Music Appreciation

Niccolò Paganini1782-1840

Franz Liszt1811-1886

Virtuoso firstComposer second

Musical Quality vs. Public Purpose?

Right-hand technique Intonation, phrasing

Left-hand techniqueFlexibility, speed

Unequaled today?

Long fingersThree octaves over four strings

Double harmonics

Legato and pizzicato

Where?Why not published

Sergei Rachmaninoff “Variations on a Theme by Paganini”

ReactionDiabolical!Fear and fascinatedCritics

Demonized yet awed

Concerts as “events”OverexposureMarketingBroken strings

Debuted at 10 Toured until 18 Mistress (“Kept Man”)

Elisa Baciocchi Sister of Neapolean

Perfected violin technique for over 10 yearsReappeared

CelebrityFollowing/fans/groupies

Elisa Baciocchi

1901-1987 Virtuoso technique

Flamboyant Israel tour, 1953

Richard Strauss: “Violin Sonata” Attack

Defected to US in 1970 Shoulder damage

Paganini Caprice No. 24

Franz Liszt 1811-1886

Student of SalieriDebuted at 9

Beethoven’s “kiss”

Prince Esterházy

Disenchantedphilosophy, religion, literature

Victor Hugo, Heinrich Heine

Inspired by Paganini“Kept Man”

Countess Marie d'AgoultChildren, including Cosmia

Virtuoso pianistSimilar fame

Profound musicianNew language, like Chopin

ConcertsFirst solo “recital” format

SocietyMusical IntellectualReligious

Lisztomania!

CharityChurches, hospitals, schools

Young musicians“Who’s Who” list of students

Hungarian roots

PriesthoodAbee

Sacred Music

Tone Poem Faust Symphony, Liebestraum

Very strange!

Huge ego vs. musical humility

virtuoso personality vs. kind, generous friend

Great “lover” and “womanizer” vs. spiritual, humanitarian ideals“Dies Irae”“Mephisto Waltz”“Todentanz”

Relationship with LisztSchoolingMusical education

Hans von BülowFavored conductor

Liszt and WagerMarried Cosima (two children)

Richard WagnerAffair and three illegitimate childrenMarriage and four children

Disowned by Liszt

Denounced by von Bülow

“Frau Wagner”

Age difference: 24 years Three children Bayreuth Festival

Director and producer: 31 years

Anti-Semite

Romantic Ideals

Why?

Celebration of the inexplicable, the super-human physical accomplishments of vocal and dance

technique

Story told through non traditional methods dance and song

Only profitable ‘classical’ music today. Why?

RussiaParis

USA

ItalyBel CantoNationalismVerismo

FranceOpera Comique

GermanyMusic Drama

“Beautiful Singing” or “Beautiful Song”

Virtuoso technique requirements

Women Coloratura

Men High tessitura

Joan Sutherland

Maria Callas

Luciano Pavarotti

“Il Re d’Italia”Nationalism“Va, Pensiero”

Shakespeare influence

Rigoletto (1851)Quartet

Aida (1900) Leontyne Price

Inspired by Aida performance

“Real life” situations

Exotic locationsUS WestAsia

Shorten, tighter drama

Melody

1896Young characters ArtistsParis

romantic

Baz Lehrman production German TV

Act II (Musetta’s “waltz”)(Very strange!)

Political Controversial

Torture Murder Attempted rape

End of Act II Maria Callas

End of Act III Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna

Ballet

French Opera (Carmen)

German Opera (Die Walküre and Salome)Disclaimer