Search - Sandor Solyom-Nagy, Franz Liszt, Antal Dorati :: Christus Oratorio

Liszt's two huge oratorios are almost completely unknown. One of the most intelligent and complex composer/performers of the 19th century, his reputation as a virtuoso showman has almost completely eclipsed his other side: the spiritual, questing musical innovator and man of God. Christus is really a series of independent compositions that the composer assembled to put together as a musical overview of the life of Christ, and it's a work of uncompromising austerity. Try it when you're feeling particularly penitential, and while I wouldn't recommend listening to the entire thing at a sitting, from point to point the music has many beauties. This performance is very committed and excellently recorded. --David Hurwitz