A choral symphony composed by Franz Liszt and premiered in 1857, it consists of three movements titled “Faust,” “Gretchen,” and “Mephistopheles.” Liszt was deeply captivated by Goethe’s Faust, which had been recommended to him by his friend, the composer Hector Berlioz—known for Symphonie fantastique—and he later produced multiple works based on this subject.
Franz Liszt was a composer who also achieved success as a pianist.
He is a towering figure in the piano repertoire and left behind many technically demanding pieces.
Among his works, the Mephisto Waltz is often cited as an unusual piano piece.
While it is basically tonal in the conventional sense, its introduction is particularly unique, and if you stumble in the repeated-chord passages, the performance quality drops sharply—making it a distinctively challenging work.
Mephisto Waltz No. 1: “Dance at the Village Inn”Franz Liszt66rank/position
Ryota Yamazaki / Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 “The Dance in the Village Inn,” S.514/R.181 (PTNA 2014 Competition National Finals / Special Class Grand Prix)
One of the difficult pieces lavishly packed with Liszt-like virtuosic techniques.
Mephisto plays a waltz on the violin, and people begin to dance.
Eventually, Mephisto finds a girl named Margarete and slips away with her into the forest.
The piece vividly depicts such scenes, with a nightingale singing in the night sky.
Rather than an elegant waltz, it brims with overwhelming energy—more a frenzy of ecstatic revelry—offering a piece where one can fully savor magnificent piano virtuosity.
La Campanella: Grandes études de PaganiniFranz Liszt67rank/position
La Campanella (Liszt)
“La Campanella” means “the little bell” in Italian.
The composer Liszt, impressed by the virtuosity of the genius violinist Paganini, composed it out of a desire to express similarly transcendental technique himself.
Romance, S.169, which is said to have been composed when Franz Liszt visited Moscow.
Though it doesn’t use many notes, it blends elements of romanticism, calm, and intensity—making it a characteristically Lisztian work by a leading composer of the Romantic era.
Some might think, “I’ve never heard of a Liszt ‘Romance,’” but in fact it’s frequently programmed in concerts and is very popular among piano enthusiasts.
Before tackling Liszt’s large-scale masterpieces, I recommend experiencing his world through this piece!
Franz Liszt – Orpheus, Symphonic Poem No. 4, S.98 / 리스트 – 오르페우스, 교향시 4번
It is said to have been composed under the strong impression made by an Etruscan vase seen at the Louvre, in the overture to Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice.
With its noble and graceful musical ideas, the occasional sound of the harp evokes the lyre whose tones Orpheus used to enchant the animals of the forest and even the trees.
