Search - Franz Liszt, Leslie Howard :: Liszt: Excelsior! and Other Rare Original Works

Liszt the Mystic

Hexameron | 07/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Volume 36 in the Hyperion Liszt series excavates some hidden rarities from Liszt's oeuvre. Although this volume contains numerous versions of piano pieces, all of these tracks are first recordings. The two versions of Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth and the first versions of the two Elegies are really ancillary, whereas the Geharnischte Lieder, Rosario, the Weimars Volkslied and the great "Excelsior! - Preludio" are original works not yet encountered in this series. Due to the quality of these newfound pieces, I have no problem with giving this entire release a solid five-star rating.



The opening piece "Excelsior! - Preludio" is the outstanding gem that gives the album its subtitle, "Excelsior! and other rare original works." As an introduction to his own cantata, The Bells of Strasbourg Cathedral, "Excelsior!" is compact, memorable, and full of evocative religiosity. Apparently Wagner found the theme of this piece substantial enough to use in Parsifal. According to Alan Walker, "the Latin word excelsior implies an incessant striving towards higher attainment, and it struck Liszt with force." Liszt achieves simplicity and nobility in his work, and it's worth lamenting that a piano version of the Bells of Strasbourg Cathedral is non-existent. Liszt's sense of the spiritual and melancholy prevails in the two versions of Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth, a piece that has received increasing recognition as a jewel. Liszt's melodic contours and piano-writing here often transcend the music to sublime depths of introspection.



The first versions of the six Consolations are, according to Howard, "a revelation in their generally less pristine view of the material." Interestingly, the third Consolation opens with the introduction to Liszt's First Hungarian Rhapsody. Howard gives assurance that "those familiar with the later set will find themselves constantly and delightfully deflected from their expectations by music which seems every bit as valid as the final conceptions." The Geharnischte Lieder or "Songs in Armor" are miniature tone-poems, apparently based on a poem "in which soldiers are called by God to the sacred battle." To my mind, Liszt is clearly successful in creating an atmosphere of battle and religious invocation. Although I won't comment on every individual piece, it should be noted that Liszt's first versions of the Elegies and his Weimars Volkslied are outstanding. And I must also direct my compliments to the three Rosario pieces. These short works are entitled "Mysteria," and with their meditative and pensive nature, they truly emanate a mystical sound.



Bottom line: Once again, the Hyperion Liszt series has delivered a fantastic addition to the Liszt discography. "Excelsior!" is a unique jewel for the piano, while the Consolations and the two versions of the Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth display Liszt's remarkable musical palette. The already precious line-up of music is further enhanced with the Rosario and Geharnischte Lieder, pieces that shine with imagination."