This wafer-thin album carries an appellation ‘Basics’.
Personally, I hardly think these works, with the possible exception
of Prometheus, can be listed as ‘basic’ classical
music repertoire. Possibly other Liszt symphonic poems might
fall into that category: Les Préludes, and Mazeppa
and, perhaps, Tasso but surely not Ce qu’on
entend sur la montagne or Festklänge? It would
perhaps seem that Edel are stretching the term to avoid printing
any notes at all. An Internet search, in this context, can be
tedious and of little help.
There is controversy as to the extent of Joachim Raff’s
involvement in the orchestration of Liszt’s symphonic
poems but it is indisputable that he played a major role in
the orchestration of some of them. Malcolm Hayes, writes: “Liszt’s
procedure, in his early symphonic poems, was first to compose
the music in piano score, of which Raff made a draft orchestral
version. Liszt would then go over this and either before or
after one or more performances, would make his own alterations
with or without Raff’s help, until a final version was
arrived at - which Liszt then signed as approved by him.”
These three symphonic poems demonstrate Liszt’s growing
experience in the genre. His first symphonic poem, Ce qu’on
entend sur la montagne based on a poem by Victor Hugo, begins
impressively with an atmospheric evocation of a mist-shrouded
mountain but its inflated length of over 30 minutes cannot sustain
its limited ideas. Observers have expressed concern about its
repetitiousness and have suggested major cuts and tightening.
Yet for all that, it is worth studying - especially when there
is such a satisfying performance as this. As one might expect
we encounter vividly ‘pictorial’ music of majesty
and natural grandeur. Other passages suggest elemental turbulence,
lashing winds and blizzards as well as gentler sweeter moments.
There are some interesting orchestral effects like a gong piano
sounding mood transitions and imaginative trumpet and violin
solos.
For a Festival in Weimar, Liszt composed an overture and eight
choruses with orchestra for Johann Gottfried Herder's Der
entfesselte Prometheus (Prometheus Unbound), a mythological
work in thirteen scenes. It was meant to be a sequel to Aeschylus's
Prometheus Bound. Herder’s production failed. In
1855 Liszt revised the overture, expanding it to a symphonic
poem for first performance in October 1855. This, Liszt’s
fifth symphonic poem, graphically illustrates Prometheus’s
imprisonment, pain, hope and ultimate release. The music is
intense and dramatic. Plasson points up its red-hot anger, stated
at the outset with the well-known motif and material marked
Allegro energico ed agitato assai. The work passes through
moods of moving pathos for the classical hero’s torments
to his steely defiance and furious determination to throw off
his shackles. Again, the opening music impresses more than some
lesser material that follows.
Liszt’s attractive, outgoing seventh symphonic poem, Festival
Sounds has the appropriate pride and pomp mixed with joy
and wit. Waltzes and rustic dance rhythms; and tender romance
and wistful nostalgia are all there in the mix.
Engaging, exciting performances of some of Liszt’s lesser-known
symphonic poems.
Ian Lace
Dresdner Philharmonie/Michel Plasson 
