Don Satz's invitation to dance:

>This excessively emotional music can be most readily found in the composers
>of the Romantic era.  The two composers, in my opinion, who best represent
>this type of music making are Liszt and Tchaikovsky.  Their music is loaded
>with over-wrought passages of indulgent emotionalism without any provision
>of a foundation for taking that route.
>
>Of the two, I have to pick Liszt as the most indulgent because of a
>combination of his personality and music-making.  Except for the last piano
>works he composed, Liszt's music most reminds me of a petulant child who is
>always going over-board in his declamations.  Any other opinions?

Of the two, I have to defend Liszt, because he is dearest to me, and I know
what I'm talking about (I have at least herad a great deal of his output).
"excessively emotional music" is of course a matter of taste, but I think
I know what Don is referring to.  Liszt's most well-known music contains
some emotional outbursts.  Some of Tchaikovsky's as well as Chopin's music
(Polonaises and Studies) also springs to mind, but Chopin is seldom accused
of excessive emotions.....

>without any provision of a foundation for taking that route

It is true that some of his symphonic poems (and operatic transcriptions)
contain some loud passages.  You may dislike his music but it is
well-constructed and his "foundation" is that he uses a limited amount of
thematic material and transform that within a free sonata form.  Liszt's
climaxes are as well-prepared as Beethoven's are.  His music doesn't need
a programme, it's optional!

IF you look at (and listen to) his total output (I guess I haven't heard
more than 1/4 of his total output), you will hear that there's a lot of
music that doesn't fit into his public image.  Sacred (vocal) music, music
inspired by sacred text, his songs (about 80), chamber music, lesser known
orchestral music.....

Mikael
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