Liszt S. 139 No. 1: No. 1 “Preludio” (C major): tempo and how to practice it

Liszt S. 139 No. 1: No. 1 “Preludio” (C major) is part of “Études d'exécution transcendante, S. 139” by Franz Liszt (1811–1886). Main focus: concert virtuosity in the service of character. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 72 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 112 and work up to the target of ♩ = 144. Difficulty 9/10 (concert).

What it trains

• Concert virtuosity in the service of character.
• Stamina and economy of movement.

How to practice it

1. Split each study into sections and master one before moving on to the next.
2. A big sound comes from the weight of the arm, not from finger force: relax your shoulders.
3. Plan breaks: these studies tire the hand a lot.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 72 → ♩ = 92 → ♩ = 112 → ♩ = 128 → ♩ = 144. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.