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Wagner and Liszt

Donald Macleod explores the relationship between Wagner and Liszt, a close musical confidant and a composer with whom he shared ideas.

Franz Liszt stands apart amongst the influences on Wagner's life and music. Not only was he a close musical confidante whose unfailing support had helped Wagner secure fame and success at a time when he was in exile, but the two composers shared new ideas as their work changed the face of music in the mid-19th century. Liszt would also, somewhat to his chagrin, become Wagner's father-in-law after Wagner fell in love with his daughter Cosima, who at the time was married to the conductor Hans von B眉low.

Donald Macleod juxtaposes two highlights from Wagner's mature music-dramas with piano works by Liszt written around the time of Wagner's death, in Venice, in 1883. We'll also hear the work written for Cosima Wagner's birthday in 1870, the Siegfried-Idyll, in its charming original version for 13 instruments. Plus a real Wagner oddity, his youthful setting of "Gretchen Am Spinnrade", inspired by Goethe's Faust.

1 hour

Music Played

  • Franz Liszt

    R.W. - Venezia S.201

    Performer: Maurizio Pollini.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 4273222.
  • Richard Wagner

    Lohengrin - opera in 3 acts

    Conductor: Rudolf Kempe. Performer: Christa Ludwig. Performer: Dietrich Fischer鈥怐ieskau. Performer: Elisabeth Gr眉mmer. Performer: Gottlob Frick. Performer: Jess Thomas. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic.
    • EMI.
    • CDS7-49017-8.
  • Richard Wagner

    7 Songs from Goethe's Faust Op.5

    Performer: Markus Hadulla. Performer: Mechthild Bach.
    • AUDITE.
    • 20030.
  • Richard Wagner

    Die Walkure [Part 2 of 'Der Ring des Nibelungen']

    Performer: Birgit Nilsson. Performer: James King. Performer: Leonie Rysanek. Performer: Theo Adam.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 412782.
  • Richard Wagner

    Siegfried-Idyll for small orchestra

    Conductor: Thomas R枚sner. Performer: Bienne S O.
    • ATMA.
    • ACD2.
  • Franz Liszt

    La Lugubre gondola S.200 for piano

    Performer: Khatia Buniatishvili.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 88697766042.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 23 May 2013 12:00
  • Thu 23 May 2013 18:30
  • Thu 5 May 2016 12:00
  • Thu 5 May 2016 18:30

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