Various composers - Hexameron (DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE VERSION)

Hexaméron, Morceau de concert S.392 is a collaborative composition for solo piano. It consists of six variations on a theme, along with an introduction, connecting interludes and a finale. The theme is the "March of the Puritans" from Vincenzo Bellini's opera "I puritani."
Princess Cristina Trivulzio Belgiojoso conceived the piece in 1837 and persuaded Franz Liszt to assemble a set of variations of the march along with five of his pianist-friends. Liszt composed the introduction, second variation, connecting sections and finale, and integrated the piece into an artistic unity. Five star composer-performers each contributed one variation: Frédéric Chopin, Carl Czerny, Henri Herz, Johann Peter Pixis and Sigismond Thalberg.
Princess Belgiojoso commissioned Hexameron (the word refers to the bible's six days of creation) for a benefit concert for the poor on 31 March 1837 at the princess's salon in Paris. The musicians did not complete the piece on time, but the concert was held as scheduled. The concert's highlight was the famous piano "duel" between Thalberg and Liszt for the title of "greatest pianist in the world." Princess Belgiojoso announced her judgment: "Thalberg may be the first pianist in the world, but Liszt is the only one."
Hexameron is divided into nine parts:
Introduction: Extremement lent (Liszt)
Tema: Allegro marziale (transcribed by Liszt)
Variation I: Ben marcato (Thalberg)
Variation II: Moderato (Liszt)
Variation III: di bravura (Pixis) - Ritornello (Liszt)
Variation IV: Legato e grazioso (Herz)
Variation V: Vivo e brillante (Czerny) - Fuocoso molto energico; Lento quasi recitativo (Liszt)
Variation VI: Largo (Chopin) - (coda) (Liszt)
Finale: Molto vivace quasi prestissimo (Liszt)
Pianists Raymond Lewenthal, Leslie Howard, Francesco Nicolosi and Marc-André Hamelin, among others, have recorded the piece.
Liszt made arrangements of the piece for piano and orchestra (S.365b) and for two pianos (S.654).
(Wikipedia)
Please take note that the audio AND the sheet music ARE NOT mine. Change the quality to 480p if the video is blurry.
Original audio: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6Kae2RpgZWGfNE
Original sheet music: imslp.org
If you wish to see the first upload of this piece on this channel, go here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5DEm4JqbNWbaLs

[@maggioremartellato5155]

[00:18] Introduction. Extrêmement lent (Liszt) [04:24] Tema. Allegro marziale (Liszt) [05:45] Ver:1. Ben marcato (Thalberg) [06:42] Ver:2. Moderato (Liszt) [09:50] Ver:3. Di bravura (Pixis) [11:23] - Ritornello. (Liszt) [11:50] Ver:4. Legato e grazioso (Herz) [13:22] Ver:5. Vivo e brillante (Czerny) [14:28] - Fuocoso molto energico (Liszt) [16:00] - Lento. quasi Recitativo (Liszt) [17:02] Ver:6. Largo (Chopin) [18:44] (Liszt) [20:22] Finale. Molto vivace quasi prestissimo - Allegro animato - Molto animato (Liszt)

[@thenameisgsarci]

Lolz. XD

[@manuelbes]

"extrêmement lent" means "extremely slow" in French :). I'v never seen a speed marking in French, most of the time it's in Italian(like below)

[@manuelbes]

@Brett Shipman first one is bread !

[@paeffill9428]

@@manuelbes you can see alot of French markings on Alkan's pieces such as some of his esquisses and his barcarolles "Assez Lentement" and such (not surprising, he was french overall, lol)

[@manuelbes]

@@paeffill9428 yeah. And I know Liszt spoke French (he did live in France)

[@aramkhachaturian8043]

This was the Infinity war crossover for classical music.

[@biomuseum6645]

alongside Diabelli's variation

[@santiagologioco7971]

No

[@Itibitydetsku]

Maybe?

[@Itibitydetsku]

I only know Chopin, Liszt, Czérny and Thalberg.

[@Aaron-x8t]

Begone, bugman!

[@jnmusic9969]

Chopins variation really comes as a great breath of fresh air, it’s amazing how different he was from the pianists of his day.

[@sandeegrey5977]

8:07

[@kzelmer]

"Hi. This is Chopin here. I am going to use half the notes you have been using and still sound fucking awesome. Thanks"

[@victoza9232]

Freddy, Franz here. More notes are better...but you do you.

[@pianosbloxworld4460]

Chopin: How bout I just make it slow, in E major, and not try to bust the pianist’s ass? Can you stand that, Franz? Thanks!

[@jiaxuli1013]

@Piano’s Blox World This is so badass🤣🤣

[@nintendianajones64]

Frédéric fucking Chopin

[@itsshrimp91]

I guarantee that's word for word what chopin said when he handed that variation to Liszt. 😂

[@thegreenpianist7683]

I wish composers did this more often :(

[@niccolopaganini4268]

We can still do this ourself, right? xD

[@thegreenpianist7683]

Niccolo Paganini XD kinda

[@user-ze3tx2tb8b]

Hear hear, let's do one!

[@alfred4264]

Alkan did a Transcription of Beethoven's symphony with Chopin and 2 more composer

[@manuelbes]

@@alfred4264 which symphony ?

[@aramkhachaturian8043]

11:23 is such a good transition. Even though it is a different composer writing it sounds so fluid.

[@ShaunakDesaiPiano]

Liszt’s skills in imitating the styles and mood of other composers, evident in his various transcriptions, definitely comes into play here.

[@PianoScoreVids]

Heard it again, the fastest 20min of my life! What a treasure, everything about this

[@AsrielKujo]

Never heard of Pixis, but he is just on another level.

[@stacia6678]

I completely agree. I’ll have to do more research on him.

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

He's kind of underrated

[@SCRIABINIST]

G Pixis

[@blackmage1276]

@@SCRIABINIST Holy shit its the Scriabinist guy who shows up in A Cactus youtube comments

[@PieInTheSky9]

He was very famous in his time, but somehow he's become almost entirely forgotten. He's written some above average works for the time(Check out the Concerto for piano strings and oboe) . I wonder if him settling and composing in Paris at the same time as Chopin had anything to do with him being forgotten now.

[@atheism5284]

The Liszt part right after Chopin at 18:44 is so underrated

[@jerry_moo]

Aurélien Michel, clearly! Liszt's transitions are clever in the way that they really set the mood from each composer's style of variation to the next, I guess his versatility in this case came from his talent at transcription and paraphrases; which exposed him to a lot of composers.

[@atheism5284]

@@jerry_moo True! Liszt's variety is one thing I like about him.

[@Felix_Li_En]

@@atheism5284 Typically the Nocturne-style of Chopin! ♥️

[@bigdick3228]

@@Felix_Li_En it's strange, it's like liszt's response to chopin's nocturne style with his own more 'avant garde' version of it.

[@MHedron]

The Chopin contribution, of course, is the Parnassus of the whole piece.

[@neilyates1102]

Chopin must have missed Vincenzo a great deal. All of those open fifths and octaves in the accompaniment tell a story of loss and emptiness.

[@Whatismusic123]

​@@neilyates1102you're so delusional. You're literally writing fanfiction and pretending it's reality, because you believe the music "spoke to you".

[@melonica90]

5:25 it reminds me a Liszt "Reminiscences de Norma". Such an Liszt-ic melody.

[@taputapuu9487]

I think both of them are Bellini operas transcriptions.. That's why they are so similar

[@melonica90]

Ahha I didn't know that! Thank you for giving me an information.

[@niccolopaganini4268]

The melody from Norma isn't from Liszt tho

[@dmitrishostakovich1080]

actually it has almost the same LH than Norma when (second theme?) is exposed

[@qalaphyll]

@Felis Skalkotris Sorabjitus 🤣'ish

[@tc-2000]

Liszt also produced a version for Piano and Orchestra, which is wonderful as well.

[@ClassicalCybernaut]

It is striking how Chopin's music reflects his failing health, and makes this piece sound like a faint flower born among the hard rocks, a Pyrrhic victory of life over the weeds. Almost as if he sees himself teetering between life and death. In 1839, when this piece (variation on Bellini’s theme) was composed, Chopin was already very ill after his trip to Majorca. It is magnificent and heartbreaking, a pleasure to listen to for those with a sensitive soul. One of the greatest composers of all time.

[@itsshrimp91]

5:45 I really like the Thalberg rendition of this piece! Extremely underrated and has just that amount of intensity to make it both enjoyable and perceivable.

[@vaclavmiller8032]

The Czerny is insane :O

[@19thCenturyGuy]

... translated into "Franz : Hexameron Remix (ft : 3HANDS, Pix, Frequency, Etude Guy, & Poet)"

[@daph0307]

This is cool; to see the style of different composers in a single piece of music.

[@ShaunakDesaiPiano]

I love how the composers’ names are written after each of their sections, as if they’re signing their name after letters they’ve written. It makes this entire piece seem like a conversation between composers, where Liszt writes the most letters / is the most talkative.

[@itsshrimp91]

8:07 Is such a hauntingly touching moment, as it conveys so easily the fragility of life itself; using minor keys to accomplish this melancholic feel to it, with the only way to describe its essence as nostalgia from an era long before any of us were born, yet nostalgia we still feel nontheless. The Chopin version is beautiful, but this here is in my humble opinion the most breathtaking.

[@manuelbes]

I didn't know this existed, this is awesome lol. Wish they did more things together.

[@ansonwong5490]

The theme sound somewhat like Schubert’s Wanderer, especially in Chopin’s variation.

[@kazukipiano]

Everyone trying to sound virtuosic, even Czerny and Chopin gives no fucks for the competition and writes something chill

[@GUILLOM]

Czerny's is probably the most virtuosic one.

[@kazukipiano]

@@GUILLOM Nah you always show off the most, making the rest sound human

[@Felix_Li_En]

Too bad that Alkan and Henselt didn't join this mission ! 😆

[@neilyates1102]

Alkan, as usual, would have written too long!

[@Felix_Li_En]

@@neilyates1102 True! 🤣

[@pianosbloxworld4460]

Alkan would’ve made it near impossible

[@Felix_Li_En]

@@pianosbloxworld4460 Definitely! 😆

[@charlesdavis7087]

Super human. Pre Hollywood. The motif... that breathes life into form.

[@vesteel]

Pixis variation beats both Thalberg and Liszt's variation tbh no wonder he repeats it in the finale

[@alfred4264]

no, he repeats thalbergs variation first, then Herz and then Pixis variation. I think the opening part of finale is somewhat sounds like a bit Chopin's left hand in his variation

[@AsrielKujo]

it's simply outstanding

[@jameswang606]

So many techniques here that it would take forever to comment them all!

[@ImWalde]

The variation by Pixis beats everyone (ecxept Chopin)

[@user-ze3tx2tb8b]

Pixis's is my favorite!

[@manuelbes]

@@czeynerpianistproducercomp7155 nice argument you have there bro

[@pawncube2050]

What did he say? I think he deleted the comment

[@eingooglenutzer1474]

@@pawncube2050 I also want to know what Czeyner said

[@TheLifeisgood72]

@@eingooglenutzer1474 Probably said Czerny's was the best

[@DavidArdittiComposer]

I notice what could be the first-ever use of the marking ffff in the finale.

[@KenWangpiano]

Liszt's finale is absolutely bonkers!

[@sabrinaschantz]

I love the finale...

[@ShaunakDesaiPiano]

I love how the first two and half bars of the theme is so blindingly the A flat major triad.

[@WesCoastPiano]

"Chopin is the greatest of them all, for with the piano alone he discovered everything." - Claude Debussy

[@aktasluna]

14:27 Liszt furiously interrupting Czerny after not being able to stand the nonsense anymore

[@damiangilz]

Didn't particularly like any variation but this must had been a blast watching it live with composers switching places!

[@Santosificationable]

Indeed! It must've been hilarious to watch! I guess in today's age if this piece is performed, different pianists should take on the different composers' roles on stage!

[@felleg4737]

they never performed it like that, sorry to disappoint you. Liszt played it many times - sometimes as an encore, even composed orchestral accompaniment when he performed with an orchestra.

[@Wkkbooks]

I've heard of people who don't like variations.

[@douwemusic]

The "duel" between Thalberg and Liszt was at an earlier gathering of the Princess Belgiojoso - not at the premiere of this piece

[@treesny]

Another recorded version worth hearing is that by Joseph Moog on his debut CD. Thank you. :)

[@jakubedwardschiffauermedraj]

Simply amazing variations, and very impressive interpretation! By the way, at 22:50, it sounds like Liszt go into some boogie-woogie, am I right?

[@pineapple7024]

Nah, dotted rhythms are a Liszt classic, but boogie woogie comes from somewhere, no?

[@vladimirlysenko4248]

05:52 wow!

[@Santosificationable]

I wonder who actually performed this at its premiere.

[@prammar1951]

I think liszt, and he called it hell... But performed brilliantly nonetheless.

[@stacia6678]

I think all the composers performed their own parts, funnily enough.

[@douwemusic]

The first performance was given by Liszt in Italy at the end of December 1837 (the Princess' bazaar was in June of that year)

[@HowardTse]

Am I the only one who thought Czerny made his variations sound like an etude? 😂

[@pawncube2050]

"Did you think that by asking for variations you would escape from your scales and arpeggios?" - Czerny

[@bigdick3228]

@@pawncube2050 Lol

[@zswu31416]

Liszt: Wait, it's all etudes? Czerny: Always has been.

[@pacojonesvaior9212]

Lol I think so too 😂😂😂

[@LisztyLiszt]

Who is the pianist? Hamelin?

[@utvpoop]

13:31 long before Scriabin's Allegro Fantastico

[@charlesfernandez201]

Were there playing some kind of musical tag?

[@brent3522]

Is it just me or the main theme kinda sounds like Itsy Bitsy Spider with bravura

[@kelislim1465]

Well in chopin nocturne in c sharp minor posthumous there's one part that sorta sounds like that

[@Mazurking]

Classic Liszt W

[@alecrechtiene558]

Everyone else: Let’s make this a fucking virtuosic as possible and destroy the pianist’s hands😎😈 Chopin: ooh, I like pretty😍 Cool piece tho. I wish there were more pieces like this.

[@VictorMoyaArbo]

Wowww!!!! 😍😍

[@Santosificationable]

Am I to understand that each of the composers of this work played each variation he wrote?

[@christianwouters6764]

To me this sounds like piano accompaniment of a 1920ies silent movie.

[@dabendan79]

A lot of the notes on this sheet is wrong. I think there is only one version on IMSLP I think.

[@FilipusWisnumurti]

THAT DOESNT SOUND LIKE CZERNY AT ALL X_X 13:23 x_x Anybody of you have found some recordings on youtube of czerny's compositions which have romantic style? I'm really curious about them, because until now i only hear his classical style compositions like his etudes.

[@czeynerpianistproducercomp7155]

In my channel I have many works by Czerny

[@vesteel]

Check out his Symphonies

[@czeynerpianistproducercomp7155]

Czerny Op.692, 754, 755, 756 and 838

[@Santosificationable]

Czerny Piano Concerto in a minor.

[@pawncube2050]

If you're still interested the best example might be his sonatas, see the third sonata, its very dramatic and romantic

[@victoza9232]

What do you mean by "different performance version"? Should I assume you mean 5 different pianists, and if so, which ones? You mention that Lewenthal, Howard, et. al, all recorded this piece, and I've heard all of those, but the performance in your video sounds too consistent to be multiple pianists.

[@thenameisgsarci]

Oh yeah about that, sorry to clarify. There was an earlier version of this video before, using a recording of Vladimir Horowitz, until someone in the comments pointed out that it was actually Leslie Howard's recording sped up, and that Horowitz never played this in his entire discography or something. So as to avoid any more trouble for that, I decided to take that down and put up another version with a different recording, which is this one.

[@MiguelTicona]

Chopin humiliates everyone

[@dagadbm]

with half the notes :D

[@f.p.2010]

not really

[@jerry_moo]

Everybody being there with attempts on show-stopping passages, brimming with virtuosity; while Chopin, stood there with glimmering simplicity on his variation. Quite breathtaking after hearing the other variations.

[@MattWeisherComposer]

Mike Ticona I wouldn't say "humiliates".... but he definitely teaches them a thing or two. Haha

[@MiguelTicona]

yeah, because you are only an beginner piano student. but, may be some 10 years later you wil understand this.

[@aramkhachaturian8043]

Pixis is the best

[@faustomusic4954]

Pianist of Chopin/Liszt part please.

[@PieInTheSky9]

Who's playing the piano? Give the pianist some credit too!!

[@thenameisgsarci]

:/

[@PieInTheSky9]

+thenameisgsarci If you don't know who the pianist is, I understand. But otherwise you should give the pianist credit, they work really hard to be able to record such works and deserve the credit for it.

[@thenameisgsarci]

It's on the title screen at the beginning of this video. :)

[@PieInTheSky9]

+thenameisgsarci Oh ok, my bad. Perhaps put it in the description too so other people don't make the same stupid mistake I made? >.>

[@thenameisgsarci]

Echoherb And this is why I don't advise any of you to skip anywhere in this video. XD You don't need to worry; it's always -- and will always be -- my duty to give the proper recognition. :)

[@huangfrancis8717]

Though Liszt and Chopin tried to compose in a touching style, Chopin's is better and just sounds like the voice of an angel.

[@GUILLOM]

No.

[@ValzainLumivix]

No.

[@Itibitydetsku]

No

[@sandeegrey5977]

No

[@dearprudence2260]

It is indeed interesting to hear several people play the same piece. They do not ever play it the same; with or without the sheet music. Often the differences are very very pronounced. The composer obviously cannot communicate his or her everything in script. This has always kinda bugged me.

[@Stone56373]

What are you saying???? Wtf This piece is a masterpiece it have everything

[@louisvalencia5244]

There are many ossia passages

[@teodorb.p.composer]

I love this piece, thevariations are great! Honestly I don't understand ehy everyone likes Chopin's variation the most, I think there is not much of creativity, Chopin was never good in thematic work....

[@jewgienij131]

Chopin

[@jakobbenedik4411]

14:01

[@bifeldman]

A lot of notes, a lot of tremolos, and one interlude of genius.

[@Luca-yg5qx]

2 Interludes of genius. Don't forget the Liszt variation

[@louisvalencia5244]

I dont have a favourite

[@a-trainstudios2360]

Here's what I think happened: All the composers made variations, then Liszt came in and made everything virtuosic because what else were you expecting out of Liszt? Czerny may have also made some small edits that made some etude-like areas potentially.

[@GUILLOM]

?????

[@a-trainstudios2360]

@@GUILLOM ??????

[@TheLifeisgood72]

The composers wrote variations for themselves, (hopefully Liszt didn't touch them) and instead just made nice transitions between them so the piece sounds cohesive.

[@SisselOnline]

Chopin: Gonna screw you up by having a tritone apart key~

[@utvpoop]

Ab - E is minor 6th, I suspect

[@SisselOnline]

@@utvpoop augmented fifth actually lol

[@utvpoop]

@@SisselOnline yeah, I agree. But not a tritone (aug4/dim5) either

[@SisselOnline]

@@utvpoop yeah Dunno why I thought it's a tritone at that time.

[@SisselOnline]

@@utvpoop But tbh, he's changing into a quite distant key. That's abnormal.

[@juicedelemon]

of course czerny have to make an etude out of this

[@czeynerpianistproducercomp7155]

Czerny Is the Boss!

[@victoza9232]

Liszt: Chairman and CEO Czerny: President

[@WesCoastPiano]

Czerny is hack. There's a reason nobody remembers him lmao. "Chopin is the greatest of them all, for with the piano alone he discovered everything." - Claude Debussy

[@user-fu7zf4ck9z]

@@WesCoastPiano Liszt is a far better composer than Czerny and Chopin combined

[@Whatismusic123]

Chopin is the only competent composer of the bunch.

[@tchaffman]

_Who wore it better?_ (Liszt... Liszt wore it better)

[@bevengersio]

If only Alkan also contributed...

[@e.hutchence-composer8203]

Let’s be real, the only reason anyone would want to listen to this is because Chopin made his ‘Crown Jewel’ contribution.

[@GUILLOM]

Liszt's variation is better.

[@pawncube2050]

No.

[@prammar1951]

I skip Chopin part everytime. The piece doesn't suit his style at all.

[@ValzainLumivix]

No

[@Itibitydetsku]

I misread as "🤡 jewel"

[@damiangilz]

The introduction sucks. Why start the melody by wanting to put us all to sleep? Other than that, I see how everyone had a lot of fun working together in this. So much that I lament there ain't composers/virtuosos like this now-a-days. Alkan was missing though, they were frikin' neighbors, at least for a while.

[@clarkebynum4623]

Damian Gil Lozano first time I've ever seen the word ain't used while talking about classical music! Haha I love it! And yeah if only Alkan had joined in on the fun... think of what that variation would have sounded like!

[@sebastianzaczek]

"Why start the melody by wanting to put us all to sleep?" But does a piece necessairly always have to Start with a big bang?

[@joaquindalessio]

Chopin: Music... The rest: Circus...

[@GUILLOM]

So 6:42 is circus?

[@joaquindalessio]

@@GUILLOM I'm sorry, you're right. Liszt's parts are music too.

[@gligorvladimir1121]

8:08 for me beats Chopin

[@pawncube2050]

No.

[@AsrielKujo]

@@GUILLOM no you

[@lylecohen1638]

Honestly, Pixis’ variation is the most boring and uninventive of the bunch. I don’t see why so many here like it the most.

[@yeah381]

I always skip the Chopin part, it's boring and doesn't really fit with the rest of the piece which is a barnstormer

[@danielstrong802]

English must not be your first language. By "boring" do you mean it's a sensitive and deeply emotional work of genius emphasizing complete mastery of musical composition rather than splattering notes all over the staves? If so, then you are correct.

[@vesteel]

Well, it is a showpiece, and the Chopin part is a bit out of place. It is a beautiful variation though

[@btat16]

Ah, but I see you don't speak English either. By _"English must not be your first language. By "boring" do you mean it's a sensitive and deeply emotional work of genius emphasizing complete mastery of musical composition rather than splattering notes all over the staves? If so, then you are correct."_ do you mean "I'm too high on my horse to accept other people's opinions so I'll act passive-aggressive and call him ignorant of musical 'mastery'"? If so then yes

[@AndreiAnghelLiszt]

@@btat16 Spot on comment. Mr Strong sounds like a pretentious little fuck.

[@nikitalvov40]

@@btat16can i have your babies please?

[@f.p.2010]

I cant believe Chopin wrote something for Liszt! They were never on good Terms...

[@EduardoVillalobosPiano]

says who?

[@f.p.2010]

Eduardo Villalobos Wikipedia and the Internet in general

[@CaliforLP]

+MLG Beethoven I wouldn't really say "never". Their relation was something along the lines of them being "frenemies", though it did go more into the "enemy" side of things when Liszt added unnecessary virtuoso to Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 during a performance.

[@f.p.2010]

CaliforLP yee

[@EduardoVillalobosPiano]

I thougt Chopin got upset with liszt when he brought a girl to Chopins apartment while he wasnt there. But overal they were in good terms,i mean, Liszt even wrote a Chopin biography were you can see he idolatrize him