Liszt Second Petrarch Sonnet For Piano

Petrarch, co-founder of humanism and one of the greatest Italian poets, left behind hundreds of sonnets in his collection “Canzoniere.” In these sonnets he expressed his adoration of Laura, a mysterious female figure, although it is not even known if she really existed. Well over five hundred years later, Liszt set sonnet nos. 47, 104 and 123 to music, creating lyrical and poetic songs for piano. He included the versions for piano solo in the second volume (“Italy”) of his “Années de Pèlerinage” (HN 174). The second Petrach sonnet no. 104 is particularly popular.