Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was many things: an innovator, an excellent composer, a performer, a teacher, and a philanthropist. He was also a pivotal figure in the Romantic Era, shaping the trajectory of the age, and his influence extended beyond his own lifetime. His innovative approach to harmony, musical form, and piano playing led to technical advancements and enrichment of the piano’s expressive capabilities. Although his works fell to the wayside after his death in favor of Impressionism and Serialism, time was kind to him and brought objective clarity to his massive contributions.
Franz Liszt the Innovator
Many of the ideas, musical forms, and conducting gestures we have today find their genesis in Franz List’s brilliant mind and hands. Before we delve into the five compositions that set Franz Liszt apart from his contemporaries, let us look at his innovations.
Apart from being a Romantic Era heartthrob, and known for his pyrotechnical performances at the piano keyboard, we can ascribe a good deal of innovations to him too. The piano recital as we know it today is partly thanks to Liszt. He felt that ordinary people should have access to music like the upper and educated classes. Extending this idea, he arranged many symphonic works for the solo piano—most famously Beethoven’s nine symphonies—while also composing numerous fantasias based on popular and obscure opera themes.
Although he composed over 100 works for the piano, the orchestral symphonic poem is another invention of his. But he did not stop there. As a conductor, he went beyond merely keeping the beat for the orchestra. He used a vast range of passionate and subtle gestures to draw the music to the foreground — his gestures would allow the orchestra to understand the conductor’s intentions. He transformed the art of conducting forever.
While most people associate the leitmotif with Richard Wagner’s operas, it was Liszt who devised the technique — Wagner gave it a name. Many of the novel ideas we associate with Impressionist composers like Debussy and Ravel can be traced back to Liszt. For example, incorporating foreign music and elements into music, an example of exoticism — Liszt used Hungarian melodies in his compositions (more on their authenticity later). Liszt was a masterful orchestrator. His innovative use of tonal color (by combining instrumental groups and sounds) along with chromaticism and dissonance paved the way for the Impressionists.
These are only a few of Franz Liszt’s innovative techniques and his exploration of new musical territories was nothing short of amazing. Let’s delve deeper into five works that will help us understand this composer and their lasting influence on the world of music.
Understanding Franz Liszt in Five Compositions
Limiting Franz Liszt’s vast output to five works is no easy feat. The works below aim to offer a bird’s eye view of his rich compositional career while highlighting some of his most famous and lesser-known works.
1. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, S. 244/2
The Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 is perhaps Franz Liszt’s most famous and instantly recognizable composition. It is filled with fireworks, technically demanding passages, and a lot of Hungarian elements. Apart from its roots in the Romantic Era, the piece has been used in numerous films like A Day at the Races and A Night in Casablanca by the Marx Brothers and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It has also made appearances in classic cartoons like Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry, and Bugs Bunny. Modern cartoons include The Simpsons and Animaniacs.
Although Liszt was of Hungarian heritage, he could not speak the language too well nor did he live in Hungary for the majority of his life. He was immensely proud of his roots, but it should be noted that many of the “Hungarian” elements in his music are not authentic. He made assumptions about Hungarian and gypsy folk tunes in many of his Hungarian Rhapsodies. Gypsy is used here with a non-derogatory intention and in a historical context.
Many of the folk tunes he assumed belonged to his fatherland were composed by middle and upper-class society members. Those folk tunes trickled into the gypsies’ music eventually. One could argue that it is still a form of folk music but in a reversed form — it still hails from the same country and found a footing in the folk tradition.
But, all hope is not lost! There are elements of Hungarian music present in Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. The overall form is based on a gypsy musical form known as Verbunkos with slow, serious, and moody (Lassan, between 00:44 and 05:03) and fast, lighthearted (Friska, between 05:08 and 09:10) sections.
A brief introduction (between 00:07 and 00:43) opens the piece. At 00:44 the Lassan-section begins with its moody opening in the bass. It moves through various key signatures (modulation) from minor (sad sounding) to major (happy sounding). The opening of the Lassan is stated a second time (at 02:30), albeit now with a fuller, louder, and “richer” sound. Liszt creates the idea that there is more to follow when the Lassan section ends on a major cadence (from 04:51 to 05:03). He certainly does not disappoint in the next section!
