Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 03/23/1998, uploaded on 01/23/2010

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

In the late years of his life, a life which many characterize as having been notably un-holy, Liszt took up minor orders in the Catholic church.  The sincerity of this change of lifestyle is corroborated by pieces such as the two Legends, works of utmost musical and spiritual integrity.  Liszt was almost exclusively interested in religious themes during his years in Rome (1861-1864); the legends are among his finest works from that period.

Liszt's preface to the second legend is as follows:

                Among the numerous miracles of St. Francis of Paola, the legend celebrates that which he performed in crossing the Straits of Messina.  The boatmen refused to burden their barque with such an insignificant-looking person, but he, paying no attention to this, walked across the sea with a firm tread.  One of the most eminent painters of the present religious school in Germany, Herr Steinle, was inspired by this miracle, and in an admirable drawing, the possession of which I owe to the gracious kindness of the Princess Caroline Wittgenstein, has represented it, according to the tradition of Catholic iconography:

                St. Francis standing on the surging waters; they bear him to his destination, according to the law of faith, which governs the laws of nature.  His cloak is spread out under his feet, his one hand is raised, as though to command the elements, in the other he hold a live coal, a symbol of the inward fire, which glows in the breasts of all the disciples of Jesus Christ; his gaze is steadfastly fixed on the skies, where, in an eternal and immaculate glory, the supreme word "Charitas", the device of St. Francis, shines forth.

The life of St. Francis, written in Italian by Giuseppe Misimarra, contains the following narrative:             

                "Having arrived at last in sight of the Lighthouse of Messina, and then at that part of the shore of Cattona, he found a barque there, which shipped staves for casks to Sicily.  He presented himself with his two companions to the master of the vessel, one Pietro Coloso, saying: "For the sake of Christian charity, my brother, take us across to the island in your barque." And he, being ignorant of the holiness of him who thus begged, demanded the price of the passage from him.  And when he answered that he did not possess it the master of the vessel replied that he had no barque to take them in.

                The people of Arena, who had accompanied the Saint, and were present at this refusal of his request, begged the master of the vessel to embark these poor Brothers, saying that he might rest assured that one of them was a Saint.  "If he is a Saint," answered he with the greatest incivility, "let him walk on the waters, and work miracles;" and sailing off, he left them on the shore.

                Not in any way disturbed by the rude behavior of the jeering mariner, and cheered by the divine spirit which always supported him, the Saint separated himself a little from his companions, and in prayer, invoked divine aid in his difficulty.  On returning to his companions, he said to them, "Be of good cheer, my sons by the grace of God, we have a better ship in which we can cross over." But Brother Giovanni, who was innocent and simple, seeing no other vessel, said, "With which barque shall we cross over, my Father, since this one has gone?" He replied "The Lord has provided us with another good and safer ship, with this my cloak," which he now proceeded to spread over the water.  Brother Giovanni smiled, (because Father Paolo, although prudent, had not doubted the miracle which the Saint had announced to them), and said, with his usual simplicity: "At least let us cross on my cloak, which will carry us better, because it is new and not so patched as yours." In the end our Saint spread his cloak on the water, and blessed it in the name of God, and then, lifting up a part of the cloak like a little sail, and supporting it with his staff, as a mast, he with his companions stepped on to this marvelous vessel, and sailed away to the amazement of those of Arena, who watched from the shore, as it rapidly hastened through the water, crying out after him in terror and tears, and beating their hands as did also the sailors on the barque, and their unfriendly master, who implored pardon of him for the refusal of his request, and begged him to come into his ship.  But God who for the glory of his holy name, desired to manifest that he had put not only Earth and Fire in subjection to our Saint, but also the water, caused him to refuse this offer, and to arrive in port before the barque."

The story is beautifully captured in Liszt's music.  The calm strength of the opening hymn-like music is throughout the piece pitted against the roaring and crashing of the waves (represented by rushing scales and tremolos), finally emerging victorious in a glorious fortissimo restatement at the end of the piece.    John Ferguson

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St. Frances Walking on the Water from 2 Légendes      Franz Liszt

Many of Franz Liszt’s compositions sprang from religious inspirations. In 1863, he composed his 2 Légendes, a duo of programmatic pieces based on the legends of St. Frances of Assisi and St. Frances of Paolo. The work is among Liszt’s forward-looking composition and considered by some to be the roots of Impressionism.

The second piece of the set depicts the legend of St. Frances of Paolo who, not having any money to the fee, was denied passage on a ferry across the Straits of Messina. Mocked by the ferryman, he throws his cloak in the water and stands on it. Using his staff to guide his way across the Straits, St. Frances arrives ahead of the ferry and its passengers. Though this story served as Liszt’s inspiration of the piece, the end result is a magnificent universal depiction of struggle and triumph. The principal theme is announced immediately at the outset in unadorned octaves, and its emphasis upon the key of the mediant minor foreshadows the impending struggles. Stated again in the tonic key of E major above rippling tremolandi in the bass, the theme is presented nobly and in full glory. However, as the music progresses, the harmonic underpinnings become more violent and clash against the theme. Throughout the middle portion of the piece, the theme is nearly overwhelmed by the torrent of chords and surging chromatic lines. Following the harshest part of the struggle where unrelenting octaves build to their dramatic outcome, the theme returns in majestic and triumphal splendor. Finally, a brief coda turns the mood solemn, like a prayer of thanksgiving. The principal melody then returns for a final statement in the bass and the piece concludes with heroic ascensions through the tonic triad.      Joseph DuBose