Liszt - Fantasie über Themen aus Mozarts Figaro und Don Giovanni, S697 (Batsashvili)

Liszt composed his Fantasy on themes from Mozart's two masterly operas Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni by the end of 1842 and he performed the piece in Berlin on 11th January 1843. The piece was not quite finished in manuscript, but the lacunae - the end of a brief transition in the closing section (bars 574-576) and the end of the work (bars 602-616) - are so insignificant that he probably tried out an improvised solution in performance (for unknown reasons, Liszt never finished the manuscript). A peculiarity of the Fantasy is that Liszt illustrated themes from two operas in it: In addition to the themes employed in his well-known Réminiscences de Don Juan, Liszt uses three further melodies from Don Giovanni: a minuet, a contradance and a waltz.
The work concerns itself with two arias from Le nozze di Figaro - Figaro's Act 1 aria ("Non più andrai" - his teasing and admonitory injunction to Cherubino to take life seriously and to cease ubiquitous flirting) and Cherubino's Act 2 arietta ("Voi che sapete" - a serenade to the Countess, Figaro's advice notwithstanding), and the dance scene from the Act 1 finale of Don Giovanni (the masked figures of Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Don Ottavio come to accuse Don Giovanni of the murder of the Commendatore and the rape of Donna Anna, and find themselves just in time to prevent the rape of Zerlina).
After a dramatic introduction (based upon Figaro's aria but ending with a hint of what is to come), Cherubino's gorgeous arietta (3:25) is given a gentle, florid setting, transposed to A flat from the original B flat. This theme occurs only here in the entire work, then is heard no further. After a brilliant transition, Figaro's aria returns in its original bright C major and in the reprises of this theme Liszt presents marvellously inventive pianistic and harmonic variations. But instead of proceeding directly to Mozart's coda, the aria falls away to reveal the Don Giovanni dance scene, where Mozart's score calls for two additional onstage dance orchestras to add to the pit orchestra, simultaneously adopting various tunes for different social groups - the celebrated minuet in 3/4, a rustic dance in 2/4, and a fast waltz in 3/8. As in the opera, the minuet is first given alone, in F major, and Liszt retains this key for the combination with the rustic dance. Liszt does not add the third theme as Mozart does, but keeps it for separate treatment, and gives it rather more substance than it has in the opera, combining it with fragments of the rustic dance and excellently, parts of Figaro's aria. There follows a modulatory section which allows Liszt to toy with parts of all four themes before the transition; this uses earlier Figaro material alongside the minuet theme, and leads to the coda, which finally completes Figaro's aria and the work itself.
Bearing in mind George Bernard Shaw's perceptive observations upon Liszt's musical interpretation of the morality of the Don in the Don Giovanni Fantasy, it might be similarly if cautiously suggested that the combination and disposition of the themes in the minuet scene in the present work also adumbrate a moral fable: that the flirtatiousness of Cherubino which may seem harmless enough at the beginning could be leading to the unforgivable behaviour of a Don Giovanni, unless good common sense (See Figaro: "Non più andrai...") hinders him from doing so.
In 1912, Ferrucio Busoni published a greatly truncated version of the present fantasy under the title "Fantasie über zwei Motive aus W. A. Mozarts Die Hochzeit des Figaro" (commonly known as the ‘Figaro Fantasy’). His honourable intention to make an unknown work of Liszt available was somewhat compromised by the edition remaining silent about exactly how great was Busoni's contribution. Nor is there any mention of what and how much he omitted from Liszt's manuscript: a comparison with the autograph manuscript reveals that Busoni omitted sections from Don Giovanni altogether which implies that he was obliged to shorten by 245 bars (!) Liszt's original manuscript consisting of 597 bars and compose 37 new bars in order to make the remaining sections suitable for performance. Not much was required by Leslie Howard (the lacunae previously mentioned) to make performable this grand piece, and it remains quite a mystery why Busoni suppressed so much of the work in his edition.
This is a re-upload of an old video which had a number of severe sync issues along with having my own markings and fingerings scribbled across it (which I forgot about when scanning). Apologies.

[@19thCenturyGuy]

Anybody can hear Mozart's styles here, but what I love is how it sounds like Mozart and Liszt at the same time.

[@leonardmartin6048]

At 5:03 it shortly reminds me of the mazeppa transcendental etude.

[@onnihuhtinen6813]

Yeah same

[@LorenzoBovitutti]

And 5:45 Feux Follets !

[@leonardmartin6048]

@@LorenzoBovitutti Spanish rhapsody too

[@redvine1105]

Now Mozart knows how Saleri felt

[@DanielFahimi]

No, This is just noise, at least to Mozart.

