
Wagner arr. Kocsis Prelude from Tristan und Isolde
Wagner arr. Liszt Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Schubert Sonata No 21 in B flat, D960

Schubert’s last piano sonata, arguably his greatest, concludes Joanna MacGregor’s recital which includes two complementary Wagner transcriptions from different eras: Hungarian pianist Zoltán Kocsis’ reworking of the opera’s prelude was published in the 1970s whilst Liszt’s transformation of the final scene dates from 1867, only a few years after the premiere of the staged work. The recital opens with a selection from Ligeti’s piano suite. Beginning with just two pitches (and their octave equivalents), the composer adds one pitch in each piece to magical effect.

Joanna MacGregor