Mozart: “Voi che sapete“ from “Le Nozze di Figaro“ (Thalberg transcription)

Cherubino’s famous aria “Voi che sapete“ from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera “Le Nozze di Figaro“ in an instrumental piano transcription by Liszt rival Sigismond Thalberg (1812-1871). This transcription is part of a collection entitled “L’Art du Chant appliqué au Piano“ (the art of song applied to the piano). This collection contains 25 transcriptions of vocal works by various composers, the majority from the opera genre. Of course the piano can never sing this aria of Cherubino in a way like some of the immortal interpreters of this aria: Maria Ewing, Cecilia Bartoli, or Frederica von Stade. But as pianists it should be our goal to try to come as close to the ideal of this singing of a beautiful human voice as ever possible. It’s a never-ending quest, of course. Some words on Thalberg’s “L’art du chant“: It stands apart as one of the earliest examples of piano pedagogy which directed the performer’s attention toward tone