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Donald Macleod explores the friendship and subsequent impact of Franz Liszt upon Marie Jaëll

For the first time in the history of Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Marie Jaëll [1846-1925]. Jaëll was a piano prodigy, a composer across a wide spectrum of genres including opera and chamber music, and a revolutionary when it came to the art of teaching and playing the piano. She knew many distinguished musicians including Liszt, Saint-Saëns, César Franck, Brahms, Fauré and Rossini, but hers is a name which has been largely forgotten. Donald Macleod this week uncovers Jaëll's music, and tells her story.

Marie Jaëll claimed that hearing Franz Liszt perform was one of the most important experiences in her life. She said that once Liszt began to play, all her powers of hearing seemed to be transformed. A friendship developed between the two, and soon she was sending him her compositions to look over. Liszt edited some of her music, including her collection of Twelve Waltzes for piano, which he also performed with Saint-Saëns at Bayreuth. The relationship worked both ways, and Jaëll edited his third Mephisto Waltz. After the death of her husband, Jaëll would often stay in Weimar with Liszt, sometimes acting as his secretary - although she detested the group of admirers who surrounded him.

Dein (Five Lieder)
Catherine Dubosc, soprano
Lara Erbès, piano

Douze Valses et Finale
Lidija Bizjak, piano
Sanja Bizjak, piano

Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor
David Violi, piano
Orchestre national de Lille
Joseph Swensen, director

Sphinx
Cora Irsen, piano

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales