Legende, Op.17 (transcr. fur Cello)

Description

Légende in G minor Op. 17, originally for violin and piano, was written in 1859 in Ostende, when he had fallen passionately in love with Isabelle Hampton, his future wife. Nostalgia, pain and love emanate from each element of the work, all factors contributing to the work's over-riding expressive aims: a minor key, a lyrical, tuneful melody, a ballad atmosphere, gradation of intensity by means of the increasing use of tremolo in the accompaniment, and tonal contrast - G major being used in the middle section. The work is a typical Romantic miniature, with a simple tripartite ABA structure. It possesses an intense, expressive charge as a whole. The cello transcription preserves the original key and character of the work as well as the piano part. Only indispensable changes have been made.