The Two Pieces include 'Entry of the Guests into Wartburg Castle' from Lohengrin as the first piece, and 'Elsa's Bridal Procession' from Tannhäuser as the second. Although this overall title is rather mundane, it was suggested by Wagner. When Liszt inquired by letter, 'What title would be good?' (dated February 18, 1853), Wagner did not reply. Approximately a week later, in response to a renewed inquiry, a curt reply arrived: 'Perhaps Two Pieces from Lohengrin and Tannhäuser would be fine' (dated March 3 of the same year). Although Wagner had been greatly enthusiastic about Liszt's arrangement of the Tannhäuser Overture three years prior, he may have already begun to show less interest in Liszt's arrangements by this time. (Subsequently, Wagner's interest clearly waned, and he made no comments on Liszt's arrangements after the 1860s.)

I. "Entry of the Guests into Wartburg Castle"

As is often the case with the creative process of Liszt's original compositions, many of his arrangements were also revised once or several times after the publication of their first drafts. Some pieces saw revised versions created and published as much as 20 years after their first editions. However, in most cases, the degree of revision is extremely subtle.

Amidst this, 'Entry of the Guests into Wartburg Castle,' based on Act II, Scene 4 of Wagner's Tannhäuser, has a peculiar revision history. Liszt, who published the 1852 first draft the following year, created a revised version in 1874 and published it in 1875. There is almost no difference between the two versions. However, thereafter, events took an unexpected turn. In November 1876, C. F. Meser, the publisher of the opera Tannhäuser, sued Breitkopf & Härtel (hereinafter 'B&H'), Liszt's arrangement publisher, for copyright infringement, claiming that Liszt's arrangement score was merely a reprint of the original opera's piano score (the original term being “Klavierauszug,” referring to a vocal score). (Indeed, Liszt's arrangement of 'Entry of the Guests' (1852/74 version) fundamentally follows the melodic lines of the original work and does not prominently feature Liszt's original treatment. In that respect, it might be described as having a similar finish to a typical opera piano score. However, the 40-bar postlude uniquely added by Liszt at the end of the arrangement demonstrates, despite Meser's claim, that Liszt's score is unmistakably Liszt's original arrangement.)

To clear his unexpected name, Liszt immediately created a substantially 'new revised version' and sent it to B&H on the 12th of the same month. However, for some reason, this version was not published at the time, and it was first printed in 2002, more than 125 years later, in Volume 10 of the arrangement series of the New Liszt Complete Edition. (For details on the publication and revision history of 'Entry of the Guests,' please refer to the editor's commentary in that volume.)

As mentioned, there is almost no difference between the 1852 first draft and the 1874 revised version. However, comparing the 1852/74 version with the 1876 new revised version reveals decisive differences between the two. The 1876 version is an arrangement that can be regarded as a new undertaking, far exceeding the scope of a mere revision. Unlike the 1852/74 version, which follows the original melodic lines exactly, apart from Liszt's unique postlude added at the end, the 1876 new revised version unfolds an unexpected world.

The 1876 version begins in B major, as in the original. However, after the fanfare signaling the guests' entry, a theme melody with an alien timbre appears from measure 25. When a listener, expecting the continuation of B major, hears a D note at measure 25, they might think the piece has modulated to the parallel minor, B minor. However, it is a distorted D major theme, which temporarily becomes A major after a strange augmented second interval (measure 31), then C major, before finally returning to the original key of B major at measure 41. Liszt frequently deviates from the original thereafter, and the total number of measures was expanded by 55 measures from the 328 measures of the 1852 first draft.

The 1876 new revised version of 'Entry of the Guests into Wartburg Castle,' which holds an extremely unique position in Liszt's history of arrangements, can be described as presenting an aspect more akin to a free and intentional parody and distortion, rather than a mere arrangement, despite being a product in response to a copyright infringement claim.

II. "Elsa's Bridal Procession"

In 'Elsa's Bridal Procession,' based on the opening of Act II, Scene 4 of Lohengrin, a 17-measure prelude is inserted, similar to many other Wagner-Liszt arrangements. In the original opera, at the moment Elsa appears, the music shifts to a key a semitone higher, and a male four-part chorus (two groups), followed by female voices, join in, building a magnificent and heavenly beautiful climax with a lengthy crescendo. However, even from measure 49 onwards, corresponding to the section where the chorus is introduced, Liszt continues to follow the orchestral melodic lines rather than the choral parts for over 30 measures.

Since Wagner abruptly interrupts this scene of Elsa's Bridal Procession with the insertion of a diminished seventh chord, Liszt was compelled to add a postlude to bring the piece to an end. Liszt's unique 18-measure postlude, while continuing the thematic elements of the 'Bridal Procession,' quietly concludes with harmonies reminiscent of the Lohengrin Prelude.

Currently, the autograph manuscript is housed in the Berlin State Library. It bears the inscription 'Evening, December 18, '52, to Hans,' but no dedication to Hans von Bülow (1830-94) is noted in any published score.