After a moment of silence, the Friska-section (starting at 05:08) opens with repeated dotted rhythms typical of the gypsy music’s Verbunkos form. The friska is marked vivace meaning lively, quick, or fast. This section is humorous and lighthearted (especially if you have watched the Tom and Jerry video). It is filled with pianistic pyrotechnics — basically just showing off what a masterful pianist Liszt was!
Finally, the cadenza arrives — an improvisational section that is usually technically demanding while showing off the performer’s technique and talent. If the friska was not a feat of endurance, the cadenza (starting at 09:10 until the end) is — filled with wild abandon over consecutive octaves alternating between the two hands.
2. Cantico del Sol di San Francesco d’Assisi, S. 499
As strange as it may seem, Liszt was deeply religious. As early as 1856 or 1856 he became a Franciscan tertiary. In his religious music, he sought to break the chains of strict liturgical prescriptions while still imbuing them with a deep religious sentiment. Although Liszt had the title Abbé, he was never an ordained priest — it was an honorary title bestowed upon him by Pope Pius IX in 1865, four years after he moved to Rome.
He had a deep spiritual affinity with the stories of two patron saints — St Francis of Assisi and St Francis of Paola. Among his favorite devotional and inspirational readings were the Fioretti (Little Flowers) by St Francis of Assisi. The text of The Canticle of the Sun inspired his religious composition, Cantico del Sol.
The first setting of the work, which was never published, was scored for baritone with an optional male chorus and piano or organ accompaniment. The first setting of the work dates from 1862.
The definitive version, linked above, was completed around 1881 and published immediately. A contemporary version for the solo piano (external video) remained unpublished until it was printed in 1983 in the Neue Liszt-Ausgabe (New Liszt Edition) by Editio Musica Budapest Zenemükiadó.
The text brings praise to God the creator but also thanks God for creation especially the sun which allows all to grow and thrive. The beginning is dark and dramatic until the baritone starts singing (at 00:24) and it is as if the sun breaks through on a cloudy day. Finally, the melody of In Dulci Jubilo (In Sweet Rejoicing) is sung by the baritone (at 02:22) and various snippets of the hymn are used to express joy in God’s work on earth.
Overall, this work is a paean of joy celebrating the gift of life that God has bestowed upon his creation.
3. Transcendental Études, S. 139
The Transcendental Etudes began as a youthful work Liszt composed as a 15-year-old in 1826. These etudes were called the Étude en douze exercices (Study in Twelve Exercises), S.136 and were not demanding.
Eleven years later, Liszt returned to the set of pieces and expanded the musical ideas, resulting in the Douze Grandes Études (Twelve Grand Studies), S.137, and he published them in 1837. Yet, he was still not happy with the results.
The Transcendental Études, S. 139 are a reworking of the Douze Grand Études. They were published as a set in 1852 and dedicated to his piano teacher, Carl Czerny. After many changes upon the final revision of the text—done with pianos with a heavier action in mind—was Liszt satisfied.
The fourth étude, Mazeppa, was published as a standalone composition in 1846 and based on the Ukrainian legend of Mazeppa and Victor Hugo’s poem (not Lord Byron’s epic poem). The legend of Mazeppa is centered on the titular character who is caught by a nobleman having an affair with his wife. Mazeppa is tied naked to the back of a wild horse and let loose. In Victor Hugo’s poem, the horse finally collapses and Mazeppa rises as the king. Liszt symbolizes this in the music through a grandiose ending.
This set of études is Liszt at his most Lisztian, and the work strikes fear into the hearts of pianists. As a set, the pieces are highly varied and may almost seem like a haphazard collection of exercises. Ten études bear titles such as No. 8 Wilde Jagt (Wild Hunt/Chase) or No. 11 Harmonies du soir (Evening Harmonies) and hint at Liszt’s intentions for interpretation.
Overall, this is one of the most difficult works in the piano repertoire.
4. Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514
This work is based on an episode of Nikolaus Lanau’s verse drama Faust and not the one by Johann von Goethe. Also, although Mephistopheles is a demon or devil, he is not the Devil or Satan. Mephistopheles is a fictional creation and not found in the Christian Bible.