[@classicalmusiclover4029]

daniel fahimi This is definetly not noise for mozart. Although he probably wouldn’t understand it maybe exactly, he would be surprised, happy and impressed with what Liszt has done

[@DanielFahimi]

@@classicalmusiclover4029 Mozart criticized Clementi. How would he NOT criticize Liszt?

[@classicalmusiclover4029]

daniel fahimi Clementi = Liszt?

[@DanielFahimi]

@@classicalmusiclover4029 No, what I mean was that everything Clementi had, Liszt had way more of it.

[@brianbernstein3826]

imagine Saleri's face if Mozart had played this version of his theme in front of everyone

[@lsbrother]

Everyone would have been surprised - this is technically way beyond anything Mozart ever played

[@brianbernstein3826]

@@lsbrother no one alive has heard Mozart's improv... assuming his fantasies etc are an indication seems like an educated guess, but it's still a guess

[@lsbrother]

​@@brianbernstein3826 None of the stuff M - or other composers of his period - composed involved this sort of technical complexity so, unless you believe he improvised very differently to what he wrote down then i think it's a realistic statement. Music progresses - it's not static.

[@brianbernstein3826]

​@@lsbrother we do know Mozart improvised for hours on end for audiences at the keyboard, and the longest keyboard compositions by him are like ten minutes. so yeah that's a pretty big difference - do authors speak the same way that they write? not even close. I agree that is highly unlikely that that stylistic elements associated with Franz Liszt would be coined by Mozart a full century earlier - the chromaticism, the incessant second and third interval modulations. but we can't really say it with certainty - JS Bach could have busted out some jazz fusion one day, and Mozart could have played reggae or hip hop or something, without the labels or genres being fully identified at that time, there's really no way to know for sure. but I think it's inaccurate to assume one way or the other. it's entirely possible that a caveman from 2000 BC randomly sang the melody to a Justin Bieber song one day, and no one can prove otherwise :)

[@lsbrother]

@@brianbernstein3826 Any more? !

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

One of my favourite operatic fantasies of all time

[@NeilM10]

Around this time pianos were changing! Keywidths became standardized, and now few pianists were able to play tenths chords without rolling them.as Batsashvili does here. This is one reason Liszt rewrote his early "Magyar Dallok" and 'Magyar Rapsodiak" as Hungarian Rhapsodies. Perhaps Liszt himself could no longer play his earlier music, like this, comfortably!

[@antoniong1449]

0:16 I thought it was just a rumor, but e-flat and d-sharp are actually the same sound!!! :OOO Thank you, Liszt

[@danielw9542]

Never really noticed it before but yea, it does seem odd. Perhaps there's some sort of music theory reason behind it 🤔

[@glichardo]

No way, this must be some sort of magic. How could 2 notes be the same but have different names!? Impossible

[@goncalonuno219]

@@danielw9542 the only reason is because liszt is transitioning between c minor and e major

[@supremetaco5349]

isn't that obvious? One is a half step down from e and one is a half step up from d, both of which are the same. I don't know how people can't understand this.

[@jackgerhardt3243]

@@danielw9542 It all depends on the context of what keys you're in and what you're moving to. sometimes it just makes more sense for it to be called d sharp instead of e flat

[@雅萱石]

I love this piece, and would very much like to get hold of the score. Great job by Mariam bringing out the musical genius of this piece while mastering the extreme technical difficulty. Bravo!

[@modernetude5750]

This piece is extremely hard but worth playing. Respect to the pianist !

[@matheusdegodoysouza2552]

9:00 now we have Mozart x Liszt

[@stacia6678]

It’s the Aria from Figaro in C lol

[@giacomoguarnieri2461]

Thank you so very much for this upload, great content, great explanation, great recording, great performance...wow!

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Glad to know I could help!

[@Runaziel820]

They just arpeggiated the distant chords and it became more beautifully like a lullaby. Great one

[@Runaziel820]

@Felis Skalkotris Sorabjitus I?m sorry haha

[@legoguy23451]

right, he uses such simple ideas to such great effect. brilliant

[@bono3074]

I think its because she didnt have big enough hands.

[@Runaziel820]

@@bono3074 exactly

[@paperpaper6970]

This musical piece give me near death experiences

[@TheRonnos]

Played by fantastic Mariam Batsashvilli from Georgia - Winner of the International Franz Liszt Competition at Vredenburg, Utrecht. Holland at 2014. Its on her 2nd CD called "EARLY TRANSCRIPTIONS" its last track. All her 2 LISZT CDs are crown jewels.

