The Consolations, S. 171a/172 (German: Tröstungen) are a set of six solo piano works by Franz Liszt. The compositions take the musical style of nocturnes^[1] with each having its own distinctive style.^[2] Each Consolation is composed in either the key of E major or D♭ major. E major is a key regularly used by Liszt for religious themes.^[3][4]

There exist two versions of the Consolations. The first (S. 171a) was composed by Liszt between 1844 and 1849^[5] and published in 1992 by G. Henle Verlag.^[6] The second (S. 172) was composed between 1849 and 1850^[7] and published in 1850 by Breitkopf & Härtel, containing the familiar Consolation No. 3, Lento placido, in D♭ major.^[3][8][9]

The source of the title Consolations may have been Lamartine's poem "Une larme, ou Consolation" from the poetry collection Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (Poetic and Religious Harmonies).^[3] Liszt's piano cycle Harmonies poétiques et religieuses is based on Lamartine's collection of poems.^[10] Another possible inspiration for the title are the Consolations of the French literary historian Charles Sainte-Beuve.^[7][11] Sainte-Beuve's Consolations, published in 1830, is a collection of Romantic era poetry where friendship is extolled as a consolation for the loss of religious faith.^[12]

The Consolations are also referred to as Six pensées poétiques (Six poetic thoughts), a title not used for Breitkopf's 1850 publication but for a set published shortly thereafter, in the same year, by the Bureau Central de Musique in Paris.^[13]

The Consolations, S. 171a, consist of six solo compositions for the piano.^[14][15]

1. Andante con moto (E major)
2. Un poco più mosso (E major)
3. Lento, quasi recitativo (E major^[14]/C-sharp minor^[15])
4. Quasi Adagio, cantabile con devozione (D♭ major)
5. Andantino (E major) – "Madrigal"
6. Allegretto (G major)

Composed between 1844 and 1849,^[5] they are Liszt's first version of the Consolations and were first published in 1992 by G. Henle Verlag.^[16] The manuscripts are located at the Goethe and Schiller Archives in Weimar.^[17]

The third Consolation is an arrangement of a Hungarian folksong that would be later reused by Liszt in his Hungarian Rhapsody No.1, S.244/1.^[18] The fifth Consolation is the earliest of the compositions and dates from 1844. In an early manuscript, the fifth Consolation is entitled “Madrigal”.^[19][20] Liszt dedicated the Madrigal to a friend of his, a Weimar Intendant named M. de Ziegäser.^[19]

The Consolations, S. 172, consist of six solo compositions for the piano.^[21][22]

1. Andante con moto (E major)
2. Un poco più mosso (E major)
3. Lento placido (D♭ major)
4. Quasi Adagio (D♭ major)
5. Andantino (E major)
6. Allegretto sempre cantabile (E major)

Composed between 1849 and 1850,^[7] they are Liszt's second version of the Consolations. This version of the Consolations is better known than the first version and was published in 1850 in Leipzig by Breitkopf & Härtel.^[6] In comparison to the first version of the Consolations, the original third Consolation (S. 171a/3) was replaced with a new Consolation (Lento placido in D♭ major) and the remaining Consolations were simplified.^[17]

The first of the Consolations is in E major and initially marked Andante con moto. The shortest of the set, consisting of just 25 measures, it has an identical opening to another of Liszt's works, the Album-Leaf (Première Consolation), S. 171b.^[23] Consolation No. 2 is also in E major and is initially marked Un poco più mosso. It is often played directly after the first, without a break.^[24]

The third Consolation is in D♭ major and initially marked as Lento placido. It is the most popular of the Consolations^[3][8][9] and also a favorite encore piece.^[25]

Its style is similar to Chopin's Nocturnes;^[3] in particular, it seems to have been inspired by Chopin's Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2.^[11] The similarity between the two works has been interpreted as a tribute to Chopin who died in 1849, a year before the Consolations were published.^[17] This third Consolation is however one of several of Liszt's works that take a style reminiscent of Chopin; some examples include Liszt's Polonaises, Berceuse, Mazurka brillante, and his Ballades.^[26]

In 1883, years after composing the Consolation, Liszt received a Grand piano from the Steinway Company with a design that included a sostenuto pedal.^[27] Liszt began transcribing this Consolation for the new sostenuto pedal and in a letter to Steinway he wrote:

In relation to the use of your welcome tone-sustaining pedal I inclose two examples: Danse des Sylphes, by Berlioz, and No. 3 of my Consolations. I have today noted down only the introductory bars of both pieces, with this proviso, that, if you desire it, I shall gladly complete the whole transcription, with exact adaptation of your tone-sustaining pedal.^[28]

Liszt recommended sparing usage of the sostenuto pedal in the interpretation of this Consolation and opined on the positive effect it would have on the more tranquil passages.^[27]

Consolation No. 4 is in D♭ major and is initially marked Quasi adagio. Composed in 1849,^[29] it is also known as the Stern-Consolation (Star Consolation) because of the six-pointed white star that appears on the printed score.^[3] The Consolation was inspired by a Lied written by Maria Pavlovna, the Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.^[30][31] The mood of the composition has been described as "churchly-religious"^[32] and "prayerlike".^[33]

Liszt later re-used the Consolation's theme in the Andante sostenuto / quasi adagio section of his Piano Sonata in B Minor.^[31]

Consolation No. 5 is in E major. It is initially marked Andantino. The Consolation has a cantilena vocal style.^[8][33] This Consolation has the oldest genealogy having been reworked from the "Madrigal" of the earlier fifth version of the Consolations.^[17][19][20] Compared to the earlier Madrigal, this Consolation:^[34]

• is shorter, having 56 measures compared to the Madrigal's 69;
• shares several sections with similar melodies;
• employs simpler harmonies;
• and is rhythmically less rigid.

The sixth and final Consolation is in E major. It is initially marked Allegretto sempre cantabile and is the longest of the Consolations with a total of 100 measures. It is the most technically demanding of the Consolations.^[8] The piece has been described by Carl Lachmund, one of Liszt's students, as more characteristic of Liszt's style than the more renowned D♭ major third Consolation.^[35] Lachmund provides insight into the style in which Liszt played the Consolation, stating:

He [Liszt] played each note of the melody as if it were a significant poetic word, which effect was heightened in that he used the thumb for each one of these notes, and dropping his hand in a languid manner as he did this. He would dwell slightly here or there on a note as if entranced and then resume the motion without leaving a feeling that the time had been disturbed. I do not recall the particular measures in which he did this; but even then I felt that he might do it in a different place each time he played the piece.^[36]

Consolation No. 3 is heard in the film A Man Called Otto (2022).

Notes

Sources

• Howard, Leslie (1999). The complete music for solo piano, Vol. 56 – Rarities, Curiosities, Album Leaves and Fragments (booklet). Franz Liszt. Hyperion Records.
• Lamartine, Alphonse de (1836). Oeuvres de Lamartine de l'académie française: édition complète en un volume (in French). Wahlen.
• Liszt, Franz (1850). Consolations, 2nd version, S.172 (First ed.). Breitkopf & Härtel.

• Consolations, S. 172: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Consolations played by Jorge Bolet: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6