Franz Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, with Cadenza by M.A. Hamelin

Pf: Marc-André Hamelin; Casals Hall, Tokyo; December 11, 1997.
Videos used:
Performance:
• Hamelin plays Liszt - ...
Sheet music:
• Hungarian Rhapsody #2 ...
• Hungarian Rhapsody #2 ...

[@christianvennemann9008]

When he puts on those glasses, you know shit's about to get real.

[@4mandavi464]

Hehehe yes 😎

[@SicsF9]

This Comment made my day, thank you

[@justinleung8401]

By this u mean ((-shit)^0.5)^2

[@Yubin_Lee_Doramelin]

@@justinleung8401 Oh, gosh, math joke?!

[@grithon5499]

my thoughts exactly. i came to the comment section to see if anyone else had said that lol

[@justlucamusic]

How many key changes do you want in your cadenza? Hamelin: yes

[@segmentsAndCurves]

What key is this? Hamelin: yes

[@themobiusfunction]

f-sharp major. Right? WRONG.

[@chrisdavis2161]

All keys are relative constructs built by the human mind as a pathway only to be shattered by emotion through the vehicle of freewill but ultimately purposed by the Creator as accidentals in the composition of life... This is what Bob Ross meant when he said, 'there are no mistakes...only happy accidents'

[@segmentsAndCurves]

@@chrisdavis2161 I salute to you.

[@justlucamusic]

@@chrisdavis2161 oh yes I love the Bob Ross reference

[@philippg6023]

I hope that Rousseau is watching this carefully

[@primeartonline-pianocovers1535]

Philipp Grunwald haha ikr

[@kathrinbartholomewfuchsiii404]

Holy shit you were right

[@AlkautsarPA]

@@kathrinbartholomewfuchsiii404 Even he did it abridged (means not all part of Hamelin's Cadenza has been played by him), still the left is a torturing to his fingers. Respect to Rousseau for still managed to try playing it perfectly

[@LightLucky]

He did

[@SonicMasterEX]

HAHA OH SHIT

[@normsucks2073]

8:27 Hamelin's cadenza

[@leidannis9544]

Good.Thank you.

[@raphaellwsh]

Liszt himself would have loved that Cadenza

[@ludwig4029]

Raphael Walsh ikr!

[@josiahduell9271]

@Gary Allen And Alkan @ 10:14. Op. 76 No. 3 of Alkan's

[@Varooooooom]

@@josiahduell9271 Liszt would’ve definitely recognized the Alkan reference, considering he was very fond of Alkan

[@highstimulation2497]

I'd imagine so. he was a forward thinking guy.

[@highstimulation2497]

Say, mate, can you possibly say at which times those references occur? I'm quite curious (are they to specific works or just overall styles?) Thanks:)

[@GarySchmidtPianist]

because it already wasn't hard enough...the cadenza to end all cadenza's

[@wilh3lmmusic]

It’s up there with Sorabji’s cadenzas and Prokofiev 2 (also rach 3 ossia)

[@PieInTheSky9]

One of the greatest cadenzas of all time.

[@hidropoop472]

No

[@armandssurins3364]

8:25

[@ultimateconstruction]

@@hidropoop472 Yes, 5yo kid.

[@hidropoop472]

@@ultimateconstruction No.

[@ultimateconstruction]

@@hidropoop472 Yes. Get a life

[@harrybmichell]

11:16 octave glissando 0.0

[@hancdream]

Wow

[@lcc9769]

Evan Sherman “durable hands”, you mean hands made out of metal?

[@lecou]

@Evan Sherman Was fooling around and did the glissando, I now have stitches on my pinky

[@lecou]

@Evan Sherman I agree

[@seto_bento]

Lecou get harder skin man.It takes a while

[@chiefofhunger131]

Octave glissando 0.o

[@razzerraw1108]

XD ikr, literally tried attempting it after listening to this

[@ninjagangster9219]

RazzerRaw they hurt :(

[@juniperwoodgreen4090]

Did you succeed? ...

