24 / 58
24 FRANZ LISZT
Is the ‘Legend’
Saint François de Paule marchant sur les flots
a mystical
work? And what do you think Liszt’s mysticism consists in, as we see it in
his piano works?
Must we, can we speak of mysticism as far as Franz Liszt is concerned?
I don’t think the term can be applied to his entire output. I prefer to speak of ‘belief’,
the religious sense, the faith that lies at its origins and which was lived out in the
most ideal way in the so-called ‘Romantic’ period. Then, sentiments assumed a
dimension, a fervour that transcended the individual. In fact I would associate
the word mysticism more directly with the mysterious, indeed surreal mists of a
Scriabin. In Liszt, I see rather the attitude of a man who admittedly had his doubts
and asked himself questions, but was possessed of an absolute faith that was
capable of answering them, and left no room for the ‘incense of mysticism’ as we
may perceive it nowadays.
Does the Sonata in B minor represent the alpha and the omega of its
composer’s musical thought? How did you approach the work? Were
there any other pianists who inspired you here, and if so, who?
I waited a long time before listening to interpretations of the Sonata in B minor by
my great predecessors, the masters of the art – Vladimir Horowitz, Alfred Brendel,
Annie Fischer, Martha Argerich, for example, all so different, that’s because
I very quickly made the Sonata ‘my’ story, so caught up was I in the event I was
living through. Generally I’m in the habit of ‘taking advice’ from my elders, but in
this particular case I found myself faced with one of the finest and also strangest
experiences I’ve ever had. I wanted to stay alone with this work before taking the
risk of comparing my approach with other versions...