In a concert that is “Total Liszt”, Antonio Pappano conducts the LSO in three contrasting works.  The programme begins with Liszt’s orchestration of Sciarrino’s “Sposalizio” followed by “Totentanz” in which the piano soloist is Alice Sara Ott.

The evening ends with Liszt’s “A Faust Symphony in Three character Sketches after Goethe: (1) Faust, (2) Gretchen, (3) Mephistopheles”.  The first two movements are purely orchestral, but the gentlemen of the London Symphony Chorus (with tenor soloist Brenden Gunnell) are employed as a ‘chorus mysticus’ in the final movement, with text from Goethe’s Faust.  The words, which are also the text of the finale of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, emphasise the power of salvation and ultimately redemption through striving.