The Spirit of Mephistopheles in Liszt's Piano Works

• Main Authors: Hsu Chia Chao, 徐家超
• Other Authors: SHYU, MEI-LING
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/tk3s7s

博士 === 輔仁大學 === 音樂學系 === 106 === The outstanding elements in the magnificent life of Franz Liszt (1811-1886) were not limited to music. Love and religion also became significant in his life. Liszt’s technical virtuosity and its demonic factors are world-renowned. Of the many works related to the diabolic theme, the most famous is the Mephisto Waltz No.1. Its rich, gorgeous piano writing, technical content, dramatic tension, and evocative atmospheres have made it, and its composer, deservedly famous. Remarkably, Liszt composed four Mephisto Waltzes and a Mephisto Polka. Mephistopheles undoubtedly had a special significance for Liszt. This study will examine how Liszt presented the spirit of Mephistopheles within five piano works. The dissertation is divided into three sections. The first is a discussion of Mephistopheles’ role in the sixteenth-century legend of Faust as it appears in four sources. The second section will examine Liszt’s career as related by Liszt scholars, and then look at the Faust Symphony in order to understand Liszt’s relationship to Mephistopheles and Faust, and why he was attracted to the Mephistopheles theme. The third section will analyze the musical elements of the four Mephisto Waltzes and Mephisto Polka in order to understand how Liszt presented the spirit of Mephistopheles.