How Did Liszt Compose? - Composer Insights

[@MusicMattersGB]

Learn Music Online - Check out our courses here! www.mmcourses.co.uk/courses

[@FocusMrbjarke]

Liszt is my favourite composer so this video is awesome

[@MusicMattersGB]

Fabulous

[@ValkyRiver]

Check out my cursed Liszt Paganini Étude series!

[@carlstenger5893]

Absolutely fascinating. The first question that comes to mind is : Did Liszt begin writing this piece by mapping out the scales he wished to explore; carefully design and construct the various motifs he wished to use; put to paper the chord sequences he wanted (or needed) to use -- OR did it begin when he happened to "plunk out" the opening statement (whilst he was noodling about on the piano), found himself completely smitten with the sound and structure, and (in a long stream of consciousness) the piece (quite literally) spilled forth from his mind? I tend to believe that it was the latter (rather than the former); but then, I prefer to believe that the best music is created when the composer doesn't deliberately get "in the way" of the creative process. Wonderful video (as always). Thank you. Gareth, you possess a rare talent for analyzing and explaining musical concepts in such a way that I come away having learned far more about given subject than I thought possible. When I was much younger, I was confident that I knew far more about music than the average musician. As the years have raced on by, I have discovered that (much of the time) I don't even know what I don't know. That realization can be crippling. Between your videos, courses, and the monthly livestream sessions (through the wonderful Music Matters Maestro Program), I am not only beginning to realize what I don't know, but you (and Alex and the rest of your team) are helping me to replace ignorance with solid knowledge. I'll never reach a point where I "know it all", but I am thoroughly enjoying the journey of learning all that I can. Thanks so much!

[@MusicMattersGB]

That is so kind of you Carl and I’m so pleased that we can assist your musical journey in some way. None of us stops learning - there’s always so more to discover. It’s a real pleasure journeying with you.

[@ClassicalPower]

I think the second is much more possible: he just wanted to "play" the piano and impress Liszt's way ahah, even though of course subconsciously he did work harmonally taking advantage of his deep experience. That's how I see it.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@ruramikael]

Kenneth Hamilton's book on the Liszt Sonata and other sonata forms is an eye-opener. Apparently bars 18-31 were revised. But probably all themes were sketched out before the composition was begun.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@dhpbear2]

00:10 - "Now the chorus comes in. Nobody knows why the chorus comes in except Mozart, and he's dead!" - Victor Borge :)

[@MusicMattersGB]

Victor Borge was hilarious

[@sosmarr5933]

Really liking the video so far. Looks like I've finally found the kind of content about composing/music theory that I would enjoy. you're not just blasting out some theory, but you're actually providing a way for me to learn it in relation to something I like. Also I like the calm presentation which doesn't lack some healthy humor. thanks for making these kind of video's. I think I'll definitely check out some more of them!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@mikegrisafi541]

I kept yelling in my head at the opening bars analysis, G phrygian! I can't help it....I'm mostly a guitarist and tend to think in modes.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Fair enough!

[@davidyuditskiy]

You are correct, looking from a modal perspective; the G Phrygian scale is outlined in the second and third bars. Another interesting thing to point out is in the 5th and 6th bar, in which Liszt features another mode: the Hungarian minor scale, a scale that isn't all that rare in Liszt's music, yet still considered an "exotic" scale.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@bonuebonue]

As a Music University teacher in Germany I appreciated very much this Video!!! Very inspiring and detailed analysis and I saw things than I never saw: thank you very much for your contribution to keep the art of Music in his most deep aspects alive!!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure.

[@Janiesindall1981]

Gareth...You are amazing! I have so much respect for you and for all you offer us! THANK YOU so much! You are a musical genius! I learn SOOO much from your videos! Theory suddenly becomes so exciting! I simply LOVE it! And your analysis is so easy to understand...You make it so interesting! Bless you! Keep posting please, Gareth! Music is becoming so much more alive for me with every video! 🙏❤😄🎶🎵🎶

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s really lovely of you. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@pauldavis6857]

Fascinating, Gareth! This music is new to me, I'm ashamed to say, but your video, as usual, is vivid and memorable...and always the vocal accompaniments. Thank you!

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@lomggrt]

fancinating! He keeps us in suspense which key he is in..Thank you Gareth

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s a great piece

[@tonyanderton3521]

This is a fascinating video. I'm not a musician, but I still learned a lot. I've got in to Liszt's piano sonata over a period of many years, probably decades, by a process of osmosis on hearing it on BBC Radio 3 - I don't know, maybe 10 times. Just having it on in the background. Then, one time, I just "got it". I bought a CD of Stephen Hough's recording of it and became obsessed with it. Now, I ration the amount of times I play it. Great stuff. Thanks again.

