Classical Music: Franz Liszt: Via Crucis & Solo Piano Works

Franz Liszt: Via Crucis & Solo Piano Works

Via Crucis , Six Consolations Harmonies poétiques et religieuses

Piano: Leif Ove Andsnes
Choir: The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Conductor: Grete Pedersen
Sony Classical 198028566728
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On this fascinating disc, Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes unveils the often-forgotten side of famed virtuoso Franz Liszt— the sacred music that offers a more intimate picture of the man and his deeply held faith.

It may surprise many listeners, as Liszt is always portrayed as the 'first virtuoso', a superstar pianist and composer who invented the piano recital and whose fame and following in the nineteenth century were unprecedented.

The musicianship on this recording is utterly compelling, depicting the tensions as we journey through the Roman Catholic tradition's Stations of the Cross for choir and piano. Written in Rome in 1866 but considered too unusual by Liszt's publisher, this work was never performed in the composer's lifetime.

Liszt's musical writing captures sparseness as the drama unfolds, and his storytelling induces a spirit of contemplation as we wearily trudge to the cross. The Norwegian Soloists' Choir is beautifully balanced, their tone and dynamics superbly expressive, and when they deliver Liszt's harmonisation of Bach's chorale O Sacred Head Sore Wounded, the intonation holds the listener rapt. As one would expect, the soloists are also excellent.

The range of emotions through the combination of Andsnes' piano accompaniment and choir adds a strong emotional pull through their sensitivity and warm interpretations. The rawness of Station XI's "Jesus is nailed to the cross" with the repeated "Crucifige" is atmospheric, and as Jesus is placed in the tomb, the choir's resonance and dynamics move you there.

The musicians examined the piece extensively before recording it together in Oslo, performing it in concert and attempting to fathom its unusual scoring in which piano and choir are sometimes partners yet sometimes sound diametrically opposed. "It was inspiring to be in the middle of the sound of a choir of this quality," remarks Andsnes. "I was inspired by the exacting way Grete and the Soloists' Choir do these things. Their attention to detail is so great, which is important in music that is so fragile."

The Six Consolations for piano showcase Andsnes' skill as a performer, whether dealing with virtuosic technical demands or, as here, capturing the simplicity of the music as he explores them with such expressive emotional depth and elegance – a perfect follow-on from the Via Crucis. The two Harmonies poétiques et religieuses bring back moments of sorrow and anguish with an intensity that rounds off an unexpected but pleasant album in a prayerful and songlike way.