[@MegaPianogenius]

i did just memorised the sound and played it i didn't even need the score lol

[@anthonyb2745]

Knuckle buster. You need a solid comfortable 10th reach to do it without breaking your pinky

[@PointyTailofSatan]

That moment before the cadenza, when he pushes back his glasses, as if to say "ok, and here we go!" lol

[@gabelonguinhos]

The entire universe holds its breath

[@겨울의톱밥난로]

11:57 last touch is so satisfying

[@jct35j]

The octave upward glissando was just out of this world amongst many other things.

[@m0ment219]

Everyone's making jokes about how fast he moves his fingers. But is nobody going to talk about 7:16? How did he manage to play the right hand so light? You guys have no idea how difficult this is.

[@williammanning5066]

There's a similar bit in HR4's friska, but *much* shorter and slower. This whole performance is unbelievable.

[@JG_1998]

I'm sure learning the godowsky etude that puts the RH of chopin etude 25 no.2 all in octaves helps him achieve these results lol.

[@elliotmoreau7782]

@@JG_1998 funny seeing you here. I didn’t know you liked Hamelin 😉

[@JG_1998]

@@elliotmoreau7782 im everywhere 👽

[@shreekanthisaria784]

Bruh it’s ez if u practice it the right way and yes I know the difficulty I play piano from 10 yrs it’s not much but it’s not that difficult part but almost every thing is 100x more difficult

[@vnwa7390]

I am very fortunate to have a copy of the Cadenza with MA Hamelin’s signature. Having met him numerous times, he is far more exciting live - surely THE most proficient technical pianist of our day in standard repertoire. :D

[@jackcurley1591]

I'm seeing hamelin in a month and a half, can't wait!!

[@TheExarion]

I cannot explain how jealous I am :(

[@marcelobulhoes6180]

How was it?

[@jackcurley1591]

Marcelo Bulhões He was amazing, though I was a little disappointed that he changed the program, he switched Chopin’s second sonata with the Schumann Fantasie.

[@adoser93]

@@jackcurley1591 Haha I was at that one too and was similarly disappointed.

[@jackcurley1591]

@@adoser93 haha damn thats so funny! would have much preferred to see the sonata

[@brianmichaelmusicetc]

He was 36 when he played this concert. The one time I heard him in person was in the spring of 2001. He played the Schumann Fantasy in C and the Alkan Concerto for Solo Piano with his own After Pergolesi for an encore. One of the best piano recitals I ever attended, up there with hearing Horowitz when I was 13 and hearing John Browning play Gaspard de le Nuit.

[@Aaron-hq4bu]

You lucky bastard. When and where did you hear Horowitz?

[@brianmichaelmusicetc]

@@Aaron-hq4bu I heard Horowitz live in person in March 1976 at the civic auditorium in Portland Oregon. He played Schumann's Arabesque in C and Sonata No 3 in F minor (Concerto without Orchestra), Liszt's Valse Oubliee No 1 and Au Bord d'une Source, Rachmaninoff's G# minor Prelude and Etude Tableau in Eb minor Op 39 no 5, and Chopin's Waltz in A minor Op 34 No 2 and Ballade in G minor Op 23. For encores he played Schumann's Traumerei, Moszkowski's Etincelles and Scriabin's D# minor Etude.

[@sovietunion4875]

Amazing...you heard the Phantasie in C and the Solo Concerto!!

[@minion8109]

@@brianmichaelmusicetc not fucking fair

[@bradipoalvideo3]

i'm hypnotised by the cadenza and how it naturally blends into the finale... mindblowing

[@cannedcrickets9932]

11:18.. um this is a joke right

[@p-y8210]

Nah this is hamelin

[@Numberonesorabjifan]

klism II octave glissando aren't that hard tbh

[@ChrisWhite-tr6ge]

Nishant Modak how to do it?

