The pianistically demanding studies ŒñWaldesrauschenŒî and ŒñGnomenreigenŒî were written during the composerŒÍs mature late phase, in which one does not necessarily expect such virtuosic pieces. Liszt composed them in 1862 in Rome for the Groíôe theoretisch-praktische Klavierschule by SiegmundLebert and Ludwig Stark. In so doing he honoured a pledge he had made s ome time before. Liszt was now teaching a large group of students. The two studies, published in 1863 and independent of the Klavierschule, werededicated to his extremely gifted pupil Dionys Pruckner. He and other L iszt pupils often played them in concerts.
