Liszt: Aida di Verdi - Danza Sacra e Duetto Finale, S436 (Avdeeva)

Yulianna Avdeeva gives a unique yet tasteful performance of one of Liszt's most sublime paraphrases: that on Verdi's Aida. Liszt became acquainted with Aida soon after its first performance in 1871-it is difficult to know exactly when this paraphrase was made, but it did not reach publication until 1879. The piece is based on music from the temple-scene of the Act I finale and the ecstatically beautiful G-flat duet from the end of the opera; the former consists of two main thematic components: the melody to which the priestesses chant praises of their god, and the subsequent dance.
The work demonstrates keyboard transcription at its finest: the writing at times is of unsurpassed delicacy and beauty (showing kinship with the contemporaneous Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este!), the thematic material is treated with sophisticated harmonic variety, the religious themes are somewhat altered to make a more mystical tone-poem, and the resulting nostalgic and wistful air which permeates the empyrean final page, is absolutely stunning.

[@Felix_Li_En]

My favourite Verdi opera paraphrase of Liszt !

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Same here! ☺

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

This is one of my favourite operatic fantaisies by Liszt overall...

[@derby2510]

I like the clarity of the older Liszt's paraphrases. And this pianist can make some beautiful sounds with the piano. At times it almost seems improvised. Kind of a gentle, dreamy interpretation.

[@georges3349]

I must say I’m partial to Valentina Lisitsa’s interpretation and tempo for this piece in general, but the way Avdeeva lingers on some of the lush, eerie chords in this piece is just wonderful.

[@Liszthesis]

Liszt's transcriptions of Verdi pieces are always superb!

[@Liszthesis]

@⃠ challenge accepted

[@ValzainLumivix]

@DÜT DÜÜÜT MÖMEÑT WÎTH CRÖCÖDILE h

[@lauraev]

So liszt just basically transcribed everything he heard on his time. Like chilling in the opera writing some sheets. Cool.

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Yeah sounds pretty cozy :D

[@treesny]

I think despite his incredible industry Liszt was actually pretty discriminating about what music(s) he chose to transcribe/paraphrase/turn into a "fantaisie." And interestingly enough, even though he wrote many wonderful pieces drawing on Verdi's operas, he never touched La Traviata, although he composed fine works drawn from Il Trovatore and Rigoletto, the other two in the "middle period" trio of operas. [I wonder if the fact that he (Liszt) had had a passionate affair with Marie Duplessis - the real woman who became the fictional Marguerite Gautier (Dumas's novel & play) and then Violetta Valery (Verdi's opera) - had anything to do with this?]

[@cambridgeport90]

There should be a rule in modern times that automatically submits music to the public domain upon the composer's death so that we can have modern transcriptionists.

[@jerry_moo]

@@treesny I have a feeling you're right to a certain degree. It is also interesting to point out that Liszt continued to transcribe to treat Schumann's (and his wife's) lieder after his dismissal of Liszt's New German School, but did not do the same for Brahms' own. It could be that Liszt just didn't have an affinity for Brahms, or perhaps because of something different.

[@gergelykiss]

@@jerry_moo There was usually one of two additional motives behind Liszt's transcriptions beyond simple fascination with the source (and business acumen:): 1. helping to promote a composer/work who/which needs exposure, 2. adapting a non-pianist composer's masterpieces to the piano. With Brahms neither of those additional motives could be present: he was from a very young age heralded as the heir to the great Germanic tradition, e.g. his first symphony was immediately labelled as "Beethoven's No.10" - no need for promotion. Secondly, Brahms was a fantastic pianist - and wrote extensively for the piano, one could argue that his piano ouvre encompasses all the music he meant to render for that instrument.

[@marcalexandrefontenay9801]

Les paraphrases sur des opéras de Verdi sont merveilleuses et nous donnent personnellement les secrets de ces chefs-d’œuvre ! Grandiose interprétation inspirée !

[@adrianaoliveirauhlmann9586]

So beatiful! Thanks for posting!

[@davidrehak3539]

Liszt Ferenc:Aida Danza sacra e duetto finale 1.Szakrális tánc 00:00 2.Záró duett 06:56 Yulianna Avdeeva-zongora

[@davidrehak3539]

Köszönöm az értékelést

[@PieInTheSky9]

I always wondered how liszt was able to do these transcripts. I assume he got ahold of the opera score and was able to transcribe everything from there into the piano, either that or he was able to remember what he heard and write based on that. Either way it's incredibly impressive when you really think it.

