Research Information System
Yegah Musicology Journal, vol.8, no.1, pp.59-77, 2025 (Scopus)
The 19th century marked the emergence of storytelling through music, later known as “programmatic music.” This style of narrative expression invites performers to engage their imagination to bring the music to life. For the performer, the interpretation of a piece is shaped by imaginative insight, which then guides its execution. Simultaneously, programmatic music provides listeners with a framework for forming expectations about the performance. In this context, it becomes crucial for the performer to decipher the composer’s intended narrative through musical elements and notational cues. This imaginative approach to interpretation serves as a foundation for contemporary performance practices. Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1, a quintessential example of 19th-century programmatic music, holds a prominent place in piano literature. Its narrative, outlined by the composer in accompanying program notes, offers valuable interpretive guidance to performers. This study explores Mephisto Waltz No. 1 as a work that conveys a specific narrative through music, examining its impact on performance interpretation and the interplay between the written score and its realization in performance.