[@classicalhero7]

How many notes can you play? Franz Liszt: yes.

[@niccolopaganini4268]

@@HorowitzScores This is one of the memes that never get old my friend

[@pleasecontactme4274]

@Johann Sebastian XD

[@alexhoffmann3002]

Thank you for this upload; I heard this piece on the radio a few years ago and until now have had a very difficult time of finding a good recording of it.

[@Ethan_is_me]

What channel were you listening to?

[@erikhorvath4297]

I didn't have heard about this piece so far, but it's magic from the beginning to the end...

[@Unverbindlich]

7:56 i love this part

[@kinito2888]

simply wonderfully Liszt :)

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

Listz is too good

[@pedrofuster9161]

00:49 This sounds a lot like what Horowitz plays in the Last Romantic, that people say is his arragement of tea for two

[@Oak13766]

Wow

[@HGraabæk]

Thats true i noticed that as well. The way horowitz smiles after playing that little improvisation is just worth gold

[@niccolomaldera]

No, it was Liszt playing Tea for two

[@momaiahs3457]

Ok but this is so well written wtf

[@marcalexandrefontenay9801]

Les puristes du Mariage de Figaro déploreront les variations sur voi que sapete , mais les amoureux du piano de Liszt s’inclineront longtemps et pour des générations entières sur ce travail colossal pianistique !

[@athanasepercevalve3794]

Mozart & Liszt. Ca suffit pour savoir que c'est une merveille. Tout autre information ou remarque est superfétatoire.

[@lingromanzecool]

I haven't heard of this piece yet, but once I held my first glimpse at it, I was fond of this piece, though not as famous as other masterpieces he composed.

[@pianomaly9]

Great to hear this fantastic piece in its all its glory, Liszt's pianistic, harmonic and formal genius at the height of his virtuoso years, liberated from Busoni's bowdlerized version, although that is admirable in its own way too. My fingers went into spasms just listening to it.

[@TJMalana]

At the 2:05 mark I hear bits of Beethoven’s piano sonata in there somewhere. 😍

[@Trooman20]

Which one?

[@Trooman20]

It sounds a bit like pathetique 2nd movement but more heavier

[@slowbrosrus8163]

oh yeah that really sounds like mvmt 1 of appassionata

[@n0rg]

Thanks for the upload and explanations / history to go with it

[@XavierY828]

Liszt to Mozart; “the rest is just the same, isn’t it. Have you tried…..”.

[@tarikeld11]

0:26 This theme reminds me of the Appasionata

[@ruhtrayen]

just turned in major ehe

[@tarikeld11]

@@ruhtrayen The theme in major is in the Appasionata as well.

[@ljl451]

It is a great fantasy/transcription, but the March at 19:10 should have lasted longer with a greater build up. In the Marriage of Figaro it has much more importance.

[@Liszthesis]

Busoni did a better build-up in his completion =)

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

I bet if Mozart was still alive and heard Listz play this in front of him...he will go : ' damn...I am Mozart and even I am very impressed with this guy who thought of this insanely difficult arrangement. Who is this Liszt?? This Liszt is freaking amazing! Beethoven should hear him one day'

[@samthepianoman]

Mozart died before Beethoven became famous

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

@@samthepianoman Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had a powerful influence on the work of Ludwig van Beethoven. They are said to have met in Vienna in 1787, and Beethoven is said to have had a few lessons from Mozart.

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

Mozart is only 14 years older than Beethoven....so Mozart is like a big brother to Beethoven

[@niccolopaganini4268]

@@samthepianoman The whole point of op's comment is what if Mozart lived longer

[@samthepianoman]

Niccolo Paganini I know this is about Mozart hearing Liszt

[@omarrondaludwig4123]

0:27 seems like "sonate 23" of Beethoven

[@akihana4113]

this is one of the hardest Liszt works

[@Santosificationable]

The hardest Liszt work is easily his transcription of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. But if we are talking single movement works, then probably his Grand Concert Fantasy on Spanish Themes, S. 253.

[@michaelreich2306]

@@Santosificationable Les Études d’exécution transcendante are the most difficult pieces of liszt

[@SamiShah2004]

@@michaelreich2306 Rhapsodie Espagnol or maybe Don Juan Fantasy.

[@spark_6710]

@@michaelreich2306 Yes !!!

[@preludio423]

The hardest Liszt pieces are the douze grandes études (1838 version), Fantasy on spanish themes, reminiscences de Lucrezia Borgia and s140 Paganini variations 4 & 6

[@sage4nowty129]

An amazing piece!! Awesome!

