“At my first public performance at secondary school, I enthusiastically played Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhapsody on an old Pleyel. In my opinion, this was one of the most ingenious pieces I knew. I often played his Sixth Rhapsody (which is our no.3 for orchestra) but also the other Hungarian Rhapsodies, the Mephisto Waltzes, Funérailles, etc. And on the organ I discovered Ad nos, ad salutarem undam, possibly the best organ piece ever written.
This programme however aims to unveil the different aspects of Liszt’s orchestral work, with the instruments that must have been familiar to Liszt. In fact, this will probably be the first performance on period instruments of his work in the history of the ‘early music revival’. That is why I am extremely happy to be able finally to explore his work for orchestra, because since 1963 (for forty long years), my admiration for Liszt has only increased. My respect does not only go out to one aspect or one piece of the maestro, but I am now fascinated by his complete oeuvre, his significance, his charisma, his pianistic insights, his art of orchestration, his humanism, his revolutionary ideas, his modernistic musical language, his literary gift and his sharp intelligence.”
Jos van Immerseel