Liszt - Romanian Rhapsody S.242 (Audio+Sheet) [Bellucci]

Giovanni Bellucci, piano

[@socalmagyar]

This piece is truly remarkable, for at least two reasons. First, it marvelously celebrates the multiculturalism of Transylvania, with "Hungarian folk" (actually, urban cafe) themes (later reworked in the Hungarian Rhapsodies Nos. 6 and 12), a Transylvanian "Saxon" (German) theme (the "Hermannstadter", named after the town of Sibiu, Hermannstadt in German and Nagyszeben in Hungarian), and the famous "Wallachian Melody". Second, the piano texture Liszt invents to set off that jewel of a Romanian folk melody is astonishing, and -- as Leslie Howard points out in his program notes -- not to be heard again for 70 years, until Bartok uses it for the third of his Six Romanian Folk Dances, the "Pe Loc". As Gergely Kiss explains below, this comes from Liszt's first set of "Magyar Rapszodiak es Dalok", numbering 22 pieces in all, which he later mined and recombined (and simplified!) to yield his 15 Hungarian Rhapsodies. (The four late Hungarian Rhapsodies are another matter altogether).

[@MorbidMayem]

@@alexlex5792 7:00

[@TheModicaLiszt]

There are 23 in the S.242 set now, including the earlier draft of HR1, “Reves et fantasies” :)

[@IbstisztBlogspotHkgracomtey]

The combination of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 and No. 12. :)

[@lizedi7440]

exactly

[@贺舒路]

泽地李 活捉菜地..

[@lizedi7440]

贺舒路 你是哪位…………

[@yimeizi2648]

+Li Zedi 活捉菜地

[@lizedi7440]

yu weizhi 蠢

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

7:08 - such a beautiful and fantastical melody

[@TheModicaLiszt]

It is Liszt’s original melody or a melody he heard from folk music (which he often used in his Magyar Dalok, Rapsodiak and other Rhapsodies)?

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

@@TheModicaLiszt it's a Wallachian folk melody

[@TheModicaLiszt]

Andrei Cristian Anghel Ah okay, thanks a lot :)

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

@@TheModicaLiszt Sorry for the 4 month reply 😂

[@TheModicaLiszt]

Andrei Cristian Anghel That’s okay lol 😂

[@franklind.roosevelt8598]

0:45 Hungarian rhapsody No6 middle section

[@johnsonzelop4259]

It’s the exact same melody

[@vine2197]

Ok

[@ADRIANGASPARMUSIC]

WOW!! first time I listen to this piece right now, being born in romania and as a pianist, i have to say, i can imagine how liszt tried to "interpret" the traditional hungarian / romanian instrument, the "cimbalom" / "țambal", on the piano!!!! very interesting for that time!! regards from vienna!

[@DragosDomnara]

7:02 sounds like Romanian doina, I've heard a few Romanian doina pieces that sound like this

[@horianitu6184]

Multumesc Liszt!

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

:)

[@TheModicaLiszt]

@@AndreiAnghelLiszt Romanian moment

[@georgiion1684]

I am Romanian and the Wallachian part deffinitely sounds romanian! It really is inspired from our traditional music. The Hungarian and Saxon theme don't have anything to do with the Romanian culture in my opinion. Saxons are Germans who do live in Transylvania, and there still are many Hungarians who live in Romania, but their culture and our culture doesn't really have anything in common. Apart from the land we shared for so long, Transylvania, we don't have much in common. The cultures are well kept apart, very different. I guess you can understand "Romanian" from the title as nationality, but deffinitely not as ethnicity. By the way, if you're curious about Romanian culture, listen to Romanian Rhapsody by George Enescu, one of the most famous Romanian composers of all time :)

[@pianosenzanima1]

Youre dead wrong...we are very much alike culturally speaking. For example, the hungarian dances could very easy be romanian music as well, together with many popular themes from the rhapsodies ;)

[@georgiion1684]

@@pianosenzanima1 I am disagreeing with what you said... We definitely have more in common with the Serbians and Bulgarians for example, than with Hungarians. We might have something in common, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that Hugarian dances could be Romanian dances. They are very different in my opinion. Our history is so different and the culture is the result of history.

