Les Preludes

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Les Préludes (German "Preludes") is a symphonic poem composed between 1848 and 1854 by Franz Liszt .

The work

Liszt had broken away from the classic four-movement sonatas or symphony form and, based on Hector Berlioz , chose a programmatic one-movement form, which he used in a very similar way in his explicitly non-programmatic piano concertos. In a later prefixed program Liszt has the Méditations poétiques of de Alphonse Lamartine back, which consist of a total of about 30 poems; this reference should reflect the basic mood. Liszt the phases of life seen as preludes (Preludes) to the tune of death. These phases of life are struggles and storms, love happiness and pain, consolation, experiencing nature.

Despite the contrasts between these moods, which are reflected in Les Preludes , the work is very unified. It begins with a wistful melody from which the first stormy main theme develops, which merges into the second theme via a pastoral part. These two topics are developed further in gradually changing moods. In an increase, the original theme flows into the first main theme as a majestic, glittering fanfare.

Franz Liszt placed the following text in front of this work:

“What else is our life than a sequence of preludes to that unknown song, the first and solemn note of which death strikes? [...] Nevertheless, the man does not long carry the comforting calm in the midst of soothing natural moods, and "when the drumming storm signal sounds", he rushes to the most dangerous post, whatever the name of the war that calls him into the ranks of the fighting to come back to full self-awareness and full possession of one's strength in the rush of struggle. "

Since the beginning of the German-Soviet War in World War II , the main theme was used as a theme tune for the Wehrmacht report on radio and newsreels and was also intended as a victory fanfare (see Russia fanfare ). The theme can also be heard in this version in Stockhausen's opera Monday , in Lucifer's Anger .

literature

  • Felix Draeseke : Franz Liszt's nine symphonic poems. In: Suggestions for Art, Life and Science. 1857–1859 (reprinted in: Felix Draeseke. Schriften 1855–1861. Gudrun Schröder, Bad Honnef 1987) - Analyzes and introductions to Liszt's first nine symphonic poems.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lina Ramann : From the present. Essays on music for music lovers. Wilhelm Schmid, Nuremberg - Munich 1868, p. 27 (translation by Peter Cornelius ) ( digitized version ).