LDV16

So you still had to build your programme around the Liebestod and the paraphrase. How did you go about that? W. L.: I organised it rather like an opera, with an overture. Glancing through the whole repertory of Wagner transcriptions, I had been impressed by the Phantasiestück on themes from Rienzi and I thought it would make an excellent introduction with its fine, broad theme. That became my overture. What’s more, I’d hadWagner’s complete pianomusic inmy library for nearly ten years. I had given it a cursory examination, without going into much detail. But when the Wagner project got going I went back to it and took a closer look at the Fantasia in F sharp minor. It’s an early work (1831), which can only be described as fairly astounding. It is operatic in character, with recitatives and arias, and from the harmonic point of view one finds things that anticipate Tristan und Isolde . It’s obvious you’re very attracted by Tristan . . . W. L.: Yes, it’s true that it’s one of my favouriteWagner operas. I came across Alfred Jaëll’s Three Pieces almost by chance, and chose to play the first (op.112), which is based on the love duet in Act II. 18 EXTASE MAXIMA