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s a stunning piece

[@kenneth1767]

Amazing. Will need to watch again. So loaded with innuendo.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@pjny123]

So wonderful! Thank you for these insights; I always learn so very much from you. It's a great feeling to be able to follow this piece along with you as you begin to break it down - almost like reading a map to figure out the landscape all around us. Just brilliant!!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@DanderbergK]

Fascinating vid. Fascinating piece of music. Thank you

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@bernhard9902]

Thank you so much for making this, fab analysis! x

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@DaveBessell]

Thanks for this, interesting you mentioned the connection to film music which also often uses tonal materials in colouristic ways. More generally its great to have your videos available like this, if someone wanted to teach themselves how music works they would be an invaluable resource. Keep on giving people the undiluted information, its sadly lacking from a lot of music courses these days.

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@fredericfrancoischopin6280]

Thanks he was my friend soo nice to see 😁🙈

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@REB3Lmusic]

Wow keep up the good work ❤ thank you so much

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@manuelojeda9144]

You're doing a great analysis.

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@zenonorth1193]

I enjoyed this so far as it went, but it's really more a description of "what happens" on the first page of the sonata. To use the title "How Liszt composed" using the B minor sonata as an example and then not to make mention of thematic transformation or thematic derivation from motifs is, to me, inexplicable. I don't know if Liszt started writing down the music with the first page, but if he did, you can bet he damn well knew what was coming AFTER the first page and how everything on the 1st page relates to what happens in the rest of the sonata. I hope you will consider a follow-up explaining the links between the first page and the other themes and motifs in the sonata.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Of course that’s all true. These are just snapshot videos to inspire engagement with the topic.

[@HowlingUlf]

YES! It kind of dawned on me that there would be a diminished thingamabob in there halfway before the big secret was revealed! I like that !!! Now ... I will liszten to some more tunes from Franz !!! This is kind of spectacularly dry and funny channel with the wildest imaginable music. Really mind expanding! Thankz a lot, Garreth!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure!

[@HowlingUlf]

@@MusicMattersGB I just hear it all of it over at a channel called: Ashish Xiangyi Kumar Liszt: Sonata in B Minor (Zimerman) ... I wasn't allowed to post a link from one KZbin channel to another for some reason so ... I'm speechless !!! 30 minutes that seemed like 3 ...

[@steverox8141]

The best channel for Music. Love from India ❤

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@elierouhana1181]

Hello i am from lebanon, It seems that Liszt used the Arabic scales, which is strange to Western music. The first 3 bars he used what we call "cord of G" and in the next bars he used the "hijaz of D" we use these two scales in almost all of our songs that don't use the quarter tone :)

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s very interesting

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

It is not strange. Liszt was part of Romanticism, and also saw all the Orientalist movement and its influence in arts and music in his time. End of Napoleonic wars helped people travel more, see and hear things. Same as Delacroix was sharing his sketches from Algiers, Morocco and elsewhere, and were used by the Impressionists, various tunes too were notated and used in music across Europe.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely

[@franzlisztish]

Bloody EXCELLENT! Thanks VERY much.

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@ricardorivas5955]

in the beggining scale you can see that he is combining g minor harmonic and c minor (tonic/subdominant) and then in the second go he is doing tonic dominant version

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@WalyB01]

Love it, I have this a lot when studying pieces, that what is going on here moment. Now working on Ravel Forlane, which well is this continuously.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Fabulous

[@AtomizedSound]

Such a genius and virtuoso in his day!

[@winkgm5057]

Lol and still is today

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@siriusra2692]

.... another great analysis.....thanks...

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure

[@iamfantastic.iamgreat3649]

Thank you very much!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure

[@laurelmentor404]

Thank you for illuminating Liszt's Sonata in B minor in a new and exciting way for me. I used to dislike this piece, as it just sounded like a bunch of noise, and my housemate used to hammer it out on the piano all the time late at night 😣. However, i now find it fascinating to listen to. 😀

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great

[@jayducharme]

That was a fascinating analysis! I'm curious about the end of the page: why did Liszt place two eighth rests in a row with fermatas over them rather than just a quarter rest with a fermata? It looks like that measure continues on, so I suspect that has something to do with it.

[@fingerzfrienemy2226]

maybe he was emphasizing silence cue the Maestro to wiggle and/or ignorant of composition?

