Franz Liszt occupied a special place
among the great pianists of the nineteenth
century. The boundless virtuosity which he
brought to his instrument made him not
only a rock star in his time, it also enabled
him as a composer to realize his musical
vision without having to make any
allowances for technical limitations. Thus
he became not only the creator of a new
style, but also a pathbreaker for new
directions in music whose influence would
last well into the 20th century.
Many factors contributed to his multifaceted
personality, therefore it is not
surprising that seemingly incompatible
elements like despair and transfiguration,
demonism and religious ecstasy often
stand next to each other and create the
kind of tension which is the hallmark of a
great composer. The present program
features a selection of the most virtuosic
and radiant works of Franz Liszt.