Liszt, Franz

Liszt, Franz – Ungarischer Sturmmarsch (S.119) / Festmarsch nach Motiven von Herzog Ernst II (S.116) / Ungarischer Marsch zur Krönungsfeier in Ofen-Pest am 8. Juni 1867 (S.118)

(b. Raiding/Ungarn, 22. Oktober 1811 — d. Bayreuth, 31. Juli 1886)

Preface
In today’s concert scene, only a fraction of Franz Liszt’s astonishingly extensive and diverse body of work is performed. Whilst a small selection of his works has become a permanent fixture in the repertoire, this popularity bears no relation to the actual breadth and innovative power of his output. Few compositions have become widely known, foremost among them his symphonic poem “Les Préludes”, which unfortunately can still evoke problematic historical associations, as it was misused by the Nazis in the 20th century for propaganda purposes, particularly for victory announcements on the radio. This appropriation has long distorted perceptions of the work and overshadowed its original artistic content. Many of Liszt’s other works, by contrast, are almost forgotten today, although they are of great significance both compositionally and historically and offer a fascinating insight into the development of 19th-century music.

The genre of the march, to which the works collected in this volume also belong, looks back on a long and complex tradition. Originally, marches fulfilled a clearly functional role: they served to discipline soldiers, coordinate their movements and effectively stage military parades. The steady rhythm and clear structure supported the synchronization of large military formations. Over the course of the 18th century, however, this function began to change gradually. Marches were increasingly appreciated outside the military context and developed into a musical genre in their own right. Particularly from the middle of the century onwards, they gained popularity in bourgeois musical life, for example at public festivals or courtly events. The originally strict military character gave way to a livelier, often more entertaining style. …

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