Christus

work by Liszt

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June 24, 2026

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Franz Liszt's Christus is a large-scale oratorio composed between 1855 and 1866. An oratorio is a musical composition for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, typically on a sacred subject, and is not intended for liturgical use. Liszt aimed to create a new form of religious music that was direct and moving, moving away from sentimental styles. His work is part of a tradition that includes compositions by figures like Bach, Handel, and Mendelssohn. Liszt's Christus is noted for its devotional and theatrical elements, presented on a grand scale.123

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oratorio
Oratorio after 1750
…two oratorios of Franz Liszt, Christus (composed 1855–56) and Die Legende von der heiligen Elisabeth (The Legend of St. Elizabeth; 1873), combine devotional and theatrical elements on the grandest scale. Italian oratorio remained in abeyance after the 18th century, and Slavic composers produced few oratorios. Perhaps the only French oratorio…
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…two oratorios of Franz Liszt, Christus (composed 1855–56) and Die Legende von der heiligen Elisabeth (The Legend of St. Elizabeth; 1873), combine devotional and theatrical elements on the grandest scale. Italian oratorio remained in abeyance after the 18th century, and Slavic composers produced few oratorios. Perhaps the only French oratorio…
Read More