Liszt: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 65

Featuring

Christopher Williams
Franz Liszt

Did you know?

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Composer's Artistic Vision

For almost five decades, from the late 1830s to 1886, Liszt composed at least 80 works that incorporated Hungarian musical materials.

Historical Context

Liszt declared himself a Hungarian and supported the country's political objectives during a public recognition ceremony in Pest in 1840, at a time when Hungary was a restive part of the Austrian Empire.

Compositional Technique

Liszt often used the verbunkos tradition for his musical materials, which has roots in Hungarian village folk music and typically features a medium tempo opening with a faster, energetic ending.

Composer Biography

Liszt's international touring as a virtuoso from 1839 to 1847 led to his fame reaching "Lisztomania" proportions, with him cultivating a stage presence as a hero.

Performer Biography

Christopher Williams, the pianist on this album, is a staff pianist at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and piano tutor at Cardiff University.

Composer Biography

Franz Liszt, born in Raiding (Doborján), showed immense musical talent as a child, leading his family to move to Vienna and then Paris for his studies.

Cultural Impact

Liszt's 1859 book, Des Bohémiens et de leur musique en Hongrie, credited Roma peoples alongside Magyars with the verbunkos style, causing controversy.