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@ExistentialistDasein]

Thank you so much for this wonderful upload. I know how requesting things could be annoying, but I would like to humbly request an analysis of The Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam" if you had the time or the motivation.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Big project but we could look at some of it.

[@4thlord51]

Big fan of Liszt. Thx

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@sarbajitghosh5244]

Enjoyable as usual

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@alcyonecrucis]

Wow, never resting on one’s laurels! First Debussy and now Liszt! A composer’s handbook!!

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@OliverG12345]

This is awesome! Have you done one with Rachmaninoff?

[@MusicMattersGB]

Not yet but we will.

[@GeorgeZwierzchowskipianomusic]

the G melodic minor is also Bflat major and according to beethovens mind (opus 106) B flat major is the farthest key from b minor. when the fugue in the fourth movement goes into b minor the whole atmosphere changes for Beethoven also. perhaps Liszt had this in mind in his opening. he was the first to perform the opus 106 not long from the composition of his own Sonata.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Good connection

[@ciararespect4296]

Fascinating. I couldn't follow all the scales and chord descriptions but have a general idea thanks People say having knowledge of theory helps with memorisation on piano. I'm sure that's correct but it seems a small amount of knowledge isn't enough by far

[@MusicMattersGB]

Keep building it and it will help enormously

[@DottoreSM]

part 2 pls

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@gillianarmour1444]

Fascinating to hear a complex piece of music explained like this! It would be beyond my abilities to play but good to get some understanding of how it is constructed

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Glad you enjoy it.

[@4thlord51]

Please do more Liszt

[@MusicMattersGB]

Glad you like it

[@joepalooka2145]

I think Liszt learned everything from his idol Beethoven, whom he played for as a 12 year old. Reportedly Beethoven gave him a "Wiehekuss" or "Kiss of Consecration" for his marvellous playing. I can certainly hear the influence of Beethoven in this work. Has anyone studied and understood Beethoven more than Liszt?---- he transcribed Beethoven's nine symphonies for solo piano, which Vladimir Horowitz called "the greatest works for piano ever written". It's curious that these transcriptions are not as well known as one would think, because they are truly fantastic.

[@MusicMattersGB]

I agree. Amazing transcriptions!

[@charliegold3227]

It means Weihekuss, wiehekuss means nothing in german.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@charliegold3227]

Music Matters 😘

[@FocusMrbjarke]

What seems to be going on to me is harmonic transformation or harmonic development.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely

[@Mynelka]

All those " analysts " always ignore one thing that they probably can`t understand ... they always look for some logical explanation ... real, authentic, true music comes from inspiration, the higher source and doesn`t really care about rules. Mediocre composers need to " know " what to do ... geniuses just hear it and do it ... the inspiration comes through them and beauty comes out of it. So you can analyze all you want and you will never get it unless you are one of them.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Or the analysis reveals those inspirational gems hidden in the music.

[@Mynelka]

@@MusicMattersGB They do not really need to be revealed , just enjoyed ... they can`t be copied ... anybody who wants to duplicate them is just another wannabe, an imposter and not a real creator of art ... you find your own inspiration or put up with the fact that you`re not at that level of talent ... kind of like Mozart vs Salieri ... you just can`t teach talent and God given ability

[@MusicMattersGB]

Sure but lots of people are asking for this to be revealed and are excited by what they discover through such study. Many find that it enhances their enjoyment.

[@SpaghettiToaster]

Rachmaninoff Next PLEASE!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Okay. Will put on the list.

[@dominikschelling4168]

Which midi piano are you using?

[@MusicMattersGB]

Roland A-88

[@isaacshaw1596]

You almost made the piece slightly comedic. The last 4 bars of the page were slightly comedic especially with how low on the keyboard it is with that fast motif. Great horror movie stuff. That might be a bit on the surface. I know Liszt is one of the geniuses of the past so huge respect too him but it's so different to everyone else like with Chopin with his very decorated melodies like in op 9 no 2 nocturne the little chromatic and scalic runs Chopin does in the melody line is just magic and no one could write them like him. Listz very good at handling dissonance and drama in fact a master of it.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely

[@robertbeaman5761]

Is the sheet music written wrong ?

[@MusicMattersGB]

No

[@robertbeaman5761]

The upper staff switches from treble clef to bass clef. Maybe there's a part of music I don't understand.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That often happens in music.

