Franz Liszt – Christ |Oratorio for Solo Voices, Choir, Orchestra and Organ

Franz Liszt’s second oratorio “Christus”, for which he himself compiled the biblical passages as the basis for the text, is still rarely performed today: The work demands a great deal of stamina and artistic excellence from the orchestra and choir in order to allow the audience to experience the sometimes almost chamber music-like intimacy that Liszt composed here. In the sections “Christmas Oratorio”, “After Epiphany” and “Passion and Resurrection”, Liszt focusses above all on conveying Christian values such as love and peace. Musically, the oldest Gregorian chorales are skilfully interwoven with sometimes Wagnerian sound dimensions. This is exactly what the renowned soloists Susanne Bernhard, Kathrin Göring and Tobias Berndt achieve together with the Collegium Vocale Leipzig and the Dresden Philharmonic Choir. The Merseburg Court Music performs under the direction of Michael Schönheit, Leipzig Gewandhaus organist and organist of Merseburg Cathedral, on period instruments.