Liszt - Grande Fantaisie symphonique, S120 (Jandó)

In 1831, Hector Berlioz composed the first version of his monodrama Lélio, ou le retour à la vie (Lelio, or the return to life) as a sequel to the Symphonie fantastique; Liszt, who was amongst Berlioz’s staunchest admirers, had already transcribed the Symphonie for solo piano, but there was no chance of his doing the same for its sequel. Instead, and much to Berlioz’s liking, he used just two themes from Lélio to construct a large-scale work in two joined parts: the Grande Fantaisie symphonique. The important word here is ‘symphonique’, which Liszt is using here for the first time; the work being an epic mix of Berliozian devilry and pure unfettered Lisztian inspiration, with orchestral writing that is full, noble and of symphonic proportions, and the piano part, although a proper solo part, fully integrated into the orchestral texture.
The original manuscript of this work, long undiscovered, surfaced at auction in France in 1998, and it revealed immediately that Liszt carried out his own orchestration-it is astonishing that there are still commentators who believe the hoary myth that Liszt only began to study orchestration in his Weimar years, and that much of his instrumentation was done by other hands. This is nonsense, and the Lélio Fantasy shows it to have been so from the beginning.
Liszt’s fantasy is constructed about the ballad for tenor and piano Le pêcheur (The fisherman), the first musical number in Lélio, and the third number-a song for baritone, men’s chorus and orchestra called Chanson de brigands (Brigands' Song). Berlioz’s ballad has two printed versions of the melody of The Fisherman to allow for performance in German as well as French (the original poem is by Goethe), and Liszt generally uses the ‘German’ melody, which begins many phrases on an extra upbeat, but for the piano cadenzas he uses the ‘French’ melody, which begins more starkly on the first beat of the bar. Liszt prepares the arrival of the theme with an imaginative introduction which hints darkly at the prospect of some expansive melody, which finally appears as a piano solo (after a brief cadenza), and then in dialogue with the oboe. The first development of the theme is a dramatic recitative, which dies away with a trill, and the second part of Berlioz’s melody is introduced. Both parts of the melody are developed at length, and foreign tonalities are explored, the section ending with a stupefying explosion from the soloist onto bare, stentorian octave C sharps which introduce what is effectively the second movement, in 6/8 still, but much livelier. C sharp becomes D flat in B flat minor, and we are led to F major for the Brigands’ Song, where Liszt alternates between preserving Berlioz’s orchestration and arranging the repeated phrases for solo piano; he continues to follow Berlioz to the end of the tutti passage and then gently takes the musical reins, first by arranging, then by developing the material, until the music bursts into 2/4 and a passage in repeated chords brings this part of the movement to a full close, and a new pair of themes is introduced. Where these new themes come from is a mystery; they are certainly not in Lélio, nor do they seem to be among Berlioz’s published works (still, their inclusion here must have met Berlioz's approval, since he conducted this works' first performance). The first of these themes is presented in conjunction with the repeated chords aforementioned at 15:26 (the second mysterious theme at 15:52) and then part of the Brigands’ Song is subjected to chromatic development, culminating in a cadenza; the recapitulation of the song is then decorated with repeated notes from the piano and col legno accompaniment from the strings. After a repeat of the tutti the coda begins with a reprise of the Fisherman’s Song, before resuming the faster tempo and returning to the material of untraced origin, interspersed with fragments of the Brigands’ Song to bring together the threads of the twenty-three-year-old Liszt’s very confident composition.
Pianist: Jenő Jandó
Conductor: András Ligeti
Orchestra: Budapest Symphony Orchestra

[@MyPianoArchives]

Discovering pieces by Liszt I never heard is always a pleasant surprise. Thanks for the upload!!

[@jimjohnhaywire]

This piece hasn't been recorded much, but the few recordings that exist put the Jando/Ligeti collaboration straight to the top of the heap. What a beautiful, natural, and wholeheartedly youthful and passionate performance.

[@guii8993]

the more i appreciate Liszt works, more i feel all the sincerity, vision and talent the man had his entire life, unbelievable Liszt as always.

[@foxfire7779]

10:57 probably best part.

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

Good part indeed indeed, my favorite is 11:18 or 13:49 and 13:54 piano counterpart

[@gergelykiss]

Wow, indeed! I never even hoped that once this work would be uploaded with a score! Thanks a lot! The concertante works are the most incredible pieces from Liszt's early twenties (this, Malediction and De Profundis). According to Leslie H oward, who wrote the description, there are many places where the published two-piano score as well as the full score (which is available for hire only, apparently) differs from Liszt's manuscript of the Grande Fantasie. For example where Liszt indicates doube octaves in the manuscript, the published score has single notes for both hands, or octaves for just one hand. To be fair to Jandó and Ligeti, their fantastic recording was made before Liszt's long lost manuscript was rediscovered, so they had no chance to compare the existing published edition with the original material, which Howard did have an opportunity to consult. It would be interesting to compare Jandó and Howard - the latter's recording takes 5 minutes longer than Jandó's! I'll have to get my hands on that Hyperion recording. Thanks again for this wonderful upload!

[@mauricioabadi1410]

All the strenght of a revolutionary musician.

