Hyperion Records

Festklänge was published as a transcription by Liszt's disciple Ludwig Stark, which had no doubt been made under Liszt's supervision, especially since it deviates from the standard orchestral score by employing all of the Polish-character variants which Liszt composed (presumably to please the Polish Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein) and which only appear as a supplement to the score. (Liszt's own versions for two pianos and piano duet do not utilize these variants.) This performance was prepared from Liszt's corrected version of Stark's transcription and from a further manuscript containing Liszt's own rewritten transcription of most of the peroration.

from notes by Leslie Howard © 1999