LISZT: Christus Oratorio

Lilla Horti soprano
Ágnes Szalai soprano
Atala Schöck alto
Tibor Szappanos tenor
János Fátrai baritone
István Kovács bass

Hungarian National Choir (choirmaster: Csaba Somos)
Choir of the Zoltán Kodály Hungarian Choir School (choirmasters: Borbála Sapszon, Ferenc Sapszon)
Szent István Philharmonic

Conductor: Csaba Somos

Franz Liszt’s Christus Oratorio is undoubtedly among the largest in scale of the works dating from his Roman period, not to mention an outstanding part of his oeuvre overall. This oratorio, which presents the life of Christ from the cradle to the grave in three parts, can by no means be called traditional. Eschewing drama that emphasises personal feelings, Liszt instead strives for the clearest expression of texts and prayers closely related to the Catholic liturgy. The music, however, is not in the least bit homogenous, with Gregorian simplicity, grand Romantic gestures and the composer’s later dense, almost ascetic, style of expression all finding a place in it.

Presented by: Szent István Philharmonic