LISZT IN ROME by breughel
Franz Liszt lived in Rome from 1867 to 1877 and composed here some wonderful pieces for the piano bundled in the third volume of the "Années de Pélérinage". The first piece "Angelus!" subtitled "Prayer to the Guardian Angels" evokes the Angelus bells which Liszt heard ringing in the evening at Rome.
The next three pieces also written in 1877 are famous in the world of classical music: "Aux Cyprès de la Villa d'Este, N°1" and "Aux Cyprès de la Villa d'Este, N°2". It is said that this one was originally inspired by the cypresses of the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome at the Terme di Diocletiano (re. my tips on this church). It is thought that these cypresses were planted by Michelangelo.
The third piece for piano "Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este" "the Fountains of the Villa d'Esta" where he staid, is even more famous. These works foreshadow the impressionism of pieces on similar subjects by Debussy and Ravel.
Liszt wrote about this work: "j'ai essayé de rendre en musique quelques unes de mes sensation les plus fortes, de mes plus vives perceptions?" (I tried to translate into music some of my strongest feelings, of my sharpest perceptions?).
Liszt met the pope Pie IX and played for him at the cloister of Santa Maria del Rosario, on the Monte Mario. Franz Liszt studied theology, was lodged at the Vatican and received the religious "minor orders" in 1865.