[@sage4nowty129]

Very well-played! Bravo!!

[@iaeud5401]

Mozart: how did you do that, Liszt???

[@minjaelee7886]

Wow i didn't know about this piece

[@Scorpionthepianist]

Lee min jae nice profile pic

[@vt2637]

Almost everything by Liszt is fricking difficult

[@Not_thinking_about_anything]

Fdzz

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Thanks for doing the Howard completion, I'd like to watch Busoni's completion as well!

[@АлександрЯрков-ш2з]

Bravo bravo bravo brilliance super music virtuoso

[@teunvandesteeg7836]

Who can play this is absolutely at the highest top.

[@bunnybird9342]

I really, really, really would like to hear an orchestrated version of this. I imagine it being based on the orchestration of the original pieces.

[@iamwhatiam6281]

I can easily play this with 4 hands

[@CalamityInAction]

I am what I am I know this is meant as a joke, but playing piano would be way harder with 4 hands because there is more concentration and coordination needed

[@jameslorenz3718]

I am still impressed.

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

@@CalamityInAction Not for Liszt, choose your words carefully...

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

Nice seeing you here!

[@that1guy910]

@@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven xDDD

[@anthonyc6017]

3:15 the eternal fermata

[@mateuszdybka4743]

Fantastic!

[@angelobonacci461]

Sinceramente io non lo studierei,ma sicuramente complimenti a chi lo ha fatto 💯

[@reinhardmilz9192]

Einfach grandios, wie Frau Batsashvili diese schweren Variationen spielt. Gratulation!

[@OuaghlaniAlaa]

7:17 🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@aramkhachaturian8043]

Excuse me?!?!?! That Salieri theme is in here!!

[@franzliszt6197]

Ah, one of my favorites.

[@franzliszt6197]

@Far Hat Shut up. I was massively innovative and deserve every bit of praise I get. More like 'Fart' Hat.

[@filychiofalo]

the beginning remind at the piano varations in Fa minor Hob XVII/6 of Haydn

[@BrinaSun]

Wow that ending was really well written, sounded exactly like what Liszt would do.

[@newworld6422]

6:20 Voi che sapete😍

[@stacia6678]

liebestraum 😱

[@calebhu6383]

19:10

[@BenjaminZoon]

Yooooo Caleb

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

Very entertaining piece by Liszt

[@gustabocavalheiro]

3:45 big hands moment

[@VaggosWho]

Salieri and Mozart hearing this: Grazie Signiore!

[@nevskixx]

good musician.

[@sebastian9445]

5:09 my favorite part

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

3:25

[@airplane564]

You should create MIDI files for these

[@eenayeah]

So good. Subscribed.

[@spark_6710]

Me, too !

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Usted si lo sabe porque le sigo. .,

[@GIOVANNONE66]

miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ! ! ! quante note. . .

[@白玉堂-o9h]

Saleri : Nice job my student!

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

This piece has nothing to do with Salieri.

[@starstriker3108]

@@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven liszt was a student of salieri

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

@@starstriker3108 Yes, but the piece is totally unrelated and has nothing to do with him. Salieri was a classical style composer and therefore I doubt his influence in the area of operatic fantasies was prominent. All the themes utilized here are found in Mozart operas, not Salieri operas.

[@FocusMrbjarke]

@@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven isn’t it based on a piece by him? kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5TMd4eGlLCFr5Y

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

@@FocusMrbjarke LOL, Amadeus isn't a historical reference. It's actually not.

[@jerzyadacha8399]

It's literally one of his hardest fantasies

[@elmiramuradova561]

Fantastic

[@enricosammarco8408]

Hi, beautiful channel! Is there a way in which I can get this score?

[@antonygonzalez1672]

Enrico Sammarco I think just give him your email and ask for it

[@sharky_spike]

@@antonygonzalez1672 who & how?

[@Rajsadaye]

@@sharky_spike The owner of this channel.

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Of course, here you go, I hope this helps :) drive.google.com/file/d/1D7VSCGPyvYrXLzhMRBC4N6UNLiDBKX1s/view?usp=drivesdk

[@判官-l8x]

very nice

[@casual_human]

모짜르트 마개조 ㅎㄷㄷ..

[@davidrehak3539]

Liszt Ferenc:Fantázia Mozart Figaro és Don Giovanni témáin Mariam Batsashvilli-zongora

[@loganfruchtman953]

The ultamite tribute to master Mozart.

[@samthepianoman]

Three hands

[@niccolomaldera]

15:15 is that 'Notte e giorno faticar'?

