Mephisto Waltz No.1, S.514

Historical context

Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No.1, S.514, is one of two Faust-episodes, paired with ‘Der nachtliche Zug’. As Dr. Franz Brendel noted in 1861, these were slated for publication by Schuberth that year. Liszt himself considered performing the ‘Mephisto Waltz’ at a Court concert on January 1st, 1861, as C.F. Kahnt reported in 1860, indicating the work was ready for performance around this time. However, publication was delayed, leading Liszt to inquire on July 12th, 1862, how long Julius Schuberth intended to ignore the ‘2 Episodes from Lenau’s Faust’, which Liszt had given him in manuscript over a year prior.

Liszt clarified on August 29th, 1862, that despite no thematic connection, the two pieces belong together due to their contrasting ideas, stating, “A Mephisto of that species could proceed only from a poodle of that species!”. The work quickly gained attention for its demanding character; Nadine Helbig recalled that Olga Janina played the first Mephisto Waltz “like a demon” at her initial lesson with Liszt. Years later, Liszt praised Felix Mottl for conducting the ‘Mephisto-Waltz’ in a “most praiseworthy manner” at a Baden-Baden concert on May 13th, 1881.

Drawn from Ledos de Beaufort, Raphaël; Helbig, Nadine, Franz Liszt, the story of his life (1910); Liszt, Franz, 1811-1886; La Mara, 1837-1927; Bache, Constance, 1846-1903, Letters of Franz Liszt (1894); Liszt, Franz, 1811-1886; La Mara, 1837-1927, Letters of Franz Liszt (1894) — public domain, archive.org.