Liszt's Sonata in B minor is notable for having no explicit program, though some critics have interpreted it as an unconfessed paraphrase of Goethe's "Faust" or Milton's "Paradise Lost."
Composer's Artistic Vision
Liszt's works on this album synthesize his early creative period, combining formal reflection from opera fantasies with a poetic project uniting word and sound, spiritual and musical elements.
Performer Biography
Sylvie Carbonel has a diverse discography, including recordings dedicated to Moussorgsky, Schumann, Mozart, Chabrier, and Jacques Desbrières.
Compositional Technique
Liszt's "Totentanz" is a sumptuous paraphrase of the "Dies Irae" for piano and orchestra, featuring a 'diabolic' concertante piano, and is reminiscent of Berlioz's "Fantastic Symphony."
Performer Biography
Sylvie Carbonel, the pianist on this album, has performed in major musical capitals worldwide, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, and under renowned conductors like Lorin Maazel.
Composition History
The works "God's Blessing in Solitude" and "Funerals" are part of a larger collection by Liszt called "Harmonies poétiques et religieuses."
Historical Context
A specific French cultural influence, stemming from the legitimist aristocracy during Charles X's reign who returned to faith after the French Revolution, shaped Liszt's aesthetic in his early years.
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Liszt: Piano Sonata, 3 Petrarch Sonnets & Légende No. 1
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