Reflections on LisztIn a series of lively essays that tell us much not only about the phenomenon that was Franz Liszt but also about the musical and cultural life of nineteenth-century Europe, Alan Walker muses on aspects of Liszt's life and work that he was unable to explore in his acclaimed three-volume biography of the great composer and pianist. Topics include Liszt's contributions to the Lied, the lifelong impact of his encounter with Beethoven, his influence on students who became famous in their own right, his accomplishments in transcribing and editing the works of other composers, and his innovative piano technique. One chapter is devoted to the Sonata in B Minor, perhaps Liszt's single most celebrated composition. Walker draws heavily on Liszt's astonishingly large personal correspondence with other composers, critics, pianists, and prominent public figures. All the essays reveal Walker's broad and deep knowledge of Liszt and Romantic music generally and, in some cases, his impatience with contemporary performance practice. |
From inside the book
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... performance of Liszt's Sonata in B Minor in England; to Dr. William Renwick, who prepared the music examples; and to Pauline Pocknell, who read the entire book in typescript, and, by spotting a number of errors, rescued me from ...
... performance of Liszt's oratorio Christus, on November 9, conducted by Hans Richter.3 On November 23 there would also be a performance of the Gran Mass in Pressburg. Between times, Liszt was expected to attend a grueling round of ...
... performance of Allegri's “Miserere” and had then gone back to his lodgings in Rome and written it out from memory. On this particular occasion, Liszt continues, “it seemed to me as if I saw him [Mozart], and as if he looked back at me ...
... lithograph would serve as “proof”of an event that had only ever existed in the imagination of his biographers. 1. NLB, p. 309. 2. NZfM, November 1891, no. 47, p. 503. 3. The first performance had taken place in Weimar a.
Alan Walker. 3. The first performance had taken place in Weimar a few months earlier, on May 29, under Liszt's direction, and it had been heavily abridged. On that occasion Liszt had authorized cuts totaling 806 measures (WFL, vol. 2, p ...
Contents
Liszt and the Schubert Song Transcriptions | |
A Study in Declining | |
Three Character Sketches | |
Liszts Sonata in B Minor | |
Liszt and the Lied | |
Liszt as Editor | |
Some Thoughts and Afterthoughts | |
On Music and Musicians | |
An Open Letter to Franz Liszt | |
Sources | |