[@mariana.makasjian]

wow just wow, magnificent!! 10:57 and just a little after that sounds a bit like rachmaninov:)

[@auroresad21]

Liszt inépuisable . Merci infiniment à Andrei Cristian Anghel de nous faire découvrir cette Grande Fantaisie accompagnée de ses excellents commentaires toujours très enrichissants.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

I think this paraphrase actually works better as a work then Lelio itself. That one is such a weird hybrid that you can't ever program it satisfactory.

[@klop4228]

The only way I can work out Lélio is by doing Symphonie Fantastique in one half and Lélio in the other. Shame, cos the music in Lélio is beautiful. The Chanson de Bonheur especially.

[@elmiramuradova561]

Шикарно. Какой восторг ,какой порыв ,какая сила в музыке! Не слышала, но вдруг открыла для себя. Это нечто потрясающее. Благодарю Вас! ⚘

[@fulviopolce9785]

Un altra occasione per Liszt di mostrare qui il suo virtuosismo pianistico.Gran bella esecuzione di Jando e ottimo caricamento. Complimenti.

[@marcalexandrefontenay9801]

Une œuvre concertante rare de Liszt que j’avais enregistré à la radio . Passionnante et riche qui dépasse parfois l’original merveilleusement restituée ici!

[@treesny]

I got to know and love the music of Berlioz when I was in my 20s; it wasn't until I was past 60 that I did the same with Liszt's works. When I first heard this ravishing piece (in this recording) it was as if two important parts of my life, young and old, were joining hands... Thank you for posting this with a score! :-)

[@Felix_Li_En]

14:42 I thought Paganini show up again ! 😁😁 I wish Jenő Jandó would play De Profundis one day ! Do you have the score ??

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

The Rosenblatt score to that has been found online - haab-digital.klassik-stiftung.de/viewer/fullscreen/1223000389/4/

[@Felix_Li_En]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt WOW !!! Great job !!

[@0-IvI-O]

The first think I tought was :Wait another clochette variation by... Oh nevermind

[@jimjohnhaywire]

very special to listen to in the middle of a hot summer night.

[@jarodvmusic]

Incredible all around.

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

23:56

[@MatthewLeeKnowles]

7:28 Danny Elfman ^_^

[@jerry_moo]

Oh wow, just-wow. First of all, this is one of my favorite Liszt work-his treatments of Berlioz’s melodies are sublime, a paraphrase transformed into a full-on concerto-truly ingenious. And second of all, how did you find the sheet?! I can barely find this anywhere. Anyhow, I greatly thank you for sharing this great work with us.

[@most_sane_piano_enthusiast]

amazing

[@FEDE-GARAY]

WOOWWWWW, I LOVE THIS

[@user-ru8vy1uz7c]

Браво блестящая музыка

[@plusjeremy]

This has been one of my favorite concert works for nearly two decades. Unfortunately my score is in storage across the country. I bought it in high school at my local sheet music score, if you can believe that. I’m surprised you found it digitally and would love to get a copy.

[@foxfire7779]

2:07

[@ricardomacetti8919]

Que musica foda !

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

Pra caralho

[@xaviergenaux1531]

Thank very much for explanation. Just missing the brand and type of piano, he is using. Not a Boesendorfer for sure.. But what kind...?

[@SCRIABINIST]

Based

[@estherassuied]

Ultra-based

[@ludwig6285]

thank you for the video, i have a question. Did liszt himself made the orchestration?

[@ludwig6285]

i just listened the first part of the original composition and i hear voice, piano, orchestra. If berlioz composed all of them then what did liszt do? this piece is beautiful but im curious

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Yes, the orchestration is by Liszt.

[@giorgioquercioli9246]

Were i can find this pdf?!!! Help.

[@s.hfredin6851]

How'd you memmorise all these??😮😮

[@dwacheopus]

Great secret!

[@dwacheopus]

4:24

[@s.hfredin6851]

Why did they double the speed on the cromatics? Like, 11:46

[@somchaisaelee328]

I miss you.

[@somchaisaelee328]

So much.

[@wilh3lmmusic]

14:42 la campanella?

[@olgamariabollati3905]

...coincido con UD... me sonó La campanella...🤗

[@PaulSmith-qs1es]

I don't know. Liszt's orchestral music just doesn't do anything for me. He seems to know a lot more about the piano than what an orchestra can accomplish.

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

Have you heard Les préludes? If so, what did you think?

[@PaulSmith-qs1es]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt Well, I suppose it's quite a lot better than this, but it's not as good as Wagner which it is similar to.

[@tiborvisi7438]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt Liszt's orchestral works, including Les prèludes are kind of flat to me. Don't get me wrong, they are great works but when it comes to orchestral works (and I'm a sucker for them), Beethoven, Mahler, Richard Strauss and Wagner are significantly more sophisticated and "grandiose" than Liszt. Liszt is the best on piano but the orchestral works of his...underwhelming compared to his piano works.

[@FocusMrbjarke]

@Paul Smith what about dante symphony or faust symphony?

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

S.119 Good too

[@lowlightpiano7110]

Repent and trust in Jesus. We deserve Hell for our sin. Lying, lusting, etc, but God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross and ride from the grave to free us from sin. If you repent and trust in him youll be saved. Romans 3:23 John 3:16❤😊😊❤

[@treesny]

There is more than one Path. You're on Planet Earth: take a good look around without judging, and you may be surprised by what you learn about the range and variety of spiritual journeys!