Two symphonic transcriptions for solo piano: Ferdinand Hiller’s Symphony in E minor, op. 67, “Es muβ doch Frühling werden” (“But spring must come”) and Robert Schumann’s Symphony no. 2 in C major, op. 61

This DMA recording project is a continuation of the tradition of piano transcription, in the hopes not only of making under-performed compositions more accessible, but also providing a different angle for the appreciation of orchestral music. In addition to contributing to the piano repertoire, this project can lead pianists to artistic insights transcending the piano and its playing technique in order to portray an orchestral performance. The project includes piano transcriptions of two symphonies from the nineteenth-century Leipzig circle: Ferdinand Hiller’s Symphony in E minor, Op. 67, ”Es muβ doch Frühling werden” (“But Spring Must Come”), transcribed by this author, and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61, transcribed by Theodor Kirchner, and revised by this author. The recordings of the two symphonic transcriptions are supplemented with brief historical background, performance notes, and program notes included in this essay.