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In the last few bars of Liszt's masterpiece, Liszt actually wrote a crescendo which can't possibly be played on the piano. I don't know how to interpret it. How do you approach it? Is that more of a gesture thing (like putting more weight on the keys after having played the notes)?

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cfcief
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    Hmmm I would read that as a pp going to a short crescendo sign for one or two chords, then immediately to ppp. In other words, ending quietly on the last three chords. – Andy Jan 15 '16 at 11:23
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    Just use the "swell" pedal :-) . Like Andy said, hit the second chord slightly louder than the first, then drop back down. Looks like the crescendo mark should have been placed a bit to the left. – Carl Witthoft Jan 15 '16 at 12:36
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    If I were playing this, I would most likely ignore it (after puzzling over it for a bit) and if I didn't ignore it, I might try holding down the damper pedal while the chord rings and lightly striking the chord again to make it sound again a little louder. With repeated gentle striking, one can almost fake a swell on a piano like this. Of course, there's not much time here to really create that effect. It's very bizaare. – Todd Wilcox Jan 15 '16 at 14:33
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    In the autograph - see http://petrucci.mus.auth.gr/imglnks/usimg/c/c4/IMSLP68292-PMLP14018-Liszt_-S178_Sonata_in_B_minor__MS.pdf -, the point of the crescendo was a bit left, coming off the end of the preceding chord. Play the second chord louder, then drop back to ___ppp___, as @CarlWitthoft has suggested. –  Jan 15 '16 at 15:01
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    That URL is too long, I'm afraid. Try from here and choose the holograph manuscript: http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_in_B_minor,S.178(Liszt,_Franz) –  Jan 15 '16 at 15:04
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    If this is the only problem you have with the B-minor sonata, good for you. How I would interpret the crescendo is that Liszt wants you to hear the chord swell in your mind so that the sudden ppp of the next chord feels like more of a drop: it's more about what follows the crescendo. All he's saying is: "Hey, I want you to give me an audible difference between pp and ppp." Also note that it might mean that the second chord is simply played a little louder than the first, but maybe not so much as to go from pp to p. But you can't really be too literal with the Romantics. – Robusto Jan 15 '16 at 15:50
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    @Patrx2 When I read this question, I imagined what a proper answer to it would be, and going to the autograph was exactly what came into my head. By that I mean, you should make your comment an answer, because to me it is the answer. – Todd Wilcox Jan 15 '16 at 15:54
  • Thank you all for the answers. I think I'll do what all of you said: play the second chord (a bit) louder. @Robusto I like your explanation on the contrast between pp and ppp, it's something I will keep in mind. Of course I have other problems in this sonata, but this was something really unusual. I remember my music teacher talking about a piece for piano (I don't recall which one) from Schumann with the same crescendo, but the goal of this piece was actually to imitate the violin (on which the crescendo can be played). – cfcief Jan 15 '16 at 22:26
  • I wonder if Liszt was thinking ahead to an orchestration. – PeterJ Feb 21 '19 at 13:14

2 Answers2

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It's often not a bad idea to check whether or not IMSLP has an autograph for a piece in the public domain, or failing that, to check other editions. In this case, IMSLP has a holograph manuscript which shows the point of the crescendo distinctly to the left of the second chord. I would play the second chord somewhat louder than the first, and break right back to ppp for the third chord. The holograph is here.

  • It is arguable imo. The length of the crescendo clearly goes through the whole chord. I guess I should not be too fussy about it, and play it like you said. – cfcief Jan 16 '16 at 19:19
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    Tbh, I'm not sure how you could do otherwise. The mechanism of the piano sort of dictates it. –  Jan 16 '16 at 20:22
  • Indeed, that's why I asked if it has to be "physically" interpreted. – cfcief Jan 17 '16 at 16:10
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    Be hard to convince the audience through gesture that you're making a soft note swell. Better to achieve the illusion through phrasing: make sure the three dynamic levels are clear relative to each other, play very legato, and put a very slight agogic accent on the 2nd chord, (i.e., hold the 2nd chord fractionally longer). –  Jan 17 '16 at 16:58
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In many places in Chopin's music, he wrote hairpins like the one on this score to indicate rubato rather than a crescendo or decrescendo. If you used that concept here, it would mean taking a bit more time coming into the ppp.

Madeleine
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    Interesting, I didn't know this! Do you have any sources or sample pieces that you could point me to? – Richard Feb 20 '19 at 22:43