[@alp9020]

Tenths tremolos 😅

[@JoePatrych]

This is good, but check out the Grygory Ginzburg recording….

[@机龍之介-x6j]

8:12～8:59重音和弦、9:50重音スケール、18:01～オクターヴ和弦などが超絶？技巧満載であるが、ホロヴィッツのロール録音ではあまりにテンポが速すぎ、これくらいのテンポがよいだろう。シュナーベルにホロヴィッツが「マエストロはこの手の曲は弾かないのですか？」と聞いたら、「バッハを練習する時間で目いっぱいなのに更にこんな曲は弾かないね」と答えたという。　ホロヴィッツは「私は逆をやります。技巧曲から入って、バッハに向かいます」といったとさ。しかしとうとう、晩年になると、極端な技巧を要求する曲は避けるようになり、音色とサッカリンの入った節回しでごまかすようになり、職人芸は影を潜めた。。彼の人間の全的開放にはこの手の曲がどうしても不可欠だが、極めて強い副作用として、最後の３分間にだけ異常に感銘を受け、その前の曲全部の印象が一気に吹き飛んでしまう点がある。現在はその編曲もの＝秘曲も写譜され、いろんなピアニストがチャレンジし、やがてリスト曲のように普通に弾かれる曲となるだろう。この曲はあくまでリストオリジナルだが、コーダはもう少し手を加えないとものたりない。単純な技巧の羅列では聴衆は耳で慣れてしまうから。ベートーヴェンの協奏曲の第１、第４番のカデンツァだって、私たち素人は「もっと派手にやりまくってくれ。金ならいくらでも出す」と言いたくなることがある。今となってはもはやもの足りない。

[@katherinewang8995]

Wow

[@bhj6ydrtsdrtxhbftsgdnxf54t3]

Did beethoven use this theme in appassionata?

[@flaviodrusovalerio2825]

Ahahah it was written once beethoven was well dead.

[@kokositosalvatore]

Nostalgic

[@sharky_spike]

as a classical pianist ive never heard this version before...only played the busoni ...where did you find the score for this? thanks

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Here you go, hope this helps: drive.google.com/file/d/1D7VSCGPyvYrXLzhMRBC4N6UNLiDBKX1s/view?usp=drivesdk

[@ciararespect4296]

@@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji brilliant thanks very much

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

@@ciararespect4296 you're welcome

[@rajathprabhakar3494]

Why are the measure numbers different for each line in the minuet? I think it's somewhere from 14:00 to 17:00

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Because you have different time signatures in different hands.

[@jerry_moo]

Facilitating differing time signatures, as two themes are being cleverly amalgamated.

[@marcocampus7943]

Because Mozart writs that.

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

7:00 just for my reference

[@DANNY40379]

how many notes can you play with one finger?

[@antonygonzalez1672]

DanM101 per second ?

[@19thCenturyGuy]

Liszt : yes

[@thenotsookayguy]

I can play 5 notes at the same time with only my pinky.

[@michelcarpentier6869]

Allons allons....trop de notes monsieur liszt 😊

[@matheusdossantos5053]

Tell me you have giant hands without telling me you have giant hands:

[@eugeneveziridis]

Is this Howard’s version or Busoni’s?

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

@@eugeneveziridis Howard!

[@antonygonzalez1672]

I’m not familiar with figaro can somebody stamp where it’s played

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

0:00

[@ValzainLumivix]

Lol

[@claudioparrella183]

Mariam supera Leslie?

[@amgx9670]

reminiscences de lucrezia borgia is nothing compared to this

[@ValzainLumivix]

Ok

[@pianosemcorda]

9:01

[@angelobonacci461]

Pezzo veramente difficile

[@jakubgrzybacz2025]

19:13 Chopin op 53

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

12:31 march

[@amgx9670]

chromatic thirds in the left and right hands at the same time, dayum bro ok

[@ericastier1646]

Better than the boring and mannerism prone Mozart in my view.

[@WEEBLLOM]

ok

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

8:48, 10:23

[@themasterdork5766]

So what does the ( ? ) means in music score?

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

The brackets and question marks are Liszt's (this edition has copied them from the autograph manuscript). It would appear that Liszt was unsure wether he should include or not include those notes, however it is generally advised to skip them.

[@jahman514]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt where are some examples in this piece of these notes?

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

@@jahman514 2:45 is an example.

[@nezkeys79]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt i prefer that figure playes twice lol

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

6:20 6:50 voi che sapete

[@arphano51]

Injouable ! trop épuisant !

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Practice!

[@eduardbotez2790]

omaniiiiiii la putereeee