[@matthewbbenton]

Liszt conducted a number of Verdi operas when he worked in Weimar, so he admired his music. I don’t know if he ever saw Aida in performance, but either way, he must have studied the score. Too bad Liszt died before Verdi’s final masterpieces (Otello and Falstaff). He would have been impressed.

[@antonygonzalez1672]

Oh snap I haven’t seen this here yet I love how the performer took their time because it’s just so wonderful why rush?

[@АлександрЯрков-ш2з]

Bravo bravo bravo super music

[@angelaknebel4156]

Beautiful!! I love the originals from Aida and Liszt adds an extra level of beauty here ...

[@cambridgeport90]

Just like Liszt ... beautiful, and it gives a pianist of more than a passing ambition something to shoot for.

[@claudioparrella183]

Perla mia vecchiaia ho in mente dei pezzi tra cui questo

[@tchaffman]

I saw the real Aida Opera tonight for the first time, and during it some of the parts sounded familiar, and then I remembered that Liszt transcribed it for piano so some melodies are already carved into my skull lol

[@lefinlay]

Where did you see it?

[@tchaffman]

@@lefinlay the Met in NYC

[@claudioparrella183]

Avdeeva, vincitrice del concorso Chopin, si rivela una raffinata interprete di questa composizione che io reputo la più geniale trascrizione di Listz da Verdi

[@Dylonely42]

Verdi’s genius for writing melodies and Liszt’s genius for transcribing any music of his time to piano…

[@thefredericchopin6581]

Quite mysterious. Liszt, once again, does an exceptional job in this transcription. Thank you for uploading. Also, do you plan on doing S. 385?

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

You mean Liszt's fantasy on Auber's La fiancée? I have thought about it before, but the only performance I could post on here is Wai Yin Wong's (Leslie Howard's would be blocked as it's signed onto Hyperion), and although the former is quite clean, it's very mundane, safe playing which doesn't really do justice to Liszt's jaunty, fun work. :(

[@thefredericchopin6581]

If you can’t find a suitable recording of it, I’m completely fine. It’s a shame though, quite a nice work. Thanks for checking :)

[@yull000026]

Are you planning to do Christus anytime soon (piano or full orchestra)? Another hugely underrated and beautiful religious work. I know it's long but you can obviously do it by bits :) The channel is also amazing, thx so much

[@matthewbbenton]

Sad that Liszt didn’t live to see Otello and Falstaff. He would have been impressed.

[@prammar1951]

Can you please post Liszt la muette de portici. That piece is amazingly difficult.

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

It's already been posted with Cziffra's unsurpassable recording: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnicgGichrWBhZI

[@brooksiefan]

💛

[@calebhu6383]

8:58

[@mazeppa1231]

Hey, I was wondering if you had anything on the Soirees Italienne pieces from Liszt, they are great pieces.. Unfortunately, I've only heard these from Leslie Howard and no one else.

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

I have just posted a scored video of those with Luisi's performances but sadly Naxos have chosen to block it. Hopefully I can get this sorted out and have it unblocked. I absolutely love those pieces by the way.

[@mazeppa1231]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt Just saw your video!! Thanks for the upload, and yeah.. I absolutely adore those pieces. :)

[@しんしん-t6k]

地味な曲かもわからないけど、リストの中でもかなり感動的なオペラの編曲だと思う。

[@classicalnature2241]

Merry Chrismin

[@Dylonely42]

6:55

[@leidannis9544]

Live performance or recording?

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Recording

[@leidannis9544]

Thanks

[@niccolopaganini7881]

That was prolly one of my pieces

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

What do you mean? The themes aren't by you, they're by Verdi.

[@javiercorre]

Niccoló Paganini go home Paganini you are drunk.

[@ValzainLumivix]

No

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

Bruh get off drugs, last time I saw you clean was when you still thought you could run a casino

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

You're indeed doing drugs and you are drunk! You even influenced Sciarrino to copy your first caprice and mess it all up and make it dissonant, which he showed in his first caprice. I guess you are sober now 'cuz you're holding your violin and the bow properly (look at his pfp). You don't have bloodshot eyes either.

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

4:56