MusiLLection

Liszt’s striking appearance and magnetic presence contributed to the myth of the virtuoso as a cultural phenomenon of the Romantic era. A Child Born into Music From the very first day of his life, on October 22, 1811, Franz Liszt seemed to carry within him a restlessness that would never be confined to an ordinary path. Raiding, Hungary, where he was born, lay far from Europe’s great cultural centers; yet the environment in which he grew up was deeply infused with music. His father, Adam Liszt, worked as an estate steward for the aristocratic and profoundly music-loving Esterházy family — a name already inseparably linked to the grand history of European music. Adam was not a professional musician, but a serious amateur with solid knowledge, capable of playing several instruments and, above all, of recognizing the exceptional. In young Franz he perceived early on something beyond talent: an inner necessity for musical expression. From the age of seven, the piano became an extension of...

Recording techniques were, unfortunately, not yet invented when Franz Liszt conquered Europe with his mesmerizing pianistic performances. As a result, his dazzling interpretations were fleeting, and we are left only with written testimonies that describe him as a pianist of unconventional virtuosity. His recitals were events that provoked overwhelming excitement and almost religious admiration. Liszt’s focus on virtuosic display, along with his dedication to pianistic “showpieces” and transcriptions of works by other composers, initially prevented his recognition as a truly inspired composer. Nevertheless, no careful observer of musical evolution can doubt the impact he had on the expression of his time. His symphonic poems anticipated new forms of musical art, while his instrumental works paved the way for the innovations of Wagner , Mahler, and Richard Strauss. The daring harmonies of his mature piano compositions even foreshadow elements of Debussy’s impressionism. Liszt loved m...

The Consolations in E major and D-flat major share a closely related atmosphere: both are quiet, introspective, and imbued with Romantic sensitivity. The E major Consolation conveys a gentle serenity and restrained optimism, unfolding with simplicity and clarity. The D-flat major Consolation , by contrast, is more expansive and emotionally expressive. Often compared to the nocturnes of Chopin , it features a flowing left-hand accompaniment reminiscent of Liszt ’s Liebesträume . Its lyrical warmth and cantabile line have made it one of Liszt’s most beloved works for solo piano. Notably, the main theme of the D-flat major Consolation is derived from a song by Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach , Liszt’s patron and, at times, his pupil—an intimate gesture that further reinforces the personal nature of the piece. Together, these works exemplify Liszt’s ability to express profound emotion through economy of means, offering consolation not through virtuosity, but throu...

Franz Liszt at the piano, embodying the virtuosity and visionary spirit that defined his musical legacy. The creative output of Franz Liszt spans nearly every major musical genre of the nineteenth century. As a composer, pianist, conductor, and visionary, Liszt reshaped orchestral form, expanded pianistic technique, and pioneered new approaches to musical structure and expression. Liszt’s catalogue reflects his dual nature as both innovator and interpreter. Whether composing original works or transforming the music of others, he consistently pushed technical and expressive boundaries, leaving an enduring mark on Romantic music. Below is a curated overview of his most celebrated works, organized by genre. Orchestral Works: Faust Symphony Dante Symphony Mephistopheles Symphony Hungarian Rhapsodies (orchestral versions)        12 Symphonic Poems:            - No. 1 Ce qu'on entend sur la montagne           ...

Franz Liszt in Hungarian attire, reflecting his lifelong fascination with national identity and folk-inspired music. In 1852, while living in Weimar, Franz Liszt reworked one of his piano Hungarian Rhapsodies into a large-scale composition for piano and orchestra, later known as the Hungarian Fantasy . The folk material employed in this work reflects not so much the authentic rural music of Hungary as the urban Gypsy style that Liszt encountered through Gypsy orchestras, particularly in Vienna. For this reason, the full title Fantasia on Hungarian Folk Melodies is somewhat misleading. Many of the themes Liszt uses were drawn from the repertory of Gypsy ensembles, whose musicians often performed melodies adapted or reworked by other composers. Liszt himself had only limited direct knowledge of the ancient Magyar musical tradition—the true indigenous music of Hungary. It was later composers, notably Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály , who systematically revealed the authentic folk son...

Franz Liszt  composed the four Valses oubliées between 1881 and 1884, when he was already in his seventies. Despite his advanced age, his musical thinking remained strikingly inventive and forward-looking. This first Valse oubliée , like many of Liszt’s late piano works, reveals a decisive shift away from the virtuoso brilliance of his earlier style toward a more introspective, experimental language. Its harmonic vocabulary and formal treatment show a remarkable degree of innovation, anticipating musical developments that would only become fully apparent in the twentieth century. Although cast in the outward form of a traditional waltz, the piece bears little resemblance to the elegant Viennese waltzes of Johann Strauss. Its movement is more restless and elusive, aligning it more closely with the poetic ambiguity of Chopin ’s waltzes—yet even these are surpassed in harmonic boldness. The work balances flashes of technical refinement with a deep and probing exploration of harmon...

Portrait of Franz Liszt, whose revolutionary approach to the piano concerto redefined the balance between soloist and orchestra. Franz Liszt first became involved with this concerto as early as 1832, during his youth. However, his relentless touring as a virtuoso pianist across Europe left him little time for sustained compositional work. As a result, the concerto was completed only in 1849 and continued to undergo revisions for several years thereafter. The premiere finally took place in Weimar in 1855, conducted by another towering figure of Romantic music, Hector Berlioz . The concerto is Romantic in every sense. It departs decisively from the Classical three-movement concerto model of Mozart and Beethoven and adopts a cyclical form , in which the same musical ideas reappear and are transformed throughout the work. This unifying principle gives the concerto remarkable coherence despite its rich variety of moods. Movements: I. Allegro maestoso The concerto opens with a commandin...

The Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5 belongs to the group of works through which Franz Liszt sought to transform the spirit of Hungarian and Romani musical traditions into concert art. Initially inspired by what he perceived as Hungarian gypsy music, Liszt first published a series entitled Hungarian National Melodies . Much of this material was later reshaped into the Hungarian Rhapsodies , composed over an extended period beginning in 1846. Originally written for solo piano, several of these rhapsodies—among them No. 5—were later orchestrated by the composer. Unlike the virtuoso brilliance and fiery contrasts found in many of the later rhapsodies, No. 5 stands apart for its restrained drama and inward melancholy. The music opens in a dark, austere atmosphere. Deep strings sound in unison, establishing a grave and somber tone. Gradually, the violins take up the principal melody, unfolding it with a quiet, nostalgic sorrow, before a poignant cello solo deepens the sense of introspection. Li...

Liebesträume (“Dreams of Love”) originated as a set of three songs composed by Franz Liszt . In 1850, Liszt transcribed them for solo piano, describing the resulting works as nocturnes —a clear homage to the expressive world and poetic intimacy associated with Chopin . Among the three, Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat Major has become one of the most cherished Romantic piano pieces ever written. The music unfolds through a long, flowing melody , sustained over a gently rocking left-hand accompaniment. From the outset, an atmosphere of tender reverie emerges, in which rhythmic rigidity gives way to expressive freedom and the melodic line seems to breathe naturally. Liszt’s cantabile writing here approaches the ideal of a sung line transferred to the piano. After its initial statement, the melody returns with growing intensity. The texture thickens, and the music rises toward a passionate climax, marked by increasingly elaborate figurations and expressive harmonic turns. Virtuosity, howev...