Totentanz or Dance of the Dead Paraphrase on Dies Irae for pianoforte and orchestra, S. 126 is a symphonic piece written for piano and orchestra by the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886). Liszt initially planned the piece in 1838 and finished the first version in 1849. In 1853 and 1859 he revised it before finally publishing it in 1865. Hans von Bülow, to whom Liszt dedicated the work, was the soloist in the April 15, 1865, premiere with the Diligentia Musical Society of The Hague, conducted by Johannes Verhulst. Along with solo piano, the work has pairs of woodwinds, horns and trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, gong and strings.
The genesis of the piece comes from various sources, firstly the European folk …show more content…
In representations of the Totentanz, Death was portrayed as playing a trumpet; Reinhold Hammerstein advocates this is because traditionally Judgement Day iconography of the “Trumpet sounding” summoning souls to be judged. (Hammerstein, 1980) This led to illustrations of the Totentanz as a dance towards death.
Other art forms based on the Totentanz gradually evolved including decorative woodcuts, accompanied by texts detailing “Death’s” personal message to each person. Hans Holbein’s series of 41 wood-cuttings entitled Totentanz show the Danse Macabre and the Last Judgement. According to Sharon Winlhofer the Totentanz’s variations relate to characters depicted in that series of prints. (Winklhofer, …show more content…
Dies Irae had been known to be part of notations from the 12th, 13th, and 15th centuries and according to Kees Vellekoop possibly having even earlier roots. (Vellekoop, 1978). It is distinguished by its canonic counterpoint, accentual stress and its rhymed lines and a trochaic metre. The poem describes Judgement Day, the last trumpet summoning souls before God, where those saved will rise and the rest be cast into eternal
The genesis of the piece comes from various sources, firstly the European folk …show more content…
In representations of the Totentanz, Death was portrayed as playing a trumpet; Reinhold Hammerstein advocates this is because traditionally Judgement Day iconography of the “Trumpet sounding” summoning souls to be judged. (Hammerstein, 1980) This led to illustrations of the Totentanz as a dance towards death.
Other art forms based on the Totentanz gradually evolved including decorative woodcuts, accompanied by texts detailing “Death’s” personal message to each person. Hans Holbein’s series of 41 wood-cuttings entitled Totentanz show the Danse Macabre and the Last Judgement. According to Sharon Winlhofer the Totentanz’s variations relate to characters depicted in that series of prints. (Winklhofer, …show more content…
Dies Irae had been known to be part of notations from the 12th, 13th, and 15th centuries and according to Kees Vellekoop possibly having even earlier roots. (Vellekoop, 1978). It is distinguished by its canonic counterpoint, accentual stress and its rhymed lines and a trochaic metre. The poem describes Judgement Day, the last trumpet summoning souls before God, where those saved will rise and the rest be cast into eternal