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[jlh]

Which version? Busoni created several versions of the work including several for solo piano, and one for two pianos.

[dnephi]

I've heard a version, and I was not very pleased, myself.  It's enormously difficult.

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[soliloquy]

The longest version is one of the most difficult pieces in the romantic era repertoire (running close to 70 minutes); but that is not to short-change the immense technical and, surprisingly even more so, musical and interpretive difficulty of the more commonly played 30-ish minute revised edition.  Also, The Meyerbeer-Liszt-Busoni "Ad nos, ad Salutarem Undam" Fantasy et Fugue is insanely difficult.  While they may not be as consistently difficult as some of the works of Alkan, their sheer length and note density makes them just as tough, if not tougher, if stamina is not one of your strong points.  To be honest, I don't really think that this piece is worth the effort unless you truly LOVE it.  The Meyerbeer-Liszt-Busoni might be a better option, as it is slightly less taxing, and more readily enjoyable by an audience.  The Fantasia Contrappuntistica is a fairly dissonant piece, and would probably not receive as much acclaim.  Have you maybe looked into some of Busoni's other works, such as the Sonatinas Nos. 2 and 6, the Bach-Busoni Chaconne or some of the transcriptions of Bach Fugues and Prelude and Fugues?  These would probably be better places to start if you're more interested in Busoni than the Fantasia Contrappuntistica.  If you're just looking for Baroque-inspired romantic pieces, I personally prefer the Liszt Fantasy on the Theme B-A-C-H and the Bach-Liszt Fantasy and Fugue more than the Busoni transcriptions.  Some other Busoni works you might look into if you have the time are the Una Festa di Villaggio Op. 9, Improvisation on a Theme by Bach, Six Etudes Op. 16, The Etude in the Form of Variations, the Etude in form of a Sonata, and the Fantasia nach J. S. Bach.  There's also the Liszt-Busoni Mephisto Waltz if you like that piece a lot ^^

[iumonito]

Why do you want to know?

I read it once and was unimpressed with its musical content; perhaps my poor reading.  For reference, though, I am also unimpressed with the musical content of Busoni's concerto, which is a favorite of many around here.

If you have the time to sit with the score at the piano, perhaps you will fall in love with the piece.  Have you heard it?  I haven't, but I know there is a John Ogdon recording.

Otherwise, I would say your labor will be better rewarded studying the Hammerklavier, or any other Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert sonata, for that matter.



https://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Busoni%2C_Ferruccio

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[richard black]

70 minutes? Where on earth did that figure come from? About 25 minutes in the longer piano version. There are basically four versions of FC:

Solo piano
2 pianos
Organ
Chamber orch (orchestrated by Anthony Beaumont, as I recall).

I think Busoni found the organ version the most satisfactory but there's loads to like in all of them. There's also a very short version of the solo piano FC which is in fact the 3rd Elegy, under a title I can't remember now after half a bottle of wine. The solo FC has 2 pages in the fourth fugue which are optional but apart from that is a fixed quantity. It's difficult but by no means impossible. I heard John Ogdon play it at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London about 20 years ago and the link from the 4th fugue to the coda stretta was without a shadow of doubt the loudest thing I've ever heard from a piano. But joking apart, the fugue writing is amazing and the harmonies will raise your eyebrows even after quite a few hearings.

[soliloquy]

70 minutes? Where on earth did that figure come from?

Lol, from the music historian Marc-Andre Roberge.  Among other things, it has a highly elaborated fugue on the Bach theme "Die Kunst der Fuge".

[richard black]

Among other things, it has a highly elaborated fugue on the Bach theme "Die Kunst der Fuge".

It pretty much is a completion of DKdF. I know FC very well but I've never come across any version of it that's 70 mins. Hey, it used to go on one side of an LP, or not much more than one side.

[cz4p32]

Is there a recording, and a score available of the uncut Fantasia Contrappunistica?  The 30min one is the only one i've ever seen.

[soliloquy]

It pretty much is a completion of DKdF. I know FC very well but I've never come across any version of it that's 70 mins. Hey, it used to go on one side of an LP, or not much more than one side.

It's not something I have a TON of information on; I suggest asking mister Roberge yourself on the Sorabji forum or something.

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