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