Classical Music

Hungarian composer and virtuoso Franz Liszt gained renown across Europe in the early 19th century for his unmatched piano skills. By 1940 he was considered by many critics to be the greatest pianist of all time. Liszt was also a diverse composer, and made many contributions to the musical world, most notably the invention of the symphonic poem. He was also one of the most significant representatives of the New German School. The lieder of Franz Liszt are some of his most beloved works. On this recording, American tenor Daniel Weeks performs these compositions with magnificent insight. Pianist Naomi Oliphant beautifully accompanies.

Italian pianist Sebastian Di Bin provides us here with an intriguingly beautiful performance of Franz Liszt’s complete Transcendental Etudes. Sebastian Di Bin has dedicated this album to the memory of his brother, Francois, who passed away in March 2015. The composition of Liszt’s twelve Transcendental Etudes began when the 15-year-old composer composed a set of much less difficult exercises titled the Etude en douze exercices. These works were elaborated upon to become his Douze Grandes Etudes in 1837, then finally revised and republished in 1852 as the etudes performed here.

This is the fourth volume of the BBC Phiharmonic's five-disc cycle of Liszt's Symphonic Poems, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. This monumental survey continues to go from strength to strength through Noseda's passionate conducting and innate Italian romanticism and has made possible a reappraisal of these unjustly neglected works.

The Telegraph wrote, "...it is hard to imagine them ever sounding better than here. This is music-making full of rich colouring, refined shaping of melodic line and emotional power."

Between 1848 and 1858 Liszt wrote twelve Symphonic Poems. He coined the term Symphonische Dichtung around 1853 to describe these musical works whose ideas were inspired by other art forms such as poetry or painting, or by characters and scenes. The works were particularly revolutionary for they are one-movement compositions, rather than the traditional four-movement form and pushed the boundaries of orchestration, form, harmony and structure. In this fourth instalment, the BBC Philharmonic presents four key works in Liszt's symphonic catalogue.

Hamlet is rarely performed, yet widely acknowledged as one of Liszt's greatest works, and chronologically the last of the symphonic poems to be composed. It was intended as an overture to Shakespeare's play. Hungaria was composed following Liszt's first return visit to Hungary in 1839 having moved from his homeland aged 11. He was welcomed with open arms as a great celebrity and artist by his compatriots Undoubtedly inspired by this visit, the post Vörösmarty wrote his patriotic ode 'To Ferenc Liszt' to which Liszt eventually responded with his pisodic work based on quotes from a poem by Friedrich Schiller and was first played in 1857 in Weimar, conducted by the composer. The final work, Battle of the Huns takes its inspiration from Kaulbach's painting of Attila the Hun.

The final volume of this epic series is released in 2009 and will include the Dante Symphony. Also available: Volume 1: CHAN 10341 Volume 2: CHAN 10375 Volume 3: CHAN 10417

Includes work(s) for piano by Franz Liszt. Soloist: Louis Lortie.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Hans-Joachim Lustig and the chamber choir I Vocalisti present a selection of Franz Liszt’s sacred vocal works that is well aimed to provide a comprehensive view of Liszt’s choral oeuvre. Opulent harmonic sequences countered by sparser passages frequently pervade these compositions, furnishing thee works with captivating sounds and sonorities. The compositions on this recording, all of which date from the second half of Liszt’s life, show the creative power of the religious searching which he experienced in 1853 as “an enduring feeling which controls me”.

WORKS FOR CHOIR & ORGAN

Classical Music

MEISTER-SCHULER LADEGAST-SAUE

VISIONS

Liszt: Sonata in B minor; Tre Sonetti del Petrarca; Légende