Christian Schmitt - Liszt Organ Arrangements [CD]

Franz Liszt was one of the most dazzling and influential musical personalities of the 19th century. He repeatedly set out on new paths and engaged in a permanent quest for new expressive opportunities. His Weimar period (from 1843) was distinguished not only by a surprising turn to religion but also by a fascination for the organ. Organ music may not play a major role in Liszt's oeuvre, but Martin Haselboeck's edition of his organ works fills a good six volumes. On this recording featuring highly appealing arrangements of works by Liszt for organ and orchestra, Haselboeck is the conductor and Christian Schmitt is the organist - this year's Echo prizewinner for his Widor symphonies on cpo! The program includes Liszt's own arrangements of his symphonic poem Orpheus for organ solo. Later, Marcel Dupre arranged Liszt's grand Organ Fantasy and Fugue on Ad nos, ad salutarem undam for organ and orchestra, while Lei Weiner and Rainer Bischof went on to transform organ works into purely orchestral arrangements. High suspense is in store on this CD in the form of the dialogue carried on here between Liszt and these three arrangers, all of them important composers in their own right. Liszt's modernity is rendered even more palpable and audible when his music ventures into the orchestral sphere.