S. Thalberg/C. A. Bériot - Grande fantaisie sur ’Les Huguenots’, (Tortorelli, Catena)

Violin: Mauro Tortorelli Piano: Costantino Catena EG Classics 1 January 2000 Based on Meyerbeer’s French grand opera, Les Huguenots, which premiered in 1936, this work takes memorable parts from the opera and transforms it into a stunning fantasy. Originally composed for solo piano by Thalberg, was arranged by his friend Bériot for violin and piano. This arrangement gives new texture to this piece with the addition of the sound of the violin, together with the virtuosic violin parts. The original has also been arranged for piano duet by either Thalberg himself or Carl Czerny. Though, in my opinion, not as virtuosic as the Liszt Réminiscences des Huguenots, it is interesting to see how a virtuoso who was on par with Liszt treated themes and motifs from the same opera. Composed by Sigismond Thalberg in 1842 for solo piano Arranged by Charles Auguste de Bériot for violin and piano Original Opera composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer in 1836