Franz Liszt - Faust Symphony (Leonard Bernstein)

Information

Composer: Franz Liszt

1. Eine Faust-Symphonie in drei Charakterbildern, S. 108: I. Faust
2. Eine Faust-Symphonie in drei Charakterbildern, S. 108: II. Gretchen
3. Eine Faust-Symphonie in drei Charakterbildern, S. 108: III. Mephistopheles
4. Eine Faust-Symphonie in drei Charakterbildern, S. 108: Chorus mysticus

Charles Bressler, tenor
Choral Art Society
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein, conductor

Date: 1960
Label: Sony Classical

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Review

Leonard Bernstein’s Boston recording of Liszt’s Faust Symphony has for so long been regarded as the reference recording of the work that we’re apt to forget that there’s an earlier version that he made with the New York Philharmonic for Sony back in the 196os. He clearly loved the piece, and offhand I can’t think of another conductor of similar stature who actually recorded it twice. Bernstein even devoted an entire televised “Young People’s Concert” to discussing it, much more for the benefit of the adults in the audience I should think.

In the telecast, Bernstein spoke somewhat disparagingly of the revised ending with chorus, which he nonetheless recorded both times. Liszt’s admittedly perfunctory original instrumental conclusion is almost never played nowadays, and for those who are curious you can hear it below in Argenta’s Decca recording with the Paris Conservatory Orchestra (sound clip). In this Sony performance, Charles Bressler sings the tenor solo very sincerely and sweetly, and Bernstein plays the music with typical conviction, never mind any misgivings he might have had. It seems the only possible conclusion to such an imposing piece.

In short, this earlier recording is every bit as fine as Bernstein’s later, Boston version, and it has the not inconsiderable advantage of being about two minutes quicker in every movement. There’s very little difference between the two performances in the fast music, as a comparison of the first movement’s initial allegro reveals (sound clips). Rather, the difference stems from Bernstein’s greater willingness to indulge the slower and gloomier music in the Faust movement, Gretchen’s innocent allure, and the broader tempo for the closing chorus at the end of Mephistopheles. Sonically there is very little to choose between the two recordings: they are both very good.

Frankly, I am amazed that Sony decided to reissue this recording at all since the work has never been that popular, but I am very glad that they did. Get it while you can. It is, after all, Liszt’s greatest orchestral work, and the more you come to know the music the better it sounds. Bernstein was right to lavish on it so much time and attention.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday
reviewing SONY 88697 857572

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Aug11/Liszt_Faust_88697857572.htm
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=65687

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Franz Liszt (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a prolific 19th-century Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger, organist, philanthropist, author, nationalist and a Franciscan tertiary. Liszt gained renown in Europe for his virtuosic skill as a pianist and in the 1840s he was considered to be the greatest pianist of all time. As a composer, Liszt was one of the most prominent composers of the "New German School". Some of his most notable musical contributions were the invention of the symphonic poem, developing the concept of thematic transformation as part of his experiments in musical form, and making radical departures in harmony.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Liszt

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Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the US to receive worldwide acclaim. His fame derived from his long tenure as the music director of the New York Philharmonic, from his conducting of concerts with most of the world's leading orchestras, and from his composition. As a composer he wrote in many styles encompassing symphonic and orchestral music, ballet, film and theatre music, choral works, opera, chamber music and pieces for the piano. He was also the first conductor to give numerous television lectures on classical music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein

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