Franz Liszt’s “Die Loreley,” S. 273, composed in 1841 and published in 1843, is a remarkable example of his exploration of German lieder. A revised version followed in 1856, reflecting Liszt’s continual refinement of his compositional voice. Unlike many of Liszt’s songs, “Die Loreley” is a dramatic, quasi-operatic scena: it transcends the intimate lied form, evoking the tension, pacing, and narrative scope of a full operatic scene. This piece reveals Liszt as a keen musical storyteller who could transform verse into theater in an influential and memorable way. The piece sets Heinrich Heine’s haunting poem about the legendary Lorelei, a siren of the Rhine whose beautiful singing lures sailors to their doom.
The poem’s narrative is drawn from German folklore. German patriotism and “Rheinromantik” were fueled by wars against France, since the Rhine was perceived as the natural border between Germany and France that must be protected at all costs. Because the river was strongly associated with patriotism, Lorelei too was seen as a personification of German virtues and overtime became a symbol of national identity.
The composition of “Die Loreley” coincided with a tumultuous period in Liszt’s personal life. In Paris in 1832, he met Marie d’Agoult, a married woman who left her family to be with him. They had three children together: Blandine (1835), Cosima (1837) and Daniel (1839). To escape social scandal, the couple moved to Switzerland, where Liszt taught at the Geneva Conservatory and concentrated on piano and orchestral composition. Yet the concert stage proved irresistible. By 1839, as his relationship with Marie deteriorated, Liszt resumed touring across Europe, performing in Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. In February 1847, Liszt met Polish Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein in Kyiv, beginning a long friendship and companionship that would stand the test of time and become essential in his later years. This extended period, from the original composition to the 1856 revision, reflects both his personal and artistic evolution, offering insight into his perspective on women. It is interesting that this glimpse into the composer’s psyche paints a picture of women as formidable, captivating yet dangerous creatures, capable of turning one’s world upside down, much like Lorelei herself.
I love the haunting duality of Loreley: part fairy-tale enchantress, part femme fatale.
LOVE IS SEDUCTION. LOVE IS DANGER.
I do not know what it means
That I should feel so sad;
There is a tale from olden times
I cannot get out of my mind.
The air is cool, and twilight falls,
And the Rhine flows quietly by;
The summit of the mountains glitters
In the evening sun.
The fairest maiden is sitting
In wondrous beauty up there,
Her golden jewels are sparkling,
She combs her golden hair.
She combs it with a golden comb
And sings a song the while;
It has an awe-inspiring,
Powerful melody.
It seizes the boatman in his skiff
With wildly aching pain;
He does not see the rocky reefs,
He only looks up to the heights.
I think at last the waves swallow
The boatman and his boat;
And that, with her singing,
The Lorelei has done.
Translation by Richard Stokes, 2005