Liszt's Mephisto Waltz

[dejime]

So I've been browsing around this forum reading up on the background of Mephisto Waltz and everyone keeps referencing the "story" that the piece is supposed to depict. In order to play it stylistically better, would anyone mind explaining the story to me or giving me a link? I love this piece and would enjoy knowing the background on it, google isn't being very helpful! =D

As well, I feel like I have most of the piece mastered except for the cadenza before the 3/8 presto just preceeding the end of the piece. Does anyone have any tips on how to go about playing this or learning this? a trick to play it/learn it? I just would like a way to think about attacking it, because it jsut seems mostly random...slight patterns here and there and if i have a way to attack it I'm sure i can master it easily.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

[faustsaccomplice]

The Mephisto Waltz is easy to learn and hard to play (in certain places).  The jumps at the end are hard for almost everyone, and the other parts will be hard for some, easy for others. 

The story, in BRIEF, is The Dance at the Village Inn, from Lenau's Faust.  Faust, who has sold his soul to Mephisto is at an inn and sees a woman that he wants.  Mephisto tunes up his violin (the opening) and works the crowd into an orgiastic state.  The middle section is the 'seduction' theme, which is one of the sexiest melodies in the literature.  Capturing the erotic element here is key to a great performance. 

If you have any specific questions about learning the piece, let me know and I'll be happy to lend my insight.

[bench warmer]

 Posted by: faustsaccomplice  The Mephisto Waltz is easy to learn and hard to play (in certain places).

...........and a devil to get it perfect!

[faustsaccomplice]

Posted by: faustsaccomplice  The Mephisto Waltz is easy to learn and hard to play (in certain places).

...........and a devil to get it perfect!

cute and true

[kaiwin]

mmm... sexyyy...
is orgiastic related to orgasmic? 

[faustsaccomplice]

mmm... sexyyy...
is orgiastic related to orgasmic? 

inasmuch as they're both sexual...

but the mephisto waltz doesn't have an orgasm, like the liebestod or the scriabin 7th sonata. 
mephisto is sexy, but not sexual.

[alejo_90]

inasmuch as they're both sexual...

but the mephisto waltz doesn't have an orgasm, like the liebestod or the scriabin 7th sonata. 
mephisto is sexy, but not sexual.

From Wikipedia:

The First Mephisto Waltz outlines events on the legend of Faust according to Nicolaus Lenau's version of the old myth. (The other Faust-related works of Liszt are mainly influenced by Goethe.) Faust and Mephistopheles enter an inn where a wedding party is being held. Mephistopheles takes a violin from one of the peasants, tunes it (represented in the music by the 5ths build up at the start of the piece) and plays a frantic dance. The music slows for a gorgeous new theme as Faust tries to seduce a woman in the inn, and after some wooing, escapes into the woods with his young suitor...a nightingale sings a tune, and the music builds to an exciting climax as Faust has a night of passion with the woman. It is known as the first (and only?) representation of orgasm in classical music.

? ? ? ? ? ?

Best
Alex

[faustsaccomplice]

From Wikipedia:

? ? ? ? ? ?

Best
Alex

If you feel that the climax represents an orgasm, then go for it in your interpretation.  I don't see it that way.  It is certainly not the only orgasm in music, and definately not the most apparent. 

You never know who wrote the articles in Wikipedia anyway.  To suggest that it may be the only representation of the orgasm in classical music bespeaks a limited knowledge.  Even the Sonetto 104 is more orgasmic than the Mephisto Waltz. 

But I certainly see how one could interpret the Mephisto Waltz that way. 

[kaiwin]

I bet most of the guys would aim for more orgasm in the climax. But everyone plays it differently. 

It would be cool if someone could make Mozart's music orgasmic (Random comment)