[@gergelykiss]

To be fair to Liszt he didn't call this piece "Romanian Rhapsody" - it is a later inscription on the manuscript in someone else's handwriting. However I think it is equally misleading to call this a "Magyar" Rhapsody (which is Liszt's title). The best title would be, for my taste at least: "Transylvanian Rhapsody" - this piece happens to illustrate so beautifully the richness of cultural diversity that has been present there for such a long time. I agree with you that Romanian and Hungarian folk music is quite distinct from each other (and from Saxon music), but there is some overlap. In the Mezőség (Câmpia Transilvaniei) area of Transylvania Hungarians have a dance called "Oláhos" - which translates to "Romanian-style" - I don't know whether there is a similar dance in the Romanian communities there, which translates to "Hungarian-style." Also the augmented second so prevalent in 19th century Hungarian classical and popular music (which Schubert, Liszt and Brahms so delightfully sampled) didn't come from old Hungarian folk tunes, it just doesn't occur that much - it had to come from somewhere else. As far as I know the augmented second is very common in authentic Romanian music - so maybe it did arrive to Hungarian music circles from Romania (maybe through travelling Gypsy musicians). Other sources are possible, especially Turkish, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek music - but none of those peoples has spent nearly as much time living nearly as close to Hungarians as Romanians have.

[@alparber]

I cannot agree on this. There are so many similarities and sometimes even the very same melodic theme between Saxon/Romanian/Hungarian folk songs in Transylvania. We lived together and were each other’s neighbours for several centuries. No offence but you are probably not from Transylvania therefore you cannot hear the similarities.

[@mihabratu6029]

@@gergelykiss Right

[@HansPeter-hx5dx]

why the fuck did i never hear of this rhapsody, its amazing

With the Walachian melody Liszt truly threw his lance as far into the future as he could I think.

[@skullkrusher4418]

I love Liszt's more melodic pieces like this one. They're so deep.

[@Felix_Li_En]

I really really want to hear Cziffra play this incredible work !!

[@SmeagolTheBeagle]

Cziffra is in my opinion, without a doubt the greatest performing pianist to ever be filmed or recorded.

[@pianosenzanima1]

@@SmeagolTheBeagle without any shadow of a doubt!

[@vnwa7390]

Some would debate with Ogdon and Hamelin; imo it’s all a useless preferential debate. On the other hand, Alistair Hinton, the curator and director of the Sorabji Archive, who is a rather well known and knowledgeable gentleman in the musical community himself would disagree and say it’s Jonathan Powell, since Jonathan Powell has performed the Opus Clavicembalisticum over 7 times as well as many many other works.

[@p-y8210]

Hamelin and cziffra

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

@@p-y8210 Hamelim is the new Cziffra who was the new Liszt

[@FranzLiszt0904]

12:48 sounds great

[@zivauri]

8:06 is magic!

[@fulviozanoni8450]

wunderbares Stück, wunderbare Interpretation.

[@nezkeys79]

Passage at 7:08 sounds so mysterious. That melody over that drone 0_0 love it

[@Gabriel_S_Broke]

no mystery at all ! it is pure Romanian music !

[@iulianiordache2707]

Yeah its like a miseterious melody from the Carpathian mountains in Romania.

[@TomRussle]

Sounds like Hungarian Rhapsody no. 6

[@babyskunkcat]

“Sounds like” Dude it fucking is the same melody.

[@Varooooooom]

Lucias the Goose bruh relax lol

[@AEPMUSlC]

@@babyskunkcat what's the deal with all the toxic comments on almost every video on this channel...?

[@iampracticingpiano]

Lucias The Goose I dont blame you. No one else likes you either, though you are the only one I know.

[@scrabblekid1703]

this is Liszt's baby of Hungarian Rhapsody 6, 12, and Spanish Rhapsody

[@GUILLOM]

why the spanish one lol

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Although I knew about this piece well since very long, it's just quite underrated...despite the imitations of earlier Hungarian pieces/themes/("songs").

[@user-wz2ih6ow5v]

I love thid piece forevor

[@gigiovanna]

Bravo, Liszt.

[@charlesvalkan252]

Lovely.

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

I wholeheartedly agree.

[@charlesvalkan252]

@@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven. I can say the same Maestro.

[@therealrealludwigvanbeethoven]

@@charlesvalkan252 Yes, Charles.

[@charlesvalkan252]

@ENESCU GAY. Yeah.

