Lizst's Symphonic Poems

[C.Z.]

It has been many years that I've listened to Wagner, yet I'm just getting around to listening to Liszt's Symphonic Poems. What a surprise to find that many of Wagner's dramatic-musical effects were pioneered by Liszt. Indeed, in many ways these works are like operas, or if you will, music dramas, without words.

And although Les Preludes is the most famous of these, and perhaps the best, there is plenty more to enjoy here.

The Master at Bayreuth was careful to abjure his assistants to not give too much credit to these works as precursors to his own achievements. I now see why.

[C.Z.]

Post by C.Z.
It has been many years that I've listened to Wagner, yet I'm just getting around to listening to Liszt's Symphonic Poems. What a surprise to find that many of Wagner's dramatic-musical effects were pioneered by Liszt. Indeed, in many ways these works are like operas, or if you will, music dramas, without words.
And although Les Preludes is the most famous of these, and perhaps the best, there is plenty more to enjoy here.
The Master at Bayreuth was careful to abjure his assistants to not give too much credit to these works as precursors to his own achievements. I now see why.

In the above post, I should have referred also to the influence Lizst's harmony had on Wagner's.