I think the peice was conceived while Wagner was dying in Venice and Liszt visited him there. Yes! the un-nerving quality of the music could have flowed out of Liszts fingers as the image of a funeral gondala rose up in his subconscious. It has crossed my mind that Liszt played a little 'Halloween' music to remind the historical memory of Wagner that Liszt's catholicism took eternity into account more than the secular world view that Wagner maintained. Just a speculation.
@Neilhoven how?
FingerMyFinger 4 weeks ago
Love this performance. Grew up on it.
smudgepots 9 months ago
I think the peice was conceived while Wagner was dying in Venice and Liszt visited him there. Yes! the un-nerving quality of the music could have flowed out of Liszts fingers as the image of a funeral gondala rose up in his subconscious. It has crossed my mind that Liszt played a little 'Halloween' music to remind the historical memory of Wagner that Liszt's catholicism took eternity into account more than the secular world view that Wagner maintained. Just a speculation.
PhilPhilUSA 2 years ago
Surely this arose out of an improvisation!
Neilhoven 2 years ago