Riccardo Frizza & Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

As early as in 1834, the young Franz Liszt already expressed his strong opinion on the church music of the future: “As once, and even more so today, music must turn more and more increasingly towards the People and towards God, and must bring the two closer to each other. Music should make people better, nobler, and should comfort them, and should likewise bless and glorify God. In order to achieve this we must create new music. Let this music be religious in its essence, as well as powerful and effective; this music, which in lack of a better term we may call ‘humanitarian’, will unite theatre and church in colossal proportions. It will be concurrently dramatic and devotional, grandiose and simple, pathetic and solemn, fiery and unbridled, tempestuous and tranquil, as well as cheerful and tender.” In his ‘Christus Oratorio’, completed three decades later, Franz Liszt was able to realise this long-standing ambition of his without any compromise.