Lisztomania (album)
Rick Wakeman's first soundtrack album, for Ken Russell's Lisztomania.
Lisztomania is the first soundtrack album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in October 1975 on A&M Records. It serves as the soundtrack for Ken Russell's musical biographical film about Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, with some tracks featuring Roger Daltrey on lead vocals. Wakeman later released a revised version titled The Real Lisztomania due to his dissatisfaction with the original album.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Rick Wakeman
- Released
- October 1975
- Recorded
- 1975
- Studio
- Island Mobile and RAK Mobile
- Genre
- Progressive rock
- Length
- 32:12
- Label
- A&M
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rienzi / Chopsticks Fantasia | Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt | 4:20 |
| 2 | Love's Dream | Liszt | 4:25 |
| 3 | Dante Period | Liszt | 2:05 |
| 4 | Orpheus Song | Liszt | 3:10 |
| 5 | Hell | Liszt | 1:59 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hibernation | Rick Wakeman | 1:11 |
| 2 | Excelsior Song | Liszt | 2:32 |
| 3 | Master Race | Wagner | 0:45 |
| 4 | Rape, Pillage and Clap | Wagner | 3:09 |
| 5 | Funerailles | Liszt | 3:48 |
| 6 | Free Song (Hungarian Rhapsody) | Liszt | 1:57 |
| 7 | Peace at Last | Liszt | 2:59 |
Track listing from the source article.
Background
By 1975, Rick Wakeman was already well known as a former Yes keyboardist and a solo artist with three rock concept albums under his belt. After wrapping up the tour for Journey to the Centre of the Earth in March of that year, he was brought in to write the score for Lisztomania, a Ken Russell film about composer Franz Liszt. Wakeman recorded the album in spare moments between other sessions and live shows throughout 1975, collaborating closely with Russell.
Once Russell settled on the music, he gave Wakeman free rein to record as he pleased. Wakeman initially saw the project as a bonus soundtrack, but after finishing the music he felt pleased enough with it to consider it his next proper album. He put together an initial cut and master, but his label A&M Records rejected it. This wasn’t the first time Wakeman and A&M had clashed over his solo work.
In August 1975, after recording was done, Wakeman said he liked the music but had no say in which tracks made the final album. A&M then released a version that cut out much of what he had written and recorded, without his approval—a decision that left him deeply frustrated.
Release and critical reception
AllMusic described the soundtrack as providing Wakeman a canvas to work upon the music of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, noting that much of the material is more substantial than that on Journey or Myths and Legends, attributable largely to the composers' contributions. Wakeman has written on his website that this album stinks. Excerpts from the album were performed live on Wakeman's tour of North America and Brazil in late 1975.
More in A&M Records Soundtracks
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced