Somebody explain to me what's so special about Liszt.

Started by Josquin des Prez, September 11, 2007, 05:42:39 PM

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offbeat

my favourite liszt work is his Dante Symphony - dramatic and mystical at same time.....

Daverz

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on August 06, 2010, 04:00:23 AM
Somebody explain to me the point of a thread headed Somebody explain to me what's so special about Liszt?

I think it's a good question.  Liszt is an important composer, but it's not entirely clear why to many 21st century listeners.

Daverz

Quote from: Mirror Image on August 05, 2010, 10:30:54 PM
I enjoy a few of Liszt's orchestral works like his Faust Symphony, Prometheus, Orpheus, Les Preludes, and his piano concerti.

The Faust Symphony is the work that made me admire his music. The work is very deep and contains some gorgeous music. I especially like the dissonance he stirs up in the music.

Yes, it was the Faust Symphony that made me start wondering if there might be more to this guy than tub thumping overtures and flashy piano pieces.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Daverz on August 06, 2010, 04:10:13 PM
Yes, it was the Faust Symphony that made me start wondering if there might be more to this guy than tub thumping overtures and flashy piano pieces.

Faust Symphony is really a fine work. A work that exhibits such an intellectual curiosity and emotional depth.

Teresa

Liszt is very special to me, he is one of my absolute favorite composers.  Personally I do not like solo piano music from any composer, it is Liszt's works for orchestra and piano and orchestra that are so special to me. 

My favorites:

Mephisto Waltz No. 1 for Orchestra "Dance in the Village Inn"

http://www.youtube.com/v/LCnmFBVEFWo

Todtentanz for Piano and Orchestra

Hungarian Rhapsodies Nos. 1-6 for Orchestra

Symphonic Poems Nos. 1-13 especially Tasso, Battle of the Huns and Les Préludes, however all thirteen are wonderful compositions. 

And many, many others.   In short Liszt is special to those who love his music, and not so special to those who do not. 

quintett op.57

Quote from: Daverz on August 06, 2010, 04:10:13 PM
Yes, it was the Faust Symphony that made me start wondering if there might be more to this guy than tub thumping overtures and flashy piano pieces.
there's no incompatibility between tub-thumping, flashy music and greatness. this is a prejudgement that often convinces people not to search the subtleties just behind.
Faust symphony's tub-thumping parts are very relevant.

La Notte, William Tell's Chapel or the first episode from Lenau's Faust are neither flashy nor tub-thumping but very original masterworks.

abidoful

Quote from: Mirror Image on August 05, 2010, 10:30:54 PM
I enjoy a few of Liszt's orchestral works like his Faust Symphony, Prometheus, Orpheus, Les Preludes, and his piano concerti.

The Faust Symphony is the work that made me admire his music. The work is very deep and contains some gorgeous music. I especially like the dissonance he stirs up in the music.
Yeah, it's great work...But don't you find the second movement viola+oboe part kind of problematic? I'm very sorry, but that is just weird writing :-[

DavidRoss

He was a heckuva piano player, had nice hair, was an early rock star, and had a much better class of groupies than little Dickie.
"Maybe the problem most of you have ... is that you're not listening to Barbirolli." ~Sarge

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money." ~Margaret Thatcher

Mirror Image

Quote from: abidoful on August 12, 2010, 06:23:23 AM
Yeah, it's great work...But don't you find the second movement viola+oboe part kind of problematic? I'm very sorry, but that is just weird writing :-[

Liszt's orchestral music is full of problems, but at the same time it doesn't matter what those problems are technically speaking. Liszt pushed boundaries with his music. Some of it's great, some of stinks, but he was always willing to take a risk or two, which for me is much better than playing it safe all the time.