Although Tchaikovsky was not so kind in his later references to Liszt, it is clear that he owed much to Liszt’s example as a composer, as well as to his generosity in setting up a production of Eugene Onegin at Weimar. The transcription of the Polonaise makes some very interesting deviations from the shape of the original, especially in a brilliant variation towards the close.

from notes by Leslie Howard © 1990