Liszt and the symphonic poem

CORMAC, JOANNE

Abstract

Franz Liszt was preoccupied with a fundamental but difficult question: what is the content of music? His answer lay in his symphonic poems, a group of orchestral pieces intended to depict a variety of subjects drawn from literature, visual art and drama. Today, the symphonic poems are usually seen as alternatives to the symphony post-Beethoven. Analysts stress their symphonic logic, thereby neglecting their 'extramusical' subject matter. This book takes a different approach: it returns these influential pieces to their original performance context in the theatre, arguing that the symphonic poem is as much a dramatic as a symphonic genre. This is evidenced in new analyses of the music that examines the theatricality of these pieces and their depiction of voices, mise-en-sc ne, gesture and action. Simultaneously, the book repositions Liszt's legacy within theatre history, arguing that his contributions should be placed alongside those of Mendelssohn, Berlioz and Wagner.

Citation

CORMAC, J. (2017). Liszt and the symphonic poem. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press (CUP). https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316850374

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Online Publication Date: Oct 26, 2017
• Publication Date: Oct 26, 2017
• Deposit Date: Oct 30, 2017
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
• ISBN: 9781107181410
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316850374
• Public URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/liszt-and-the-symphonic-poem/BCB86F3D75E5B8A4A021797691D6247D
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/vi/academic/subjects/music/nineteenth-century-music/liszt-and-symphonic-poem?format=HBBCB86F3D75E5B8A4A021797691D6247D
• Additional Information: Cormac, J. (2017). Liszt and the symphonic poem. Cambridge New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.