Description:
“Liszt - Etude d'execution Transcendante S. 139, No. 3 ''Peysage''” is classified as a Level 9 Piano work worth 1,050,000 points within the Road to Virtuosity progression system. It is categorized under Composers → Liszt, Franz and is part of the Romantic collection. The sheet music for “Liszt - Etude d'execution Transcendante S. 139, No. 3 ''Peysage''” provided on this website is available for non-commercial use. This means it may be downloaded, printed, studied, and performed for personal or educational purposes, but it may not be sold, redistributed commercially, or used as part of a paid product without permission.
“Liszt - Transcendental Etude No. 3 - Paysage - S. 139, No. 3” is a four-page Romantic concert etude in F major. Unlike the more explosive Transcendental Etudes, this piece is mostly lyrical, atmospheric, and pastoral. The title “Paysage” means “Landscape,” and the music creates that image through flowing 6/8 motion, soft dynamics, long legato lines, gentle arpeggiated figures, and a gradual transformation from peaceful scenery into a fuller, more passionate middle section before returning to a quiet pastoral close.
Measures 1–10 introduce the opening landscape character. The music is marked Poco Adagio, dolcissimo, sempre legato e placido, and una corda, creating a very soft and calm beginning. The right hand sings a gentle upper line while the left hand moves through quiet broken figures underneath, giving the opening the feeling of stillness with subtle motion inside it.
Measures 11–24 continue the first large section and gradually increase the emotional warmth. The melody becomes more clearly cantando, while the accompaniment remains smooth and flowing. The music grows through poco a poco crescendo and reaches a broader mezzo forte area around measure 22, but the character still remains lyrical and controlled rather than dramatic.
Measures 25–34 restate the opening material in a warmer and slightly more developed form. The dolce marking brings back the gentle tone, while the harmony continues to move through soft color changes. The rinforzando and forte around measure 30 briefly give the phrase more strength, then the poco a poco diminuendo e rallentando and smorzando markings allow the sound to fade again before the next section begins.
Measures 35–47 begin the more animated middle section. The tempo changes to un poco più animato il tempo, and the texture becomes more active, with repeated chordal figures and a more urgent rhythmic pulse. Even here, Liszt marks the music pp dolcissimo and later sotto voce e sempre dolcissimo, so the increased motion still has a veiled, distant quality rather than a harsh sound.
Measures 48–55 continue the middle section and begin building toward a stronger climax. The harmony becomes more restless, the texture thickens, and the music gradually grows from a quiet legato sound into a more forceful passage. By measure 55, the marking energico vibrante brings a clear change of character, turning the earlier landscape into something more intense and passionate.
Measures 56–70 form the main climax of the etude. The music moves through subito pp, stringendo, crescendo, più rinforzando, and then a strong ff arrival. The texture becomes much fuller, with repeated chord patterns, octave writing, and wide keyboard spacing. This section is the dramatic high point of the piece, where the peaceful opening landscape is transformed into something powerful and expansive.
Measures 71–79 present a final passionate surge, marked Tempo ritenuto ed appassionato assai. The music remains strong and intense, with broad chordal writing and a sustained sense of weight. The sempre forte marking keeps the sound full, while the ritenuto at the end slows the motion and prepares the return of the opening atmosphere.
Measures 80–96 return to Tempo I and close the etude in a pastoral character. The dolce, pastorale marking makes the final section feel like the original landscape has returned after the stormier middle section. The una corda, soft dynamics, sempre più dolce e rallentando, estinto, and final ritardando markings allow the music to fade gradually, ending the piece with stillness rather than display.
Interesting fact: “Paysage” is one of the most lyrical and restrained pieces in Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes. The title means “Landscape,” and the piece stands out because Liszt uses the etude form not mainly for speed or brilliance, but to create a poetic scene that changes from calm countryside stillness into a brief emotional climax and then fades back into quiet distance.
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