Symphony Soundbites

Hungarian Connection

This second concert of the ESO’s 68th season showcases masterpieces by the two greatest Hungarian composers, Ferenc (Franz) Liszt and Béla Bartók, plus the most popular symphony by Finland’s greatest composer, Jean Sibelius. Hungary and Finland share the connection of their languages, which are related to each other and are both completely dissimilar to those of their surrounding countries. Equally important, the music of neither Hungary nor Finland is considered an integral part of the Austro-German “mainstream” taught in most music history classes.

Liszt (1811–1886) was the greatest piano virtuoso of the nineteenth century and an extremely prolific composer, particularly of piano works designed to show off his formidable technique. The most dazzling of all of his works for piano with orchestra is the Totentanz, which means “Dance of Death.” He first conceived it in 1839 but did not achieve its final form until 1865. Please read Maestro Eckerling’s article on the next page about the famous medieval chant which provides the theme upon which Liszt constructs five variations and a “descent into hell” finale.

Bartók (1881–1945) was also a great pianist and the Totentanz was one of his favorite “show-off” vehicles. But he was also a great master of composing for the orchestra, and his Dance Suite, composed in 1923 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the union of Buda and Pest, is one of his most popular compositions. Bartók was a pioneer in collecting and preserving folk music in Hungary as well as Romania, and the Dance Suite shows this folk influence.

Our concert concludes with one of the grand Romantic symphonies, the 2nd by Jean Sibelius (1865–1957).
Sibelius was the leader in establishing Finnish music, most importantly with his Finlandia in 1899, which was originally titled “Finland Awakes.” Finland was ruled by Russia at the time and did not achieve independence until 1917, which is one year before Hungary became free from the Hapsburg empire.

The Second Symphony shares with that quintessential German symphony, Beethoven’s Fifth, a demonic third movement which connects directly into a triumphant major key finale. This finale was received as a patriotic anthem at its premiere and it remains the most popular of Sibelius’ seven symphonies. Interestingly, Sibelius essentially stopped composing around 1925, living another 32 years as Finland’s most famous composer and artist.

—David Ellis