Minkyu Kim about Lars David Kellner's recording of the complete harmonium works by Franz Liszt - Volume 5

Franz Liszt – Harmonium Works, Volume 5

Liszt's works for harmonium have frequently been overlooked, despite his dedicated compositional output for the harmonium, particularly in his later years. Thanks to Lars David Kellner, these compositions have finally come to light in their entirety. Kellner’s Liszt harmonium project culminates and concludes in the fifth volume, comprising all the harmonium works known up to the time of publication (which is December 2023). As in the previous volume 4, this album most likely contains exclusively premiere recordings. Only the first version of Weihnachtsbaum and all versions of Angelus have already been recorded solely on pianoforte.

Liszt completed Den Schutz Engeln (Angélus) [The guardian angels], S. 672c/i [organ/harmonium version of S. 162a/i; included in Kellner’s volume 4] on 27 September at Villa d’Este. He made slight alterations to the piece on the Feast Day of the Holy Angels, 2 October, and further revised it on 15 October. Liszt dedicated the second version (Den Schutz Engeln (Angélus), S. 672c/ii [S. 162a/ii]) and the third version (Angélus, S. 672c/iii [S. 162a/iii]) to his granddaughter, Daniela von Bülow, who “will play it easily on the piano” according to Liszt. Two years later, in 1880, while in Siena, he revisited the work and changed the time signature from 3|4 to 6|8 – a remarkable change to the piece (Angélus! Prière à l’ange gardien, S. 672c/iv [S. 162a/iv; included in volume 4]).

Angélus was copied for publication in February 1882. However, Liszt amended the copy again instead of publishing it. The manuscript of this version (Angélus! Prière à l’ange gardien [Prayer to the guardian angel]), S. 672c/v [S. 162a/v]) includes many corrections, which eventually required another copy to publish it. After some smaller finishing alterations of the piece, the final version of Angélus was published as the first piece of Années de Pèlerinage - Troisième année, S. 163 [S. 672c/vi; included in volume 2]. The final version was published with an allegorical painting of three angels by Paul von Joukowsky, representing Liszt’s three granddaughters: Daniela von Bülow, Blandine von Bülow and Eva Wagner.

Liszt wrote Ave Maria for mixed choir and organ in October 1869. As was his custom, he produced various versions of the work simultaneously. The version for pianoforte was published in 1872, with ossia texts for harmonium, based on manuscripts held in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv Weimar by Kahnt. The manuscript of a lesser-known version of Ave Maria [S. 667c/2] is now held in the Nederlands Muziek Instituut, Den Haag. Although the undated manuscript makes it impossible to determine when exactly Liszt wrote this version, its clean state without any deletions and corrections suggests that it may have been written later than the primarily published version [S. 667c/1; included in volume 1]. The Den Haag manuscript was first issued as printed score by Editio Musica Budapest in 2014.

Liszt indicated the first four pieces of the final version of Weihnachtsbaum [Christmas tree, S. 186] may be played on the harmonium [S. 673a; included in volume 1] just before it went to print. The present recording features the early versions of these works. Although these pieces are not explicitly designated for harmonium, they sound perfect on it, like the final versions do. The first version [S. 185a] was completed by February 1876. Then, typical of Liszt, he extensively corrected a copy of the first version. The copy, catalogued as the second version [S. 185b], is now split into two parts, and held at the Istituto Liszt in Bologna and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Unfortunately, the former copy, comprising nos. 1-6, is currently inaccessible. The third version [S. 185c] was published in the 1877-80s by the Russian publisher, Gutheil, based on a copy of the second version that Liszt further amended. It underwent revision again in 1881/2 and was finally published by Fürstner [S. 186] with a dedication to Liszt’s granddaughter, Daniela von Bülow.

When Liszt was preparing the publication of Der Papsthymnus [Hymn of the Pope], S. 261 [included in volumes 1 & 4] in 1865, he made a great deal of corrections to the proofs, which can now be found in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv. The title of the work was changed from Pio IX Hymnus, S. 260b [Pope Pius IX Hymn] to Der Papsthymnus, and the second page was completely rewritten. The present recording offers the original text of the autograph, which is also held in the same archive.

In 1878/9, Liszt prepared sacred harmonizations for publication. The edition is presumed to be a private printing, as it lacks any information other than the title Choräle [S. 669a]. Nine (of twelve) pieces among these works have already been included in volume 2 of Kellner’s series, following the selections in the complete edition of Liszt's organ works by M. Haselböck, who did not consider all chorales suitable for organ. The present recording features the remaining chorales, which can easily be played on the harmonium. One particular piece, Es segne uns Gott [God shall bless us], was included with other chorales in full score for mixed choir and organ in the first print of Choräle, while others are for pianoforte, organ, or harmonium. This may for the purpose of completeness also be performed on the harmonium, thus it is included in the present recording. An earlier draft of O Lamm Gottes [O lamb of God] and obsolete sketch of O Traurigkeit [O darkest woe] can be found in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv.

It is not known if Liszt himself harmonized Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein [Oh God, look down from heaven]. The manuscript, held in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv (GSA 60/Z 2), is in the hand of Alexander Wilhelm Gottschalg, whom Liszt frequently consulted regarding his organ works, with a few corrections in blue crayon, possibly made by Liszt.

An untitled Choral Sketch, S. 700t, held in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv, is written in three staves, as if it is for voice and keyboard instrument. However, the melody is absent after the first bar until the final phrase, and no lyrics are provided. Performing the piece on a keyboard instrument is therefore the most appropriate means.

Pange lingua [Sing, my tongue], S. 183a is a simple harmonization of a Latin hymn, which Liszt used in Hunnenschlacht, S. 105 and in Der nächtliche Zug from Zwei Episoden aus Lenaus Faust, S. 110. The autograph, auctioned in 2015, bears a note in a foreign hand “M. S. Autograph of Franz Liszt. Arrangement of the Gregorian hymn 'Pange Lingua' Given me by Herr Gr[?]…Liszt's secretary”. The name of the secretary on the note has unfortunately been torn away.

La carità [di Rossini], S. 675d is a simplified version of Liszt’s transcription of La charité from Trois chœurs religieux by Rossini, whose manuscript is marked “for harmonium arranged by Franz Liszt”, despite containing a number of pedal signs for piano. The manuscript is not in Liszt’s handwriting but is found among the collection of Liszt manuscripts held in the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv Weimar.

Since the inception of this project, several previously undiscovered pieces by Liszt for harmonium have come to light. It is conceivable that future scholarship may necessitate an additional volume to comprehensively complete this series.

Minkyu Kim, The Liszt Society