Franz Liszt - Mephisto Waltz No.4, S216b
Performer: Gunnar Johansen
The 4th Mephisto Waltz is a very interesting piece. Like the 3rd, it possesses far weaker ties to Lenau’s work when compared with the first two (although the demonic temper remains) and is almost entirely dependent on intriguing structural and tonal features (in particular a long delayed tonic arrival) for the source of compelling drama. Typical-of-late-Liszt thin, almost stark textures are made use of, and of the four it is the most compressed and economically written (albeit it was left unfinished—we can be certain the final product would be longer had Liszt completed the sketches for a contrasting section).
