PROGRAM MUSIC: Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514

PROGRAM MUSIC: Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514



Liszt wrote four Mephisto Waltzes in total. The first one, composed between 1859 and 1862, was the most performed and the most popular. This is an example of program music; Liszt took an episode called Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke (The Dance in the Village Inn) from Nikolaus Lenau’s (1802-1850) Faust and arranged it for piano. Liszt also created a version for orchestra in his S. 110, No. 2.

Faust is the main character; he makes a deal with Mephistopheles, who works for the devil, to exchange his soul for knowledge. In one scene, Faust and Mephistopheles are at the inn and Mephistopheles plays the violin to induce Faust to waltz with a lady. This brings to mind a few questions: Why is Liszt preoccupied with the legend of Faust and the character of Mephistopheles? Is it because of his devotion to religion, his admiration of the violin virtuoso Nicolo Paganini, or his guilt for extreme behaviors that might lead him to the devil, such as being with numerous women and having illegitimate children?

Each section of this piece has different characters, and the rhythmic drives are very exhilarating.