The collected writings of Franz Liszt. Volume 3, Part 1: Dramaturgical leaves : essays about musical works for the stage and queries about the stage, its composers, and performers / edited and translated by Janita R. Halll-Swadley ; foreword by Cornelia Szabo-Knotik.
| Author/creator |
Liszt, Franz, 1811-1886 author. |
| Other author/creator | Hall-Swadley, Janita R., 1963- translator. |
| Other author/creator | Szabó-Knotik, Cornelia writer of supplementary textual content. |
| Format | Book and Print |
| Publication Info | Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, [2014] |
| Copyright Notice | ©2014 |
| Description | xxiv, 289 pages ; 24 cm |
| Subject(s) |
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| Uniform title | Literary works. Selections. English |
| Portion of title | Dramaturgical leaves : essays about musical works for the stage and queries about the stage, its composers, and performers |
| Portion of title | Essays about musical works for the stage and queries about the stage, its composers, and performers |
| Contents | Foreword / Cornelia Szabo-Knotik -- Introduction. Liszt as patron ; Hermaphroditic operas: gender obscured for the sake of a national identity ; Entr'acte music in the nineteenth century: a historical perspective ; Translator's notes -- The writings. Orpheus by Gluck (1854) -- Beethoven's Fidelio (1854) -- Weber's Euryanthe (1854) -- About Beethoven's music to Egmont (1854) -- About Mendelssohn's music to Midsummer Night's Dream (1854) -- Scribe and Meyerbeer's Robert the devil (1854) -- Schubert's Alfonso and Estrella (1854) -- The Mute from Portici by Auber -- Bellini's Montague and Capulet (1854) -- Boieldieu's White lady (1854) -- Donizetti's The Favorite (1854) -- Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1859) -- No entr'acte music! (1855) -- On the occasion of Mozart's centennial celebration in Vienna (1856). |
| Abstract | In this book, Liszt heralds his admiration for early nineteenth-century opera and musical stage works. He reveals Gluck as a music prophet of dramatic truth in Orpheus, Beethoven as a harmonic innovator in Fidelio, and Egmont as the epitome of music organicism. Liszt believed Weber's Euryanthe, not Freischutz, contained the most progressive musical characterizations and declamation, and both works prophesized Wagner's music dramas. Mendelssohn is awarded the top honor in music poetry for his Midsummer Night's Dream. In the essay "Scribe and Meyerbeer's Robert the Devil," poet and musician share equal space in development of music tragedy. Scubert's Alfonso and Estrella contains the most beautiful lyricism despite the libretto's poetic deficiencies, and the text to Auber's Mute from Portici is historically remarkable with musical motives both nationalistic and universal. In "Bellini's Montague and Capulet," Liszt provides one of the earliest instances of gender discussions in music. He regards Boieldieu's White Lady as a sublime example of literary music, and Donizetti's Favorite is colored with laterna magica. The famous soprano Pauline Viardot-Garcia receives special attention in an essay devoted entirely to her. Finally, the avant-garde Mozart is not only honored with a centennial celebration, he is given lasting tribute in Liszt's literary monument. This volume includes a detailed discussion about what it meant to be patronized by Liszt and how his support - financial, literary, and musical - helped shape many music careers. A historical review of entr'acte music is presented to clarify Liszt's negative opinion about it, and the collection also offers commentary on how gender in opera was sometimes obscured for both dramatic interest and to shape a nation's identity. Music historians, musicians, and music connoisseurs will find much to discuss here. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN | 9780810882980 (hbk.) |
| ISBN | 0810882981 (hbk.) |
Available Items
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions | |
| Music | Music Stacks | ML410.L7 A113 2014 V. 3 PT. 1 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |