Liszt "Rhapsodie Espagnole"

[Chopinkid]

What are your opinions of this piece, and how difficult is it considered? I am just starting to learn it  , and it seems fun to play so far.

[donjuan]

I started learning this piece a while ago, but got diverted from it when a music festival was coming and I had to work on polishing my finished works instead.  

I love Spanish Rhapsody!!  In my opinion, it is one of Liszt's greatest works, and it isnt unreasonably difficult.  I thought it was a lot of fun working on it, but I had to stop before I got to the tough parts, so I cant really give a fair judgement on it.  It felt very rewarding working on such a piece however.

I love Evgeny Kissin's recording of it in Carnegie Hall, as well as Stephen Hough.  

donjuan  

[mandarin_pianist]

I agree with DonJuan. A piece of this magnitude should be much, much more well known.

[pita bread]

What was the other "spanish-esque" Liszt piece, the precursor to the Rhapsodie Espagnole?

[donjuan]

What was the other "spanish-esque" Liszt piece, the precursor to the Rhapsodie Espagnole?

:confusion:

[rob47]

randomly you, pita bread, might be refering to "Csardas Obstine", or randomly, not referring to it at all.

[pita bread]

No, I remember Erik Helling on Pianosociety mentioning another spanish piece by Liszt.

[m]

Sorry, double post.

[m]

What are your opinions of this piece, and how difficult is it considered? I am just starting to learn it  , and it seems fun to play so far.

It is a very good piece, may be the very best of all Liszt rhapsodies. Unlike DonJuan's  opinion that "it isn't unreasonably difficult", I think it is quite difficult... not even technically, but it is very difficult to get complete abandon there. I would expect at least a year to master it before playing in public. Then play many times in concerts until you start thinking of having a real fun.

I played it for many years (at least hundred times) and still don't know where "surprise" comes.

[petenaga]

What was the other "spanish-esque" Liszt piece, the precursor to the Rhapsodie Espagnole?

"Rondeau Fantastique sur un Theme Espagnole"
A transcription of a Spanish opera.