FRANZ LISZT

New to the DG catalogue, we release an album, on which baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is joined by the RIAS chamber choir under direction of Uwe Gronostay and composer and pianist Aribert Reimann to present Liszt’s Via Crucis. The work for mixed choir, solo baritone and either organ or piano depicts the Passion of Christ in 14 stations, from his acceptance of the cross to his burial. The texts are taken from the Latin Bible, but Liszt also uses old Christian hymns or songs from reformed church music. However, Liszt’s expressive aesthetic remains entirely rooted in the 19th century, between progressive harmony and forward-looking formal design. Recorded in 1984 in the Jesus-Christus-Kirche in Berlin, which is famous for its acoustics, it is now being released digitally for the first time.