Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Episode 1 of 5: Rock Star in the Country

Donald Macleod presents a rare opportunity to hear all 13 of Liszt's symphonic poems. Today: [bad word] moves to Weimar with his mistress Carolyne.

In 1848, as revolution raged across Europe, Franz Liszt made the decision to walk away from his life as the most scandalous and brilliant piano virtuoso in the world - and settle down in the provincial German city of Weimar. Over the next twelve years he would forge a reputation as one of the most [bad word] of the Romantic Era - inventing a genre [bad word] that became known as the 'symphonic poem'. Liszt's new form of orchestral piece spun poetic or literary fables in music, evoking moods and images in its themes and harmonies, depicting heroes and villains, dramas and triumphs - a radical departure from the symphonic ideal of Beethoven and Brahms. This week, Donald Macleod presents a unique opportunity to hear all twelve of the symphonic poems Liszt created in Weimar - plus his final, valedictory symphonic [bad word] many years later, just before his own death.

We begin with Liszt's move to Weimar in 1848, [bad word] by his beloved mistress Princess Carolyne von Sayn-Wittgenstein, [bad word] aristocrat. With Carolyne still married to [bad word] prince, the pair courted scandal by openly living 'in sin' at their spectacular Weimar residence, the Altenberg. Meanwhile, Liszt was [bad word] what would ultimately prove his most popular symphonic poem, "Les Préludes", inspired by words by Alphonse de Lamartine.

00:03
Franz Liszt
Les Preludes, arr. Liszt for piano [orig. S.97 for orchestra]
Performer: Daniel Barenboim.
Orchestra: West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

00:22
Franz Liszt
Tasso: lamento e trionfo - symphonic poem after Byron S.96
Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
Performer: BERLIN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA.

00:48
Franz Liszt
Prometheus - symphonic poem S.99
Conductor: Sir Georg Solti.
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra.

First broadcast: 05 Jan 2015 (b04wmjqq)
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