Franz Liszt's symphonic poems, including those on this album, were foundational to the 'New German School,' an avant-garde movement of the 19th century.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Liszt was ambivalent about transcribing his symphonic poems for solo piano, believing a single performer could not effectively translate the coloristic brilliance of his orchestral scores.
Compositional Technique
Liszt's symphonic poems are considered pioneering for their narrative-driven formal structure and directly influenced the tone poems of Richard Strauss and Sibelius.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Liszt published his symphonic poems with programs that revealed their 'extra-musical' content, drawing inspiration from paintings, Shakespearean heroes, and artifacts.
Performer Biography
Sergio Monteiro, the pianist on this recording, is an energetic champion of Brazilian music and has been honored by many composers with invitations to premiere their works.
Composer Biography
Liszt turned to composing large-scale orchestral works after accepting a Kapellmeister position in Weimar, which allowed him a break from touring and more time for composing.
Compositional Technique
For Liszt, composing orchestral music and arranging it for piano could be conflated as acts of 'revision,' often evolving throughout a work's compositional life.
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