Arrangements for piano by Josef Gabriel Rheinberger

Among the innumerable arrangements which 19th-century composers made of both their works and works by other composers, transcriptions for piano were especially popular. They played an important
role in making contemporary works known, as well as for the rediscovery of music from earlier centuries. As a welcome means for becoming acquainted with music such as fully scored orchestral works, piano reductions, playable in the comfort of one’s living room, fulfilled to a certain degree the function of our presentday compact disc recordings. At the same time he composed many of his instrumental
works, Rheinberger also made piano arrangements, mostly for piano four hands. Thus, for example, he completed versions for piano four hands of his two Symphonies op. 10 and op. 87, the overtures to the operas Die sieben Raben and Türmers Töchterlein, the two organ concertos, some of his chamber works, and also most of his celebrated organ sonatas.