This transcription of a piano fantasy on themes from Puccini's La Boheme is excellent. The unmistakable opening is just as dramatic as in the original, and the following famous arias are all pitched in exactly the right register to convey their meaning. After each one there is then a florid variation and a chance to shine in the familiar nineteenth century style. Jurgen Franz has shown great skill in making sure that the integrity of Puccini's music is never buried in a tsunami of notes, and that the main elements of the opera remain intact. The result is a lovely piece of music that everyone will enjoy.
Based on the piano reduction and the piano fantasy by Ch. Godfrey (1839-1919), it is dramaturgically not adapted to the course of the opera, but has its own dramaturgical course. Some themes are executed in the style of "musical fantasy" with flute variations and are thus in the tradition of this instrumental genre.
Performance duration (approx): 12'30
