Liebestraume. No. 3 Nocturne in a A-Flat Major

Franz Liszt: Liebestraume. No. 3 Nocturne in A-Flat Major for flute and piano was written in 1850, originally for solo piano.
The original piano nocturnes are generally considered a tribute to the style of Frédéric Chopin, who had passed away in 1849. Liszt's adoption of the "nocturne" title for these pieces (Drei Notturnos) was directly influenced by his late friend.
The third Liebestraum is based on the poem "O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst" ("O love, as long as you can love") by Ferdinand Freiligrath. It depicts unconditional, mature love that mourns at the grave.
In 1850, Liszt had recently settled in Weimar to focus on composing and conducting rather than his career as a touring virtuoso. During this time, he was developing his "New German School" of music, which emphasized programmatic content, music inspired by literature or art.
That year, on August 28, 1850, Liszt conducted the world premiere of R. Wagner's "Lohengrin" at the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar. Wagner was in exile in Switzerland following his involvement in the 1849 Dresden Uprising and could not attend. He famously wrote to Liszt, "Perform my Lohengrin! You are the only one to whom I could address this prayer".
Liszt chose the date to honor the 101st birthday of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Weimar's most famous citizen, effectively positioning Wagner as the successor to Germany’s literary giants.
Therefore, Liszt greatly risked his own reputation to save Wagner’s career. Before that, Liszt provided the financial assistance and logistical help, including a false passport, that allowed Wagner to flee Germany for Zurich via Paris. Liszt, a world-famous superstar, acted with "self-abnegation," seeing it as his sacred duty to serve a man he believed was infinitely greater than himself.
In 1850, Liszt didn't just conduct. He launched a "propaganda campaign," writing essays to prepare the public for Wagner’s radical new style and inventing the concept of leitmotif analysis to help audiences understand the music.