Hexaméron: Franz Liszt
- Introduction: Extrèmement lent
- Tema: Allegro marziale
- Variation I: Ben marcato (Sigismond Thalberg)
- Variation II: Moderato
- Variation III: di bravura (Johann Peter Pixis) - Ritornello (Liszt)
- Variation IV: Legato e grazioso (Henri Herz)
- Variation V: Vivo e brillante (Carl Czerny) - Fuocoso molto energico; Lento quasi recitativo (Liszt)
- Variation VI: Largo (Frédéric Chopin) - [coda] (Liszt)
- Finale: Molto vivace quasi prestissimo
Grande fantaisie sur des motifs de Don Pasquale: Sigismond Thalberg (after Donizetti's Don Pasquale)
Ernani - Paraphrase de concert: Franz Liszt (after Verdi's Ernani)
Fantaisie sur des thèmes de Moïse: Sigismond Thalberg (after Rossini's Mosè in Egitto)
Réminiscences de Norma - Grande Fantaisie: Franz Liszt (after Bellini's Norma)

Two giants of the keyboard - Sorry, make that three - Franz Liszt and Sigismond Thalberg from the 19th century, and Marc-André Hamelin from the 21st, intersect through time and music to yield us a resplendent pianistic tour de force.

The rivalry between Liszt and Thalberg as pianistic wizards is well documented, but sometimes they would work together on special projects. In order to raise funds to aid Italian refugees, Princess Cristina Belgiojoso-Trivulzio planned a pianistic duel to take place in her salon. Hexaméron came to be as a result of this, as she commissioned various composers to write variations on a Bellini opera. Liszt himself oversaw the creation of this work by piecing together each composer's input into a cohesive unit. In the end he described it as a monster. It inflicts tremendous demands beyond compare on the performer, not only for its highly technical gestures, but mostly for the risk that it may fall off the rails if the performer fails to grasp its structural integrity. Not only does Marc-André Hamelin merge its disparate styles seamlessly into one, but he also brings out the work's basic Italianate operatic flavor by focusing our attention on the melody at all times, even when that melody is buried under a blizzard of vociferous notes, arpeggios, and octave runs. Is there anything this pianist cannot do? A feast for the ears, from start to finish, for all piano enthusiasts. I'm surprised the piano was still in one piece afterwards. Highly recommended!