Liszt Cavatine de Robert le diable, S412a ( Gallo, Howard)

Asettingoftextby Leslie Howard, TheValseinfernalefromMeyerbeersRobertleDiablewasoneofLisztssuccessistrepitosiinhisyearsasatravellingvirtuoso, andthetitlebeliesamorecomplicatedgenesisinadditiontothewaltz, whichisanorchestralfireworkwithchorusinActIII, themesfromtheballetmusicarealsowovenintothistourdeforce. TheunpublishedelaborationofMeyerbeersCavatinedatesfrom1846, andisabarforbartranscriptionoftheIsabellasRobert, toiquijaimefromActIV. Thepieceendsonadominantseventhandcannotbeplayedbyitself, butsinceLiszthastransposedtheoriginalupasemitonetoFsharpmajor, itseemsquitelikelythatheintendedtoaddthisbeautifullycontrastingpieceofpianisticdelicacytothebeginningofhisfamousrecitalwarhorse, theValseinfernale.