[@Liszthesis]

@Enescu haha yes

[@aster1433]

Heard many later hungarian rhapsodie melodies like 1,3,6,12 etc

[@herobrine1847]

13:00 onward is just so ridiculous I love it

[@foxiszt]

7:02 :O

[@AlbertoGaeta_pianist_conductor]

Rhapsody for Cymbalom!

[@schuwennz.6865]

Maybe it's a preparation for writing Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 and No.12..or he re-used the same materials after composing that two?..

[@chizhang889]

Schuwenn Z. 应该是更早期的作品

[@EduardGavrilOfficial]

@@chizhang889 This was written before the Hungarian ones

[@maternalheart66]

So saucy, so mysterious, so alluring and seductive.

[@pineapplewhatever5906]

9:01 Sounds like Freedom Dive

[@Liszthesis]

OMG YES XD

[@pineapplewhatever5906]

I was making a simple observation, not deliberately trying to get tons of likes? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@rize118]

LOL

[@marian444]

Excellent !!

[@RedZed1974]

5:17 VIBRATO? On a piano?!!?!

[@pianosenzanima1]

He was slightly drunk when he wrote that xD He meant it metaphorically, as in your soul to vibrate xD

[@TheModicaLiszt]

Actually Liszt wrote vibrato a lot, because his Erard’s strings made a vibrato sound if you hit them a certain way 😂

[@user-pf5nb9tu6n]

The ModicaLiszt oh yeah and Mendelssohn Midsummer Night’s dream

[@leadfrontendev]

7:03 😮

[@apostolismoschopoulos1876]

7:01 11:29

[@laurentcote2913]

sorry, sorry, sorry ! where was my head … or my heart ? Truly reworked in Rhapsody no 6 (not in no 2) !

[@nezkeys79]

The passage 4:47 is so annoying to watch the score while listening. It sounds great but rhythmically takes lots of freedom than the written notes. I know youre gonna say its rubato but i didnt see a molto rubato marked anywhere.

[@bartwatts1921]

I fully agree. He uses too much rubato throughout the entire piece. I suspect it’s because this piece is a little more difficult that his technique allows for.

[@iulianiordache2707]

Its Hermanstadter or its called

[@luisjadorf6122]

7:00

[@sahmat3683]

Typical Romanian folklore music. Liszt chose well.

[@kshdorii]

Can you tell me the titles of the folk music to look up?

[@andreeadeeaandreeaDea]

Dóra Look for "george enescu ciocarlia"

[@itsjustnopinionok]

I lived in Romania 15 years ago. The Romanians I hung around sounded nothing like this. 😏

[@cziffrathegreat666]

Maybe if you had lived a 115 years back...

[@giorgiociomei5030]

Il brano lo conoscevo, ma non conoscevo la partitura: è di una difficoltà agghiacciante!

[@jacksonmorton3306]

Forte bine

Na realidade o "Lassan" da rapsódia nº 6.

[@pineapplewhatever5906]

0:44 HR6 Lassan

[@peterpais3583]

That's actually the melody from the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 (middle section)...

[@アヤミ]

@@peterpais3583 that’s what he said. And he named it correctly.

[@danielvs7080]

Romanian?

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Epic!

[@AMattsen1]

This will be the last of Liszt.

[@ripinpepperonies9754]

13:00 what do those pointed arches above the top staff mean?

[@ValzainLumivix]

@Enescu we meet again

[@ValzainLumivix]

@̣ stfu

[@qalaphyll]

@@ValzainLumivix and we meet again. ok

[@TheModicaLiszt]

They’re huge marcato signs covering the four notes instead of one. Unusual notation Liszt used.

[@TheModicaLiszt]

@𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙𒈙 Yeah, but not many other composers use it. Liszt used it quite a bit

[@alvexok5523]

Isn't this tune in one of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies?

[@abraxasstone]

Yes, in his 6th and 12th.

[@chrisy367]

Ik people reference hr6 here a lot but am i the only one who hears hints of Reminiscences De Norma in the middle?

[@ShutUpZewenThisIsNotBased]

Where

[@japonoyunyapmcskojima8290]

Actually they stole this piece in Romania when Liszt composed it...

[@nobuaki_sato]

fantastic

[@rebeccaiair5038]

Nice!Congratulation!!!!!1l

[@pomelo9518]

What are the big caret things at 13.07?

[@TrinkBruder]

It's not a Steinway. Grand Imperial. Correct me if I am wrong

[@MD-xz6qo]

Welle done+

[@henrytan7697]

Where did you get the sheet music from

[@musicatraian]

Why is says in your video Name Romanian Rhapsody and in your video Score says Ungarishe Rhapsody?