[@PieInTheSky9]

Fuck this, I quit piano lol

[@hideotrolljima907]

BuT CaN He pLaY FliGhT Of ThE BumBlebEee

[@rain_1407_]

ThAt eXTrEmE soNg?! ARe YoU sicK??!?

[@Liam_Fuerst]

Who’s here from Rousseau?

[@Gianjxx]

:)

[@juujbyg9574]

Its a syndrome

[@samthepianoman]

Yo

[@only4wotbhwqcb569]

Plz stop

[@SoberPilot]

you should be writing on rousseau "who's here from Hamelin?"

[@razobaghd1696]

Damn it Marc! You used both hands to play this piece again ???

[@markfowlermusic]

Can't be anyone alive who can play octaves that fast, the ones he does right at the end of his performance are impossible but somehow not to him... He must surely have the greatest piano technique in history.... And I used to think volodos was super human... But he's not at this level, this is transcendental though.

[@jordidewaard2937]

That moment when you think you're half-decent and then this guy just....fml xD

[@nicosuarez6962]

11:45 WTF!!! Best interpretation of this part!!!

[@panzerkampfwagen6968]

He wrote that part lol

[@ShaunakDesaiPiano]

@@panzerkampfwagen6968 Actually the Prestissimo marking near the end is when Liszt’s writing resumes. Hamelin’s cadenza ends after the chromaticism.

[@mochdrew3364]

Right hand upward octave glissando!!!!

[@chefdevergue]

What I wouldn't give to hear Hamelin & Liszt playing together

[@carryfreak5059]

Imagine Liszt and Hamelin having a cadenza competition.....😳

[@billf7585]

That cadenza is next level, holy shit.

[@aimilize3518]

His octaves are literally in-human I have no idea how he can get that kind of speed

[@Wosudhehqaxb9169]

9:18 gives that Prokofiev Toccata in D minor vibe.. And I love it

[@jonaskatona7136]

Yes, and some of the later moments remind me of passages from Ravel's Toccata, esp. near the climax of the cadenza or even the section immediately after 9:18

[@kaleidoscopio5]

Wtf? The cadenza sounds like a piece for itself. Damn... : o

[@Andrew.Helmick]

5:03 Liszt: I think I want to make a part full of repetitive note Hamelin: No problem C#: How about no C# 10 seconds later: HELP ME!

[@abuelitooo]

Rousseau anyone?

[@frg78th]

Yes

[@あかさん-j8q]

Yes

[@orsemcore]

Yes

[@crittermoded]

The section that begins at 8:28 and goes until the end of the song is probably the first time I've heard a proper horror-esque classical piece. Obviously I've heard melancholic pieces, most of them were, but this was genuinely creepy, and in a brilliant way. Probably good for a short film or something.

[@TheExarion]

Ooooh, I'd highly recommend looking into Cziffra playing Peer Gynt here if you want to see something even more horrifically fascinating done on piano :) He literally makes the piano scream at one point: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHm1c55ue9mpd9U

[@p-y8210]

Yeah it's inspired by alkan.

[@p-y8210]

Listen to gaspard de la nuit. Scarbo is genuinely scary

[@dwacheopus]

​@@p-y8210 also chopin prelude 28 no 2

[@Glidescube]

Yet I only count 10 fingers on him. Wow.

[@yrden99]

Holy. Mother. Of. God. How... in... hell?

[@erikvaros]

Mother: "go play with the neighbors kid" The neighbors kid: * 9:18 *

[@michaelread1917]

Only way this could've been more perfect is if right after he hit the last note the piano just exploded.

[@jaspering88]

amazing

[@gibletgravy]

He really doesn't want anyone else playing his cadenza...the number of 10ths in the left hand should be illegal

[@michaelshark1]

Wow! I think I just witnessed the most difficult piano performance of all time that sounded beautifully and inspirationalaly amazing!

