"Totentanz for Solo Piano" by Franz Liszt // Zhengyi Huang, piano

Franz Liszt Totentanz for Solo Piano Performer: Zhengyi Huang Michigan Recording Project Recorded May 2022 The Totentanz S.525 (solo version) is an exhilarating work full with technical brilliance and emotional depth. Liszt was first inspired by the painting, "Triumph of Death", by Pieter Bruegel. He then decided to write a set of variations based on the famous Gregorian Chant "Dies Irae". Each variation represents a character with distinct image, with Liszt's stylistic and pianistic innovations. This piece not only explores the end of life both philosophically and religiously, but it also serves as a powerful reminder of the transitory nature of life and the inevitability of death.