As most of his admirers are aware, Franz Liszt had an uncanny knack for taking the music of others and making it sound utterly his own. This is especially true in his operatic paraphrases and fantasies and even in some of his transcriptions. Miserere du Trovatore, often called a transcription, was actually dubbed a "paraphrase de concert" by Liszt, and thus exhibits a freer, more Lisztian manner in its music and of course in its challenging piano writing. The music is based on the Act IV duet between Leonora and Manrico, who has been condemned to death. In the opera, the chorus also sings in the background at this point. Liszt begins with ominous chords in the bass, as if launching into one of his dark meditations on death. A foreboding, march-like theme is soon heard, the music here more about Manrico's impending fate than about the couple's love. Eventually, the mood switches to love, though, but is tinged by regret and melancholy. Ominous elements intrude again, but the love music soon makes a return as well. In the end, however, after much intense transformation and struggle, it yields to darker, more imaginatively colorful music. This keyboard gem typically has a duration of nine or ten minutes.

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