Overview

While the work by the French composer Saint-Saëns titled "Totentanz (Ger.) / Danse macabre (Fr.)" is extremely famous, and Liszt also arranged it for piano solo (S.555) in 1876, Liszt composed an original work also titled "Totentanz" long before he undertook this arrangement. This is the present work for piano and orchestra, a paraphrase on the theme of the Gregorian chant "Dies Irae (Day of Wrath)."

Influences and the 'Dies Irae' Theme

The Gregorian chant "Dies Irae" was quoted by many composers from the 19th-century Romantic era until the mid-20th century as a theme signifying "death." Among the famous examples is Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. Liszt heard the premiere of this work in Paris in 1830, so it is highly probable that he was influenced by it. After Liszt, the influence of both works extended to various composers, including Saint-Saëns's Danse macabre (which Liszt also arranged) and Mahler's Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection." Particularly influenced by Liszt's work were Russian composers, including Tchaikovsky, who used it in his song "In the Dark Hell" and Manfred Symphony. Rachmaninoff, in his piano works alone, employed it in:

• Piano Sonata No. 1
• Études-Tableaux (Set 2)
• Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Inspiration from Visual Arts

While the musical influence likely stemmed from Berlioz, other motivations are also associated with the conception of this work. This includes the inspiration he received in 1838 when he visited Pisa, Italy (famous for its "Leaning Tower"), upon seeing the fresco "The Triumph of Death" in the Campo Santo.

Composition and Publication History

Since Liszt is estimated to have begun this work around 1847, approximately ten years after his visit to Pisa, it would be premature to consider this visit as the direct motivation for the work's conception. After the completion of the first draft, revisions were made in 1853 and again around 1859, with the final completion occurring in 1862. At this time, versions for solo piano (S.525/A62) and two pianos (S.652/C24) were also created and published. The premiere took place on April 15, 1865, in The Hague, Netherlands, with Hans von Bülow as the piano soloist.