Album insights
Recent renewed interest in Liszt's oratorios acts as a welcome change from their near-complete neglect. Oratorio as a whole is no longer the cornerstone of the repertoire it once was, with only a few works in this genre being popular today. The cost factor likely led to well-known compositions like Mendelssohn's "St. Paul," Dvořák's "Ludmilla," or Gounod's "Mors et Vita" being ousted from concert programs. Even the most significant works have become rare compared to the profusion of oratorio scores published by Novello a century ago. Liszt's masses and oratorios were personally significant to him and composed with great care, subject to intense self-criticism and revision. His first oratorio, "The Legend of St. Elizabeth," emerged following early success with the grand orchestral mass for the dedication of the Basilica in Gran ("Gran Mass"). Despite his reluctance to attend a stage production in 1883, the oratorio was frequently performed as an opera in the 19th century. It closely mirrors operatic structure with fixed numbers connecting solos, choruses, and orchestral segments. Liszt's themes, outlined in the full score's preface, serve as leitmotifs for the drama. The oratorio's sung score, once appearing with an approved English text by Liszt at Novello, was personally created by Liszt.
Liszt's meticulous piano arrangements, mirroring his care in transcribing Beethoven's symphonies, are beautifully crafted, embodying more than a mere orchestral reproduction. Just as in Liszt's Transcendental Etudes, he substitutes music aiming to capture the essence rather than meticulous reproduction of the original notes. Liszt's piano part in the score for The Legend of St. Elizabeth starkly differs from newer Hungarian editions, focusing on accuracy but losing usability. Some orchestral sections initially appeared as standalone piano pieces in the vocal score, tactfully linking various parts of the oratorio. Notably, the sheer musical expression in these pieces is gentle and restrained, with harmonies free of chromaticism, evoking a sense of sublimity.
Liszt's Christ oratorio departs musically from The Legend of St. Elizabeth, featuring distinct sections delineated into Nativity, Epiphany, and Passion and Resurrection. Varied sections incorporate chorales and free compositions, some highlighting vocals and organ while others utilize full orchestration. Commentators widely hail Christ as one of Liszt's pinnacle works alongside the Piano Sonata and Faust Symphony. The orchestral pieces within encapsulate pastoral visuals of shepherds with their flutes and the Magi following the star, exhibiting a metrical tension akin to Schubert. Liszt's employment of themes encapsulates a rich narrative, culminating in jubilant pastoral motifs and majestic melodic transformations. Missing from most recordings is the vast emotional and tempo shifts that underscore the richness within these orchestral performances.
The legend of the canonized Hungarian Landgravine Elisabeth resonated deeply with Liszt, reflecting his devout spirituality amidst public and private imperfections. While the tale of the Polish Saint Stanislaus piqued his interest, it never materialized into a full oratorio apart from three pieces and a setting of the 129th Psalm, "De profundis." Despite intermittent work over twelve years, Salve Polonia appeared independently as orchestral, solo piano, and four-hand piano editions. Liszt’s creative process envisioned national melodies to unify the work, akin to The Legend of St. Elizabeth. The first Polonaise exudes a melancholic tone contrasting with the festivity of the second Polonaise, culminating in a spirited Polish revolutionary anthem. Salve Polonia integrates nationalistic tunes, reflecting Liszt's late compositional style and patriotic themes masterfully intertwined with religious fervor.
The first Polonaise echoes somber predecessors like Chopin's C minor Polonaise and Liszt's Polonaise mélancolique, transforming into a mystical progression transcending dance rhythm. In contrast, the second Polonaise exudes jubilance, blending into a revolutionary Polish melody titled "Dabrowski Mazurka." Feeding into Liszt's late stylings, the first part of Salve Polonia rigorously reinterprets a famed Polish patriotic-religious song underpinned by harmonically bold variations. Liszt's incorporation of "O Lord, Thou Who Hast Protected Poland" intertwined with Psalm 84 showcases a profound synthesis of nationalistic sentiments with spiritual depth, standing as a testament to his musical and thematic ingenuity.