[@romanleon76]

The best performance of the rhapsody no 2 by far

[@jospehas7850]

The Cadenza's Scale is constantly changing

[@cartoon.raccoon]

7:24 if you're skilled enough to be playing this piece already, chances are you really really don't need that ossia ever.

[@musicomaniac62]

Well, honestly, if you're learning this piece to enhance your technical skills, this might help you to relax your wrist for a short moment. And God knows you want to relax while playing this.

[@anthonyb2745]

I don’t see how that ossia is any easier. Just typical Liszt with an optional ossia depending on his mood.

[@maclee5381]

@@musicomaniac62 If your wrists needs relaxing at that point you probably wouldn't have made it through the scales right before that.

[@wilh3lmmusic]

I think that ossia is for pianos that only went to F7 (the main has G#7)

[@liina6799]

Oh damn. It absolutely blew my mind. I forgot to breathe. I Will never-ever understand, how its physically possible to play this piece with 10 finger... Respect! 👏👏👏👍👍👍

[@thedogesl]

I love the performances with the synchronized scores.

[@PointyTailofSatan]

He could have played the cadenza faster, but he was afraid it would set the piano on fire.

[@dwacheopus]

Lol, it will never happen

[@vhagerty]

I wonder if they have a fire extinguisher on standby in case his hands catch fire. 😊

[@oceanotter6337]

Liszt should feel lucky that he was born before Hemelin.

[@let-me-use-kanji-in-handles]

Liszt: I fear nothing! But that thing, It scares me..

[@spencerhepworth5941]

Wow. I think the crowd sh*t their pants

[@LanceClark]

This is my most favorite rendition of this piece in the whole world.

[@selina6036]

11:17 that is crazy hard

[@kennethwood88]

That takes practice and skill. I can't do the first roll. Playing the song The Entertainer is easier for me.

[@MegaPianogenius]

he is just a natural he can even remember his first piece he played from memory so a natural talent with massive hands and correct synapses for movement in brain

[@Numberonesorabjifan]

Kenneth Wood The Entertainer is not an easy piece

[@andrewzhang8512]

@@Numberonesorabjifan ?

[@harryandruschak2843]

PRIMUM. An excellent run for an old warhorse.

[@susangrunbaum53]

Exciting music wonderfully played. You really 'gave it life!' Thank you. See you at the MAC, AZ on Jan 17, 2019

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

And so many people paid attention to YUJA WANG?? I showed the amazing Hamelin to them and they went 'OMG!'. then they asked me if YUJA WANG composed her Cadenza for this piece. I told them...you cant find any cadenza from YUJA WANG for this piece or any piece. Why? cos she doesnt know how to compose. She plays note for note everything that is written and memorise them. Even the TOM & JERRY jazz piece arrangement she played was composed by Hiromi Uehara...note for note. Cant put her in the same level as the great Hamelin. Hamelin is way more talented by a big margin. The only time you can consider putting her at the same level as HAMELIN is if she can compose a stunning Cadenza like what you hear Hamelin did here. It's sad that such a highly skilled Pianist like YUJA WANG cant even compose a simple Cadenza :-(

[@TheExarion]

It’s not that sad lol. Being a pianist and being a composer/arranger are two entirely different things. It’s fine if someone would rather stick to performing than composing.

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

@@TheExarion its not that she'd rather to stick to performing...but she cant compose at all even though she tried. you can find hundreds of thousands or even millions of pianists who can play all the hard pieces note for note...but tell YUJA WANG and these pianists to compose their own Cadenza, you will then realise how few of them can do that.

[@empireentertainmentevents1353]

I have asked YUJA WANG in many youtube videos to compose her own cadenza but til today she still cant. I am very disappointed that she cant compose at all cos I expected her to be able to give Hamelin a good challenge by creating her own Caedenzas....which sadly she cant.

