Liszt composed his Faust-Symphonie, S.108, in an "astonishingly short period" between August and October 1854, after being reminded of his unfinished work by various Goethe-related events in Weimar.
Composition History
The composition of Liszt's Totentanz, S.525, was inspired by the cholera epidemic in Paris in 1832 and later by Hans Holbein the Younger's woodcuts and Buonamico Buffalmacco's fresco, Trionfo della Morte.
Compositional Technique
Liszt's Totentanz, S.525, is an elaborate set of variations on the liturgical plainchant Dies iræ, and also incorporates a theme from Mozart's Requiem, K.626.
Performer Biography
Leonardo Pierdomenico, the pianist, won the 'Raymond E. Buck' Jury Discretionary Award at the 2017 'Van Cliburn' International Competition and was a semifinalist at the 2016 'Queen Elisabeth' International Piano Competition.
Composition History
Liszt's transcription of Schubert's Winterreise, S.561, includes only twelve of the original twenty-four songs and rearranges their order, creating a different narrative.
Composer Biography
Franz Liszt, the composer, was deeply preoccupied with Franz Schubert's music throughout his life, advocating for it through performances and numerous transcriptions.
Compositional Technique
In his Winterreise transcriptions, Liszt often retains the simplicity of Schubert's original but amplifies the piano part or adds flourishes to evoke extramusical effects suggested by the lyrics.
