Étude d'exécution transcendante No. 5 in B-flat major, "Feux follets", S.139/5 (Small-Hand Edition)-Franz Liszt

A PLAYABLE PIANO Small-Hand Edition of Franz Liszt's Étude d'exécution transcendante No. 5 in B-flat major, "Feux follets" (S.139/5), redesigned for pianists with smaller hands (PDF + MusicXML).

This is not a simplified or beginner arrangement. The goal is to preserve the original musical character, texture, and difficulty while redesigning selected physical hand-size barriers.

"Feux follets" is known for its shimmering chromatic double notes, rapid leaps across the keyboard, and wide left-hand chords. Transcribed and collated by hand from public-domain scans of the Breitkopf & Haertel first edition (Leipzig, plate 8484-85; IMSLP #67094), this edition keeps the notes, rhythms, words, and dynamics of the first edition apart from the numbered changes and source notes documented in the PDF. Where one hand must strike or hold more than 12 semitones in the first edition, notes are moved to the other hand, shifted by an octave, shortened or lifted earlier, and supported by bracketed pedals. The musical character and texture are preserved while selected hand-size barriers — the stretches beyond a comfortable octave — are redesigned.

- Cross-hand redistribution (r.h. / l.h.): 33 notes

- Octave shifts: 27 notes (16 down, 11 up)

- Shortened durations / early releases: 79 notes

- Bracketed editorial pedals: 10

- Printed roll chords still over 12 semitones as written: 6 chords (bars 2, 5, 53, 54, 116, 131)

- Every editorial change is numbered in the score (1-21) and documented bar by bar in the Editorial Changes pages at the end of the PDF score, which also carry source notes 22-25

Designed for pianists who can handle the musical and technical demands of the original work, but are limited by selected stretches beyond a comfortable octave.

PLAYABLE PIANO

We don't make hard music easy.

We make it more playable for smaller hands.