Liszt: Legends of the Saints, Vol. 1

Liszt’s predestination for sacred music doubtless stemmed from his childhood, when he had close ties to Catholicism through his father. He went on to compose many works expressing the virtues of various saints, and to those works Martin Haselböck and the Orchester Wiener Akademie are devoting a series of recordings.

The first volume features St Cecilia, with Cantantibus organis, St Francis of Assisi, with La prédication aux oiseaux (the first of his Deux Légendes for orchestra) and the Cantico del Sol di Francesco d’Assisi, and also St Francis of Paola, with St François de Paule marchant sur les flots (Deux Légendes, no. 2) and An den heiligen Franziskus von Paula.

While bearing little resemblance to Liszt’s secular compositions, these works are equally impressive in their beauty and refinement. This recording, while providing us with a fine opportunity to witness once again the composer’s admirable skills, highlights an aspect of Liszt’s work that is all too often forgotten.

• Die Glocken des Straßburger Münsters; Cantantibus organis (Antifona per la festa di Sta. Cecilia); 2 Legendes (Saint Francois de Paule marchant sur les flots; Saint Francois d'Assise, la predication aux oiseaux); San Francesco; Cantico del sol di Francesco d'Assisi; Hosannah; An den heiligen Franziskus von Paula