«Reminiscences de “Robert le Diable”» by F. Liszt in the Aspect of Mephistopheles Symbolism

• Main Author: N. S. Zolotaryova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kharkiv State Academy of Culture 2018-05-01
• Series: Культура України
• Online Access: http://ku-khsac.in.ua/article/view/136515
• ISSN: 2410-5325; 2522-1140

The aim of this paper is to identify the artistic idea that guided F. Liszt in the reminiscent restoration of infernal prototypes in G. Meyerbeer’s opera “Robert le diable”. Research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, intonation-dramatic, structural and functional and genre analysis methods. The theoretical  foundation consists of the studies, monographs and articles that deal with the creative work of G. Меyerbeer, F. Liszt. The theoretical foundation highlights the scientific positions on the issues of opera, genre, characteristic features of  F. Liszt’s piano heritage. Results. On the basis of the research of F. Liszt’s heritage, it has been revealed that the Faustian-Mephistopheles theme is a cross-cutting in his work: the «Faust Symphony», the “Mephisto Waltzes” (The Dance in the Village Inn) from Lenau’s Faust, the “Second Mephisto Waltz”, the “Third Mephisto Waltz”, the “Fourth Mephisto Waltz “(Bagatelle without tonality), the “Mephisto Polka” and others; and the embodiment of the infernal origins from the perspective of dance-waltz is a characteristic feature of the piano creativity of the romantic composer and has turned out to be close for F. Liszt. As a result of the analysis, it has been defined that the selection of opera material indicates the restoration of the essential features of the Reminiscences genre — the appeal to the most significant episode of the music-stage primary source — «Valse Infernale» — one of the symbols of G. Meyerbeer’s opera “Robert le diable”.The article shows that “Valse Infernale”, which is one of the symbols of the opera “Robert le Diable” by G. Meyerbeer is the basis of «Reminiscences de “Robert le diable”» by F. Liszt. As a result of the analysis of Reminiscences by F. Liszt the artistic methods and principles have been established that operate in the time-space of the piano work. The article states that G. Meyerbeer presented a demonic genre model of the waltz whereas F. Liszt, in the process of developing a reminiscent concept, re-semanticizes the opera idea. The waltz of G. Meyerbeer is the dominant of the hellish forces, evil intentions towards Robert’s soul. For F. Liszt it is the lists between Hell and Paradise for the soul of the hero. Thus, the reminiscent drama, reflecting in the memories of all the collisions of G. Meyerbeer’s masterpiece, focuses them on the conceptualized «Valse Infernale». The logic of Liszt’s Reminiscences is directed from the seemingly inevitable spiritual death of the hero to the salvation of his soul. Novelty. For the first time in the Ukrainian musicology the methods and principles of the composer’s interpretation of G. Meyerbeer’s opera «Robert le diable» by F. Liszt’s concept of reminiscence have been revealed and the features of the infernal prototypes embodiment in «Reminiscences de “Robert le diable”» have been specified. The practical significance of the obtained results is the possibility of their use in the special piano class for searching the adequate composition plan art methods of the performing interpretation of Reminiscences, as well as at the lecture courses «Theory and history of piano art», «History of foreign music».