Franz Liszt

Composer of the Week

Donald Macleod delves into the life and work of Franz Liszt through five striking images.

Franz Liszt was the most photographed man of the 19th century and the most sculpted man aside from Napoleon - one of the most recognisable figures of his age. Donald Macleod delves into the life and work of the prolific composer and virtuoso pianist through five intriguing images. Through these, he examines the promotion of Liszt as a child prodigy, and how his persona of the ‘dramatic virtuoso’ was created. We also hear about Liszt’s complicated relationships: with women and his friend Richard Wagner, and his frantic threefold existence, living between Rome, Weimar and Budapest.

Music featured:

50 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli – Variation 24 Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 Transcendental Etude No 4 'Mazeppa' Don Sanche (The Castle of Love): Overture Malédiction Christus Grandes Etudes de Paganini No 3 'La Campanella' Totentanz El Contrabandista – Rondo Fantastique Grand Galop Chromatique Cantata for Inauguration of the Beethoven Monument: Soirées de Vienne No 6 Liebestraum No 3 (Nocturne) Années de pèlerinage: Au lac de Wallenstadt A Symphony to Dante's Divine Comedy Harmonies poétiques et religieuses: Cantique d'amour Orpheus Wieder möcht' ich dir begegnen Richard Wagner (arr. Franz Liszt) Tannhäuser: Choeur des Pèlerins Prometheus A Faust Symphony: III. Mephistopheles In Liebeslust The Legend of St Elizabeth: Chorus of the Angels At the Grave of Richard Wagner Legend of St Francis of Assisi: St Francis preaches to the birds Via Crucis (Cruxis): Station VI Hungarian Rhapsody No 9 Nuages Gris Mephisto Waltz No 2 Années de pèlerinage: IV. Au bord d’une source Richard Wagner (arr. Franz Liszt) Tristan und Isolde: Liebestod

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Franz Liszt: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00022zn

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z