[@TheModicaLiszt]

Because the set of twenty-three pieces catalogued as S.242 is split into three sections: Magyar Dalok (1-11), Magyar Rapzodiak (12-17) and Ungarische Rhapsodien (18-23). This particular one, No. 20, happens to have had the subtitle “Rumanian Rhapsody” in the first edition. Hope that answers your question.

[@nobuaki_sato]

some parts just like shivering

[@petrupiano6398]

Why is the title of this Hungarian Rhapsody and why does sound like hungarian rhapsody no 12 but in another key

[@JramLisztfan]

Liszt uses the same theme from the middle part of HR6, and the ending uses stuff from HR12 (basically transposed)

[@laurentcote2913]

Astonishing ! (Please, reworked not in Rhapsody no 6, but in Rhapsody no 2)

[@Dragan8Djokic]

👊👊👊👊✊

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

7:02 :)

[@xRuralJuroRx]

Why did you give the video a fictional title?

[@Alinamocanescu]

It was called this way in the first edition I believe.

[@jjmcoupebmw6557]

Disjointed mess..Glad this got reworked into the rhapsodies we know and love today. Interesting to hear this though.

[@liszt0081]

11:06-11:10....................

[@quibbles7468]

IKR

[@user-pf5nb9tu6n]

Hungarian rhapsody 12

[@hoangducanh4336]

How can I even vibrato at bar 60

[@thenotsookayguy]

Have a mate do vibrato on the strings for ya

[@AiAiTheMonkey]

some of that is literally the same melody from hungarian rhapsody no.6

[@AiAiTheMonkey]

and hungarian rhapsody 12

[@gergelykiss]

+AiAiTheMonkey This piece is from the early version of the Hungarian Rhapsodies - there were originally 21 works with that title. Liszt later revised the set and published 15 Hungarian Rhapsodies (adding 4 pieces much much later in a completely different style to bring the number up to 19). The 21 early Hungarian Rhapsodies served as raw material for the 15-set - but there are also completely new pieces among the 15, for example the famous 2nd Rhapsody has no corresponding piece in the earlier set. The piece in this recording is the 20th Hungarian Rhapsody from the early set, which was nicknamed after Liszt's death the "Romanian Rhapsody" because it contains a lovely Romanian folk melody. It starts around 7:00 marked as "Wallachische melodie" in the score - Vallachia/Wallachia being the old name for Romania.

[@AiAiTheMonkey]

That's very interesting. I'm surprised I've never heard that. Thanks for the info!

[@olly88oi59]

+Gergely Kiss great, great explanation. thank you!

[@YL-kl5iv]

Gergely Kiss oh

[@supermax5584]

Cool piece. But I gotta say the interpreter really doesn't do that much of a good job

[@user-pf5nb9tu6n]

Why can’t people recognize HR12 but can recognize HR6, HR12 is better by far

[@GUILLOM]

nah.

[@mazeppa1231]

So slow... good god, come on.. This performance just makes me want to sleep...

[@mazeppa1231]

@Arpicembalo Sorry, I'm just frustrated at how terribly slow and safe the pianist is going from 4:50 onwards... Terrible choice of words on my part, I know... but I just find it so terribly sleep-inducing, which is frustrating, and it's a shame, because it's a fantastic piece of music... And I'm familiar with the original folk song at 7:00, since I've actually heard it some time back, and it's not as slow and sleep-inducing as this.

[@trvm1]

@@mazeppa1231 it’s really easy to mess up that part if you take it even faster (the jumps are ridiculously large), I think his choice of speed is very safe

[@davidemarchi6366]

Mah...pianista piatto. Espressività di un mattone.

[@sergio6357]

악보극혐이네

[@derftyiu]

This is just empty virtuosi.

[@babyskunkcat]

Yeah in this period of his life he was a full time concert pianist so he got a bit lazy.

[@GUILLOM]

wtf

[@none5020]

You guys are both so wrong lmao.

[@fucyu7000]

Totally mess.. just a pointless and show-off piece.

[@ferencliszt9141]

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

[@orvaitzman3436]

No.

[@TheModicaLiszt]

Lisztian r/whooosh

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

No

[@ripinpepperonies9754]

Literally no

[@jcl9792]

5:38 7:00

[@apug296]

4:54