Lisztomania (album)

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Lisztomania
Liszto.jpg
Soundtrack album by
Rick Wakeman
ReleasedNovember 1975
Recorded1975
StudioMobile studios from Island and RAK Studios[1]
GenreProgressive rock
Length32:12
LabelA&M
ProducerRick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman chronology
The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
(1975) 		Lisztomania
(1975) 		No Earthly Connection
(1976)

Lisztomania is a soundtrack album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in November 1975 on A&M Records. It features Wakeman's score for Ken Russell's film Lisztomania, itself a biography of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt.

Some tracks feature The Who's Roger Daltrey singing lead vocals. The album was later upgraded as The Real Lisztomania by Wakeman because he was dissatisfied with the original release.

Background[]

By April 1975, Wakeman was asked to compose much of the score for Lisztomania, a contemporary biography of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt directed by Ken Russell.[2] An initial cut and master was produced by Wakeman which his label, A&M Records, declared unsatisfactory. This only complicated matters further between Wakeman and A&M as the two parties had disagreed over aspects of his earlier albums, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973) and Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974). This led A&M to produce a cut of its own and without Wakeman's approval, which contained less of his music and annoyed the keyboardist upon hearing what A&M had selected for release.[3]

Reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic2/5 stars[4]

When Allmusic rated the album they said "The soundtrack to Ken Russell's movie provided Wakeman with a canvas upon which to work his magic (or do his damage—it depends upon one's attitude) upon the music of Franz Liszt and, to a lesser degree, Richard Wagner. Actually, much of what is here is more substantial than the material on Journey or Myths and Legends, which can be attributed largely to the composers' contributions."[5]

Wakeman himself has written on his website that "this album stinks".[6]

Track listing[]

Side one

  1. "Rienzi/Chopsticks Fantasia" (Richard Wagner/Ferenc Liszt) - 4:20
  2. "Love's Dream" (Liszt/ lyrics: Roger Daltrey) - 4:25 - vocal: Roger Daltrey
  3. "Dante Period" (Liszt) - 2:05
  4. "Orpheus Song" (Liszt/ lyrics: Jonathan Benson, Roger Daltrey) - 3:10 - vocal: Roger Daltrey
  5. "Hell" (Liszt/ translation: John Forsythe) - 1:59 - vocal: Linda Lewis

Side two

  1. "Hibernation" (Rick Wakeman) - 1:11
  2. "Excelsior Song" (Liszt/ lyrics: Wakeman, Ken Russell) - 2:32 - vocal: Paul Nicholas
  3. "Master Race" (Wagner) - 0:45
  4. "Rape, Pillage and Clap" (Wagner) - 3:09
  5. "Funerailles" (Liszt/ lyrics: Jonathan Benson) - 3:48 - vocal: Roger Daltrey
  6. "Free Song (Hungarian Rhapsody)" (Liszt) - 1:57
  7. "Peace at Last" (Liszt/ lyrics: Jonathan Benson, Daltrey) - 2:59 - vocal: Roger Daltrey

Charts[]

Chart (1975) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 85

Personnel[]

Musicians

Technical

References[]

  1. ^ https://www.discogs.com/Rick-Wakeman-Lisztomania/release/778016
  2. ^ Welch, Chris (5 April 1975). "Rick Wakeman: Next Stop – The Gods". Melody Maker. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via Rock's Backpages.
  3. ^ https://www.discogs.com/Rick-Wakeman-The-Real-Lisztomania/release/9061503
  4. ^ Eder, Bruce (2011). "Lisztomania - Rick Wakeman | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  5. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/lisztomania-soundtrack-album-mw0000372527
  6. ^ Wakeman, Rick. "Discography - Lisztomania". RWCC. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 282. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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