Death and Demons
Donald Macleod focuses on the influences on Liszt's early life, including seeing Paganini perform, and how these led to his becoming a virtuoso.
Liszt's father Adam took charge of his son's career once his remarkable talent had become obvious, finding teachers for him and arranging concerts. He died suddenly when Liszt was still a teenager, and a preoccupation with death appears in the young composer's music from here on in. Seeing the phenomenal Paganini perform in 1830 was a blinding flash of revelation, and he set out to become the Paganini of the piano. With Donald Macleod.
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Music Played
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Franz Liszt
Hungarian historical portraits S.205 for piano
Performer: Leslie HOWARD - Piano
- HYPERION.
- CDA-66448.
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Franz Liszt
Harmonies poetiques et religieuses - 10 pieces S.173 for piano
Performer: Brigitte ENGERER - Piano
- Naive.
- V5061.
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Franz Liszt
Totentanz S.126 for piano and orchestra
Conductor: George PEHLIVANIAN Performer: Louis LORTIE - Piano Performer: Hague Residentie Orchestra
- CHANDOS.
- CHAN- 9864.
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Franz Liszt
Annees de pelerinage - 2me annee, Italie S.161
Performer: Mikhail PLETNEV (1957) - Piano
- DG.
- DG 457 629-2.
Broadcasts
- Tue 26 Jul 2011 12:00BBC Radio 3
- Tue 26 Jul 2011 18:30BBC Radio 3
Vaughan Williams Today
Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.