[@predrop]

@@empireentertainmentevents1353Alr Im very late, but I must say that composing a cadenza is VERY DIFFERENT from playing a piece itself. It feels like a whole different skill, which I have no knowledge about, so I can’t really tell in depth. I play the piano, but have severe problems composing lmao

[@mbvglider]

You know someone probably dared Hamelin to play an ascending octave gliss one day and Hamelin was like, "no way lol... wait, did i just" and then wrote this candenza afterward.

[@carryfreak5059]

Yeah. I had to rewatch it to make sure I saw that. Octave glissando? Wtf? My hands hurt watching it.

[@chunbaolian1876]

I ❤your playing, so amazing! Remember the Chinese Lyft driver driving you from the federal building to your house? I enjoy your music so much!

[@canismajor8700]

Hamelin the Extraterrestrial 🤩

[@johnpaulmarkes]

He's gotta be the best pianist alive

[@alextheodoridis4075]

Cziffra and Katsaris are considered better than him

[@thenotsookayguy]

​@@alextheodoridis4075 Cziffra is a bit dead rn, but Katsaris is pretty awesome.

[@composerjalen]

​@@thenotsookayguyno he got better 👍

[@thenotsookayguy]

@@composerjalen Nice to hear

[@dwacheopus]

​@@alextheodoridis4075 Martha Argerich?

[@esauponce9759]

An absolute monstrosity! I love it!

[@Gabe145R]

He definitely practices 40 hours a day no doubt in my mind

[@nathanmarshall4355]

Got that Ling Ling workout going!

[@dunkleosteus430]

I'm well acquainted with HR2 as well as Hamelin's cadenza, I tried whistling along and I just couldn't keep up towards the end.

[@Martinkg05]

Is he on speed or something 🤨

[@susfranzliszt]

He on some drug unknown to mankind.

[@abraxasstone]

Y’all are both Liszt, so I’d think you’d know.

[@susfranzliszt]

@@abraxasstone I'm debating in my head.

[@susfranzliszt]

@Soekarno how much? £420.69 seems like a reasonable price.

[@magicmulder]

Brilliant. I just don‘t think „pp“ and „ppp“ mean the same to Hamelin as to the rest of the world (e.g. 9:39).

[@SuryanIsaac]

I mean he wrote it, so I guess the gets all the liberty to perform it the way he wants. I really love the piece too.

[@jacobrubydev]

Still enjoying it 22 years later.

[@michealjones3777]

9:18 reminded me of Tourian from Metroid on the NES. That was kick fucking ass!

[@icanthandlehobisboogieboot5077]

Me: *actually trying to play the piece * My hands: *Hah! No.*

[@carryfreak5059]

Yeah. Try grabbing those cluster chords. Ha. No.

[@ahaks7269]

I think I bit of Liszt's soul breached Mr. Hamelin's body when he performed that cadenza.

[@jimkost2002]

Hamelin is a badazz! He really connects with the super virtuoso late romantic-early 20c ethos and it shows in his sickazz cadenza here! I also love the Horowitz cadenza from 1953 live at Carnegie-a different vibe altogether !! This piece ALWAYS makes of “Rhapsody Rabbit” lol! And yeah, as a practicing jazz musician, I can tell this is pre-composed ....but that’s just a technical observation. It is completely INSANE!:)

[@octopuszombie8744]

10:42 You know what's scarier than the octave glissando? Playing these parallel thirds at this tempo...

[@kieraasahi8240]

a cadenza for superhuman only

[@angelobonacci461]

Un mostro, stupendo pianista,ma anche ingegnoso compositore anzi ingegnosissimo, più di volodof e altri meno raffinati

[@sergeyalekhin2388]

Фантастика! Браво!

