Franz Liszt - Dante Symphony (Gergely Madaras)

Information

Composer: Franz Liszt

• Dante Symphony, S. 109
• The Black Gondola, S. 200 (orch. John Adams)

Chœur Symphonique de Namur

Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège

Gergely Madaras, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: BIS

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Following their acclaimed Faust Symphony album, conductor Gergely Madaras, the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, and the Choeur Symphonique de Namur present Franz Liszt’s Dante Symphony. Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, the two-movement work transitions from the turbulent, chromatic fury of Inferno to the serene, fugal reflections of Purgatorio, culminating in a choral Magnificat. Notably, this recording includes Liszt’s rarely heard original ending, which was later modified at Wagner’s behest. Completing the release is John Adams’s modern orchestration of Liszt’s visionary late piano piece La Lugubre Gondola II, seamlessly blending 19th-century Romanticism with a contemporary sonic landscape.

Hungarian conductor Gergely Madaras, born in Budapest in 1984, began his musical training in folk music before completing flute and conducting studies at the Liszt Academy and the Vienna University of Music. A former Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège (2019–2025), Orchestre Dijon Bourgogne, and Savaria Symphony Orchestra, he has established an international career leading top global orchestras and opera houses, including English National Opera, Dutch National Opera, and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. His multi-album discography on labels such as Sony Classical, BIS, and Alpha Classics encompasses symphonic cornerstones alongside lesser-known works and contemporary compositions.

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