To hear examples of Alexander Siloti's playing [ Ссылка ]
Alexander Siloti wrote of Liszt, "No one else in the world could show musical phrasing as he did, merely by the expression on his face. If a pupil understood these shades, so much the better for him: if not, so much the worse! Liszt told me that he could explain nothing to pupils who did not understand him from the first. He never told us what to work at. All we had to do when we came to a lesson was to lay our music on the piano: Liszt then picked out things he wished to hear. There were only two things we were not allowed to bring: Liszts SECOND HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY (because it was too often played) and Beethovens Sonata quasi una fantasia (Moonlight) which Liszt in his time had played incomparably, as was afterwards proved to me.,
Friedheim adds another work that Liszt felt was performed too often and therefor could not be played during a master class; Chopins Scherzo in B flat minor. Liszt called it the "Governess Scherzo" because every "Governess plays it well." Friedheim goes on to describe more about Liszts master classes. Liszts class lessons at Weimer in the eighties took place in the small, two storied Hofgartnerei on the edge of the ducal gardens, placed at his disposal and furnished by the royal family after his return from Rome. On the second floor was the double drawing room with several pianos, including one sent as a gift from Steinway & Sons of New York. The lessons were given here late in the afternoon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There might be as many as thirty or forty students and recording hearers at these gatherings. The legitimate pupils, who were rarely, told beforehand what to play would bring music of their own selection and lay it on one of the pianos. Liszt would enter, give a general greeting and shake hands with only two or three. Occasionally, he went over to some especially attractive bit of femininity and kissed her on the cheek. It became the custom for such fortunate young ladies not to wash, for some days after, the spot the Masters lips had touched! After these ceremonies, Liszt would look over the music lying about and make choices according to his mood. Often a buffet would follow the session."
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