Here is another work by Liszt that is based on themes from a contemporary opera, this one by Bellini, which appeared in 1831 and scored great success. Like his Reminiscences of Don Giovanni, after Mozart, Liszt used themes from Norma not to fashion a transcription or even a fairly close paraphrase, but to create a fantasy piece of great dimensions, suited to the piano, with no serious attempt at emulating orchestral or vocal sonorities. However, Liszt incorporates the seven different themes from the opera, stitching them together here in a slightly different order. He wrote this work in 1841, the same year he composed Reminiscences of Don Giovanni, and Reminiscences of Robert the Devil, after Meyerbeer.

Liszt fashions the opening of this dazzling, colorful work from three numbers in the opera: the chorus Norma viene, Ite sul colle, sung by the Druid high priest Orovesco, and another chorus, Dell'aura tua profetica. Liszt subjects this last theme, warlike and quite stirring, to several variations before returning to the opening ideas. He very adroitly then switches to B minor and uses music from the end of the opera that includes Norma's very beautiful Deh! Non volerli vittime. He also draws on the duet Qual cor tradisti, and then moves on to Padre, tu piangi. After this the rousing music from Guerra! Guerra! is brilliantly employed by Liszt and in the close he once again uses Padre, tu piangi and deftly combines it at one point with the theme from Dell'aura tua profetica. A brief recall of the Guerra! Guerra! music brings the piece to a brilliant close.

This work, at slightly more than a quarter-hour, is enormously difficult and quite typical of the colorful fantasy-pieces Liszt was writing at the time. He dedicated it to virtuoso pianist Marie Pleyel, who had asked him for a challenging work. She was a member of the famous piano-manufacturing family.

© Robert Cummings, All Music Guide