On This Day!

[Joy]

Oct. 22nd, 1811 -- Franz Liszt, Hungarian piano virtuoso, improviser, composer, and master teacher, is born in Raiding.

Some Beethoven connections:
In 1845: Liszt contributes to and attends the unveiling of the Beethoven monument in Bonn. Writes several songs including 3 with words by Schiller.
1846: Liszt continues his European concerts and writes his first Hungarian Rhapsody. Liszt receives Beethoven's Broadwood piano as a gift. Writes transcriptions of Beethoven's Coriolan and Egmont overtures.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[This message has been edited by Joy (edited 10-22-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Joy (edited 10-22-2005).]

[Nightklavier]

Liszt deserves more credit and appreciation than he gets today. He's actually my second favorite composer after Beethoven, and I hate it when people say he was all "show" or "flashy". All of his music has substance and melody. And I think people misinterpret his sheer power and passion in his pieces for "showiness". I've never heard more thunderous but melodic piano pieces than from Liszt. And anyone who can read The Divine Comedy and just pop out an inspirational musical poem that makes me sound like I'm descending into hell and then climbing back to heaven (Apres Une Lecture du Dante) is just a genius.

Interesting that you noted a transcription of Beethoven's overtures. Does anyone know if there are any recordings of that available?

[Joy]

Right you are about Liszt' music! I have his transcriptions of Beethoven's Symphonies which are stupendous in my opinion. Haven't heard the transcriptions of the overtures, but would like too.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Raro]

Originally posted by Joy:
Right you are about Liszt' music! I have his transcriptions of Beethoven's Symphonies which are stupendous in my opinion. Haven't heard the transcriptions of the overtures, but would like too.

Not really Liszt's music, though, but Beethoven's... I'm fond of many Liszt-transcriptions; the Beethoven-symphonies, but also those he made of Schubert-songs, chamber music by Beethoven and Hummel and orchestral music by French composers (all in Leslie Howard's amazing complete Liszt Edition on Hyperion). I value Liszt more highly as a transcriber and propagator of other people's music than as a composer, although he did write some great music. I'm especially fond of his Beethoven-Cantata, a seldom heard but beautiful work which was written for the celebrations of the unveiling of the Beethoven Monument in Bonn, I believe.

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Joy:
Oct. 22nd, 1811 -- Franz Liszt, Hungarian piano virtuoso, improviser, composer, and master teacher, is born in Raiding.

Some Beethoven connections:
In 1845: Liszt contributes to and attends the unveiling of the Beethoven monument in Bonn. Writes several songs including 3 with words by Schiller.
1846: Liszt continues his European concerts and writes his first Hungarian Rhapsody. Liszt receives Beethoven's Broadwood piano as a gift. Writes transcriptions of Beethoven's Coriolan and Egmont overtures.

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Joy:
Oct. 22nd, 1811 -- Franz Liszt, Hungarian piano virtuoso, improviser, composer, and master teacher, is born in Raiding.

Some Beethoven connections:
In 1845: Liszt contributes to and attends the unveiling of the Beethoven monument in Bonn. Writes several songs including 3 with words by Schiller.
1846: Liszt continues his European concerts and writes his first Hungarian Rhapsody. Liszt receives Beethoven's Broadwood piano as a gift. Writes transcriptions of Beethoven's Coriolan and Egmont overtures.

Dear Joy,

"Contributing" is not the word I would use. Liszt wrote a complete cantata for the ceremony in Bonn, which was his first full fledged choral work. The cantata utilized the cantabile theme from the "Archduke Trio." The cantata had to be played twice as some dignitaries arrived late.


Hofrat