Liszt gets political

Synopsis

In essence, the music of the 18th century was an international, cosmopolitan language. But just as “nationalism” in language, culture and politics came to the fore in the 19th century, so did the radical new idea that each nation should develop its own, distinct, “national” style of music.

On today’s date in 1840, a dramatic manifestation of this new trend occurred in the city of Pest. Hungarian-born piano virtuoso and composer Franz Liszt returned in triumph to his native land for a gala concert at the Hungarian National Theatre. After the performance, several Hungarian aristocrats, decked out in lavish native costumes, presented Liszt with a bejeweled Sword of Honor and delivered speeches in Hungarian praising him as an artist and patriot. For his part, Liszt delivered an equally impassioned speech calling for Hungarian cultural and political independence. The patriotic audience went berserk with joy and began a torchlight procession of about 5,000 people through the city, with Liszt at the front.

It’s one of those nice, ironic touches of history, however, that Liszt, the standard bearer for Hungarian national music, didn’t really speak Hungarian well — and, for the record, delivered his patriotic address in French.

Music Played in Today's Program

Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2; Valentina Lisitsa, piano Audiofon 72055

On This Day

Births

• 1710 - Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, in Jesi, Marche;

• 1720 - German composer, organist, singing teacher and writer on music Johann Friedrich Agricola, in Dobitschen, Saxe-Altenburg;

• 1874 - Czech composer and violinist Josef Suk, in Krecovice; famous Czech violinist and Supraphon recording artist Josef Suk (1929-2011) was the composer’s grandson;

Premieres

• 1869 - Symphony No. 1, at a Russian Musical Society Concert in St. Petersburg conducted by Mily Balakirev (Gregorian date: Jan. 16);

• 1880 - Brahms: Piano Pieces, Op. 76, in Leipzig;

• 1881 - Brahms: "Academic Festival Overture," in Breslau, with the composer conducting;

• 1961 - Gunther Schuller: jazz ballet "Variants," in New York City;

• 1996 - Richard Danielpour: "Toward the Splendid City" for Orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Slatkin and commissioned by the Philharmonic for its 150th Anniversary;

Others

• 1840 - The climax of Franz Liszt's triumphal return to his native land occurs at the old Hungarian National Theatre, where the composer is presented with a bejeweled "Sword of Honor"; Liszt delivers an impassioned speech that calls for Hungarian cultural and political independence;

• 1950 - RCA announces it will produce long play records as Columbia did two years earlier (RCA had unsuccessfully attempted to compete with Columbia's new 33.3-rpm LPs by issuing some of their classical catalog as multiple disc 45-rpm sets).