The focus of the symphonic poem is on Mephistopheles, also known as Mephisto, who entices Faust to join the dancing at a village inn. Mephisto plays his fiddle and rallies the villagers into an orgiastic frenzy. Faust passionately dances with a village beauty. At the climax of the piece, a nightingale is heard singing. As the dancers finally return home, Faust and the dancing beauty disappear into the forest to continue their amorous liaison.
5. Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat Major, S. 541
The Liebestraum No. 3 is part of a set of three nocturnes and is the most famous in the set. In German, Liebesträume means “Dreams of Love.” There are also three German Lieder, also composed in 1850. The poems deal with three kinds of love:
- Hohe Liebe (“Exalted Love”) with text by Ludwig Uhland, deals with the theme of renouncing worldly love for that of heaven.
- Seliger Tod (“Blessed Death”), another poem by Uhland dealing with the erotic aspects of love.
- O lieb, so lang do kannst (“Unconditional Love”) is a setting of Ferdinand Freiligrath’s poem and reminds us to love as much as we can every day. The central message is that life is fleeting but also everlasting.
However, our focus will fall on the solo piano work. It can be divided into three parts (A-B-A1), known as ternary form. The middle part (B) provides contrasting material and gives the composition more variation but also serves a higher purpose in the overall structure. More on this in a moment.
First, the main melody is introduced for the A-section (from 00:05 to 00:22) and will return throughout the composition. It sets the stage for a dreamlike experience. A little contrasting bit enters (at 00:40 to 01:16) and brings variation to the main melody. Overall this contrasting bit has a melancholy undertow to it. With a small cadenza (from 01:17 to 01:31) the piece transitions to the contrasting middle (B) part.
In the middle (B) part, starting at 01:32, the main opening melody is heard again but more agitated and filled with forward movement. As this section develops, the melody is shifted to the higher notes of the piano keyboard and not found in the middle voices any longer. There is also a rhapsodic quality with leaps to and from one another across the piano keyboard. One might say that the first cadenza at the end of the A-section led the music to a dreamlike state that is beginning to have some nightmarish underpinnings. However, a second cadenza (starting at 02:38 to 02:53) leads the music away from the dream-turned-pseudo-nightmare.
Finally, the main melody returns in section A1 (from 02:54 until 04:24), which is based on the opening material. Yet, this time there is a bittersweet tinge in the music — it is as if the love dream has ended, and life carries on. Now, only the memories of love remain.
Franz Liszt’s Lasting Legacy
Apart from his innovations, pyrotechnics at the keyboard and in his compositions, and his cult-like status, Franz Liszt also foreshadowed the music that would follow in the decades after his death. Like Beethoven, his later works grew darker but also freer from the constraints of traditional Western harmony.
Liszt tirelessly devoted his life to bringing attention to older composers such as his forebears Beethoven (he transcribed Beethoven’s nine symphonies for solo piano) and JS Bach. He even composed a Prelude and Fugue on Bach’s Name — a mainstay of the organ repertoire but somehow obscure among pianists. He also championed new music by his contemporaries — he gave Robert Schumann rave reviews and supported composers like Wagner, Berlioz, and Schubert.
Liszt encapsulated the spirit of the Romantic era — he was born at the height of Beethoven’s career (1811) and helped to establish the foundation upon which later composers would build. His use of harmonies based on the whole tone scale and other non-traditional scales along with bitonality (using two key signatures simultaneously) anticipated impressionists like Debussy and Ravel. Contemporary composers like Igor Stravinsky used bitonality in his ballet The Rite of Spring. His chromatically dissonant textures (e.g., Bagatelle Without Tonality, S. 216a composed in 1885 and known as Mephisto Waltz No. 4) would also find a footing in the works of 20th-century composers like Schoenberg (the pioneer of atonality and serialism) and his pupils Berg and Webern.
Further Reading and Listening
- For a more in-depth exploration of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2: https://www.pianotv.net/2017/06/a-tour-of-liszts-hungarian-rhapsody-no-2/
- Liszt’s religion, religious, and philanthropic activities: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09285b.htm
- For a more in-depth look at Liebestraum No. 3: https://www.pianotv.net/2016/08/liszt-liebestraume-musical-journey/
- A brief, yet satisfying, overview of Liszt’s life and lasting influence: https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200187503/
