Franz Liszt
Sonetto 104 del Petrarca
S . 161 No. 5
from Années de pèlerinage, Second Year: Italy
Here, Liszt transforms Italian love poetry into passionate solo piano music. In Petrarch's poem, Pace non trovo (I Find no Peace), the poet is torn by wildly contrasting emotions, skilfully mirrored in Liszt's music.
Year: 1858
Period: Early Romantic
Piano score: Scanned score 
Audiovisual Study Tool
I Find No Peace
From the more than three hundred sonnets of Petrarca’s Canzoniere, Franz Liszt set three pieces to music. The first, Sonnet 47, celebrates the dawning of love, when the poet first looks into his mistress' eyes. Sonnet 104, Pace non trovo (‘I Find no Peace’) is agitated, dramatic and full of wildly contrasting emotions, skilfully mirrored in Liszt's music. . The final Sonnet 123 praises the heavenly beauty of the adored. The vocal element can still be recognized in the piano versions including recitative and aria sections.
I find no peace, and all my war is done.
I fear and hope. I burn and freeze like ice.
I fly above the wind, yet can I not arise;
And nought I have, and all the world I season.
...
I feed me in sorrow and laugh in all my pain;
Likewise displeaseth me both life and death,
And my delight is causer of this strife.
Background
The three Petrarca Sonnets exist in a version for voice and piano, a first version for solo piano during the same period and published in 1846, and this final version published twelve years later in the Années de pèlerinage: Deuxième année, Italie together with other pieces inspired by Italian poetry, painting, and sculpture.Forum posts about this piece:
LTCL repertoire by britta
Hi everyone, I'm currently practicing and planning for my LTCL recital, and want some advice on my repertoire, and i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice!! Bach, partita...
Trying to get more into Liszt by modderkevin
So I’ve recently learned Sonetto 104 del Petrarca for my first Liszt piece and I’m wondering what other Liszt pieces I should be looking at going forwards. My most recent rep is Chopin Ballade No.1,...
Help me pick a new piece! by furr104
Hi everyone, First post here, hope this is the right section to post to :/ I'm looking for something new to read during the summer break along with what I'm currently practicing...
Update Competition Repertoire Comments by kornv9022
Here is my final ideas for my competition repertoire. First here are the requirements for the first round: 1.One Etude chosen from the list of etudes. 2.Two sonatas by Scarlatti or Soler,...
Liszt Sonetto 104 Fingering Query by conserv
Hey guys, how do you play the descending run in measure 44 of this piece? The fingering suggesting keeping everything in the same hand is extremely awkward. I've seen pianists like Brendel and Wunder...
Show off piece by hexanite
Hi, I'm looking for a showy piece that I can learn in my free time. I'm looking for something that is challenging, will be satisfying to learn, yet not too long so as to take forever to learn....
What do you think about the pieces that I will learn this year? by Presto Agitato
Hello friends. I’d like to know your opinions about the pieces that I will learn this year. JS Bach – Fantasia in A minor form BWV 904 JS Bach – Prelude and Fugue in E flat minor BWV...
Liszt: Soneto 104 and Soneto 123. Which is harder? by Presto Agitato
Hello I need to learn one of those sonetos. I love them both but I need to play one of them. In your opinion which one is harder and why? Thanks a...
Liszt Sonetto 104 Fingering by sissco
[url=img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=liszt104passagehd8.jpg] [img]img50.imageshack.us/img50/4246/liszt104passagehd8.th.jpg[/img][/url] Hello, I was wondering what fingering you...
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Franz Liszt, one of the prominent composers active in the Early Romantic era, has written this piece titled Sonetto 104 No. 5 from Années de pèlerinage, Second Year: Italy. The composition is categorized as "Piece" in Piano Street's sheet music library and the level of difficulty is 8+.