[@robertbeaman5761]

@@MusicMattersGB I took better look with my glasses on. It makes sense now.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@peterclark1041]

Complete novice here…….surely rules are made to be broken?……interesting to see very experienced aficionados response to all this. At least, thanks to mm I can at least now appreciate some of the points made!!!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely true re rules. It’s always good to know what they are and why you’ve decided to break them. You’re very welcome at MM

[@ahmetayhan6993]

coming up and entering "the house of usher"

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@laureanoahmad7495]

Atonal music is not just random notes. It has a meaning. Tonal music is tonal precisely when it has a gravity center. Forced by a dominant. To me is modal music. Same as Debussy

[@FranklinChen]

The beginning is just a G phrygian mode descending scale.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@bennaarsongidi]

@@FranklinChen wondering why it wasn’t mentioned

[@MusicMattersGB]

I don’t think Liszt would have thought of it that way but that doesn’t particularly matter

[@bennaarsongidi]

@@MusicMattersGB you’re right . It’s a temperament he likely explored / discovered on his own .

[@iwright621]

He was probably bored of predictable convention . Given how much of virtuoso he was - I bet he’d tried everything under the sun. & had his own logic for each piece Thank you How about inside the mind of Gareth green ? Your experiences and journey in music etc .

[@MusicMattersGB]

Plenty of truth in that re Liszt. On the latter point, others have asked too so we will address that shortly.

[@martinbennett2228]

Liszt is always concerned with tonal ambiguity. I think he was the first composer to be instinctively atonal (or without a tonal centre). Clara Schumann could not understand what Liszt was doing and disliked it, few did understand Liszt in his time, though the ambiguity is a recurrent feature from many of his earlier compositions too. Liszt is certainly one of the most fascinating composers, but such a pity his music is usually so hard to play. For someone with a reputation of something of a showman it is extraordinary how cerebral his music can be and how few concessions he is prepared to make for performers and listeners.

[@MusicMattersGB]

True but it’s also part of what makes it so engaging.

[@man0sticks]

Liszt might be thought of as a proto-Modernist. He was all about challenging conventions and defying expectations. The diminished seventh chord was very useful in this regard, since it is intrinsically ambiguous.

[@MusicMattersGB]

I agree

[@martinbennett2228]

@@man0sticks Similarly he used augmented triads to derail tonality.

[@MusicMattersGB]

True

[@yannmondehard4171]

That's an analysis but I don't see any insight in the way of composing.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Analysis provides huge insight into composition technique.

[@emeraldeyes9565]

The way Liszt composed music suggests he must have been a rather strange individual.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Not necessarily but certainly adventurous

[@none5020]

Maybe making a 23 minute video observing only the first page of a Liszt piece might be overthinking it.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Or it may be under thinking it because there’s still so much more to observe.

[@juicedelemon]

that means I compose like Liszt

[@MusicMattersGB]

Brilliant

[@AbdulazizShabakouh]

666 666 666 Looks familiar? Triple sixes repeated three times could be the symbol of the Beast as mentioned in the Book of Revelation? Measure 2 and 3 descending on Phrygian mode on G. Measure 5 and 6 descending on Hungarian mode on G.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Certainly something you could read into it.

[@DottoreSM]

yes, some scholars have thought that the piece has an underlying program that could be about john milton's 'paradise lost', but we'll never know. maybe that would be the motif representing the devil. but later on we see this motiftransformed into a beautiful melody. so who knows

[@MusicMattersGB]

Yes that’s very interesting

[@magmasunburst9331]

Liszt was an ordained priest in the Catholic church later in his life.

[@spav7597]

Do Rachmaninoff!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Ok

[@fingerzfrienemy2226]

we'd tend to assume the tonality

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@canman5060]

Liszt sight read most of the time than compose. He loves to see how other compose and giving much less credit to himself.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@ylst8874]

Do really composers think theory when writing ?

[@MusicMattersGB]

They generally either think it or it’s completely absorbed within them.

[@ylst8874]

@@MusicMattersGB Thank you.

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@luismolinadjalphapulpina09]

on structure is stucture

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@manuelojeda9144]

Then Dramatic

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s another

[@fingerzfrienemy2226]

tis to trick the ear...

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@deanwright7611]

Please! Music is not just about saying what key a phrase is in!

[@MusicMattersGB]

No but it’s one important issue!

[@manuelojeda9144]

Misterious.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s one of the qualities here

[@vincentedelmond5404]

Im sorry to tell I never liked Liszt Its one way hi way Hannon like exercises To have some melody he must relate his name to other musicians he is a technician a piano performer an entertainer a transcriptor I agree but surely an underrated musician

[@MusicMattersGB]

Each to their own!