Sunday Classics preview: Yes, it's Liszt's "Les Préludes," the granddaddy of symphonic poems

And here's Les Préludes arranged for organ!

by Ken

On the schedule tonight is one of Franz Liszt's best-known works, the symphonic poem (No. 3 of his 13) Les Préludes.

WHAT IS A SYMPHONIC POEM?

OK, let's let Wikipedia have a shot at it:

"A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section (a movement) in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another (non-musical) source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein. A symphonic poem is different from a concert overture (a form from which it may be regarded as an evolution), which may also be illustrative in nature, in that it aims at an enlarged musical and emotional range and scope. As musicologist Hugh Macdonald wrote of Liszt's works in this genre, the intent was "to display the traditional logic of symphonic thought"; that is, to display a comparable complexity in the interplay of musical themes and tonal "landscape" to those of the Romantic symphony. In its aesthetic objectives, the symphonic poem is in some ways related to opera; whilst it does not use a sung text, it seeks like opera a union of music and drama. . . ."

Aren't you glad you asked?

Some of the above is so, and some is kind of iffy. My suggestion is just to listen and enjoy. I assure you you'll recognize some of it.

LISZT: Les Préludes (symphonic poem)

arranged by the composer for two pianos
Georgia and Louise Mangos, pianos. Cedille, recorded Jan. 22-23, 1993

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, cond. Radio performance, Apr. 16, 1950

New Symphony Orchestra of London, Sir Adrian Boult, cond. Reader's Digest/Chesky, recorded July 12-15, 1960


IN TOMORROW NIGHT'S PREVIEW --

We hear a sampling of Liszt's solo piano music, on the way to Sunday's program featuring two of the composer's works for piano and orchestra.

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