Page 72 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2024. Glasbena kritika – nekoč in danes ▪︎ Music Criticism – Yesterday and Today. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 7
P. 72
glasbena kritika – nekoč in danes | music criticism – yesterday and today
its small circulation of around 8,000 copies, was regarded as the leading or-
gan of the “Catholic movement within the Monarchy.”18 In this context, it is
unsurprising that in their reviews –i. and, to a lesser extent, Kulke were un-
restrained in their aim of characterising Liszt as a Catholic artist, and both
sought to foreground the religious dimension of the works under review.
Indeed, in one commentary –i. openly reveals his belief in this goal when
he writes: “The Catholic spirit surges forth from the Dante Symphony in a re-
freshing and invigorating way. This, above all, is what we should emphasise
in our paper.”19 Another Das Vaterland critic, von Gemmingen, involved in
this religiously accentuated line of discourse within the reception of Liszt’s
symphonic programme music and thereby especially aimed at putting a
friendly face on the Catholic faith. To this end, he portrays Liszt as an ex-
emplary Christian, as someone whose gracious and benevolent conception
of the Christian faith is the “right” one. One can certainly accuse von Gem-
mingen of missionary zeal here. Thus even in Liszt’s “hell music” from the
Dante Symphony, he claims “the cross of faith, forgiveness and hope [shim-
mers and shines]”.20 Kulke also emphasises how the care so important in
the Christian faith is exemplified by Liszt’s “love of man”, which can be
heard in “the outflow of his heart, his ineffable goodness, his whole charac-
ter.” On this he adds with regard to Liszt, “many [...] do not feel the God who
was standing so close to them, until they have moved away from him.”21
It is significant for the ongoing research that seeks to reappraise the
aesthetic reception of Liszt’s symphonic programme music in Vienna plus
the debates over its value and legitimacy that little is known about the pro-
fessional or cultural background of the critics involved. In many cases –
such as that of –i. – not even their identity is known. In some others at
least basic biographical information can be ascertained with some certain-
ty – origin, birth and death dates, educational background, for example.
More detailed information, however, which would contextualise the criti-
cism and thus afford deeper understanding, is rare. Such information only
exists for a few critics who have already been extensively considered by mu-
sicologists. Chief among these is Eduard Hanslick, who back then, and still
today, is fondly referred to as the “Pope of critics”, but attention has also al-
18 Kurt Paupié, Handbuch der Österreichischen Pressegeschichte 1848–1959, 2 vols., vol.
1: Wien (Vienna, Stuttgart: Braumüller, 1960), 95.
19 –i., “Feuilleton. Symphonie zu Dante’s ‘Divina commedia’,” 4.
20 de Joux, “Concerte,” 9.
21 Ed. K., “Concerte,” 1.
72
its small circulation of around 8,000 copies, was regarded as the leading or-
gan of the “Catholic movement within the Monarchy.”18 In this context, it is
unsurprising that in their reviews –i. and, to a lesser extent, Kulke were un-
restrained in their aim of characterising Liszt as a Catholic artist, and both
sought to foreground the religious dimension of the works under review.
Indeed, in one commentary –i. openly reveals his belief in this goal when
he writes: “The Catholic spirit surges forth from the Dante Symphony in a re-
freshing and invigorating way. This, above all, is what we should emphasise
in our paper.”19 Another Das Vaterland critic, von Gemmingen, involved in
this religiously accentuated line of discourse within the reception of Liszt’s
symphonic programme music and thereby especially aimed at putting a
friendly face on the Catholic faith. To this end, he portrays Liszt as an ex-
emplary Christian, as someone whose gracious and benevolent conception
of the Christian faith is the “right” one. One can certainly accuse von Gem-
mingen of missionary zeal here. Thus even in Liszt’s “hell music” from the
Dante Symphony, he claims “the cross of faith, forgiveness and hope [shim-
mers and shines]”.20 Kulke also emphasises how the care so important in
the Christian faith is exemplified by Liszt’s “love of man”, which can be
heard in “the outflow of his heart, his ineffable goodness, his whole charac-
ter.” On this he adds with regard to Liszt, “many [...] do not feel the God who
was standing so close to them, until they have moved away from him.”21
It is significant for the ongoing research that seeks to reappraise the
aesthetic reception of Liszt’s symphonic programme music in Vienna plus
the debates over its value and legitimacy that little is known about the pro-
fessional or cultural background of the critics involved. In many cases –
such as that of –i. – not even their identity is known. In some others at
least basic biographical information can be ascertained with some certain-
ty – origin, birth and death dates, educational background, for example.
More detailed information, however, which would contextualise the criti-
cism and thus afford deeper understanding, is rare. Such information only
exists for a few critics who have already been extensively considered by mu-
sicologists. Chief among these is Eduard Hanslick, who back then, and still
today, is fondly referred to as the “Pope of critics”, but attention has also al-
18 Kurt Paupié, Handbuch der Österreichischen Pressegeschichte 1848–1959, 2 vols., vol.
1: Wien (Vienna, Stuttgart: Braumüller, 1960), 95.
19 –i., “Feuilleton. Symphonie zu Dante’s ‘Divina commedia’,” 4.
20 de Joux, “Concerte,” 9.
21 Ed. K., “Concerte,” 1.
72