[@kionawaka69]

9:20～11:33の自作カデンツァを聞くと、さすがにスゴイと思う。この人の技術的ポテンシャルはどの程度のものであるのか見当もつかない。

[@TheExarion]

Marc-Andre Hamelin のピアノ演奏をもっと聴いてください。彼のテクニックは間違いなくピアノで最も強力です。ここにあなたが見ることができるいくつかのリサイタルがあります。 kzbin.info/aero/PLdkjwZMK_CIqQg6aSV0ny1y05gEJzJSwW kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWq1pZunjayNo7c

[@DanielMartinez-nw1pn]

That poor piano would never feel the same after they night... 😥😥

[@thegoodgeneral]

Hamelin still has to pay child support to that piano.

[@gbh0015]

..looks like Schubert: plays like Liszt

[@utvpoop]

10:12 SEGA boss music 10:21-10:32 Alkan op. 76 no. 3

[@stevenwei1234]

Why is Rousseau playing different with him

[@sill3n]

The fact the people bring up the octave glissando as the most iconic thing in this cadenza, goes to show how true insanely difficult parts gets overshadowed by understandable but flashy things.

[@TheExarion]

You know what? I agree.

[@musical_lolu4811]

Please. It's arguably the most iconic. The other stuff can be played by good pianists.

[@nsq2487]

6:14 is that sweat?

[@Yubin_Lee_Doramelin]

Yep, you're right. I was also surprised a few years ago, when I first saw a comment same as yours.

[@eboone]

Idk how the speed he achieves at 11:35 is even possible

[@samueltaylor9935]

Those octaves at the end wtf. How he do that????

[@havokbaphomet666]

The key signature keeps changing like crazy. Omg

[@bushydad]

love the little reference to alkan's hands reunited etude

[@Matt-rq7qh]

6:10 and that entire part his face is just like “welp it’s this part.. easy.”

[@stacia6678]

Then that drop of sweat lol

[@adrianocastaldini]

Sciarrino sort of Cadenza!

[@garfield2306]

I came here from Rousseau!!!!!!!!

[@wesi1111]

Same

[@MarcAmengual]

Ok we were here so long ago before Rosseau whatever posted his video.

[@TheExarion]

Marc Amengual - so what

[@ammyvl1]

this guy's pretty good

[@juniperwoodgreen4090]

Wow. He made that look easy. He's even better than Lang Lang...

[@unterwegsmitodysseus6204]

Of course he's better than anyone! What did you think? ...

[@juniperwoodgreen4090]

Ehm, that he's better?

[@Planewalker1999]

Juniper Wood Green you can't compare Lang Lang to guys like him. Lang Lang is just famous for his funky variations, nothing too special compared to Hamelin.

[@juniperwoodgreen4090]

S'pose you're right, tx. Have you heard of Valentina Lisitza?

[@MegaPianogenius]

juniper wood green yes lisitsa is just another showboating pianist she has elegant hand movements and plays really good but sorry nowhere near the technique and repertoire of hamelin

[@MakotoAMV]

True Genious

[@vegetator]

6:08

[@amgx9670]

no one's talking about them evil double notes in the cadenza?

[@carryfreak5059]

My arms ached watching it.

[@dr.anujkumarpaul9846]

buttery hands. incredible articulation and impeccable control, with watery pace.

[@davisatdavis1]

The guy used two key signatures in the same staff wtf

[@sneddypie]

thats the wonderful world of polytonality

[@carryfreak5059]

Where?

[@Varooooooom]

@@carryfreak5059 10:31

[@fryderykfranciszekchopin5716]

Black Midi player :D

[@SL6NtheNorseman]

10:45 Bumblebee moment

[@christopherjholland]

Those hands look so cool at 11:35 - 11:55

[@predrop]

Where tf is the Physics

[@predrop]

Did he ignore air resistance or what

[@yanfangshen4356]

4:42 Thank you.

[@rudolfgolezpianist4322]

What a good humor Cadenza! MAH is a living legend! Akin to FB FL and LG

[@wilh3lmmusic]

I think FB is Busoni FL is Liszt Who is LG?

[@imdarealani]

@@wilh3lmmusic Probably (Leopold) Godowsky.