Liszt's Ricordanza - most underrated TE?

[cuberdrift]

This seems to be the most melodic of all the Transcendentals...yet I think it is also one of the most underplayed. I've been wondering why it isn't easily the most famous of them all...lol.

This lovely piece became, and still is, one of my most favorite pieces. I think it is very graceful and passionate without going too "cheesy". And I also love the harmonics.

I think the strength of Liszt is that his music has a strong sense of direction but at the same time sympathetic with the listener's mood...it's hard to describe. While not as "emotional" as Chopin or Rachmaninoff, I think there is a certain "frankness" in a lot of his pieces that I love...

...perhaps a good way to describe this is while Chopin's music might depict a lover wooing his beloved with poetry, Liszt depicts a lover doing the same, but with just simple prose that is just as touching.

Liszt manages to get straight to the point without being too bland or predictable in the process.

Anyways, so is anyone else here a fan of this piece, as I am?

And also, it is said that this piece inspired "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"...anyone else know the history behind this? Who had the idea of getting inspiration from Ricordanza?

Thank you!  

[josh93248]

I think a lot of people, myself included, get more out of Liszt's drama than his lyricism (which is good but not quite on the level of, say, Chopin) that might go some way to explaining the underplayedness of this piece. Also when it comes to TEs, people come for the show and don't often stay for the depth, if you know what I mean, this piece might be more popular as part of a different set.

I find your comparison to Chopin interesting, I'd somewhat agree, but Liszt can be poetic to the same degree as Chopin, just not in the same style (or with the same finesse, but really, I do love Liszt)

Thankyou though, for getting me to listen to this one again, it is a good piece, even if I prefer stuff like No. 10 in F minor.

And for future reference I'm more of a rhapsody/dante/b minor sonata/mephisto waltz Liszt fan than a Transcendental Etude fan, but they certainly are good.

[cuberdrift]

I think a lot of people, myself included, get more out of Liszt's drama than his lyricism (which is good but not quite on the level of, say, Chopin) that might go some way to explaining the underplayedness of this piece. Also when it comes to TEs, people come for the show and don't often stay for the depth, if you know what I mean, this piece might be more popular as part of a different set.

There are certain pieces by Liszt I find...er...quite boring. I believe these fall into the category you label as "for show". They are ear-tickling, yes, but they aren't the ones I prefer.

Mazeppa, for instance, is a good show-piece, and is really quite nice, but I'd choose the Pasyage or Ricordanza over it anyday. I like the lyrical section, however. I think the first section is too "bangy".

I find your comparison to Chopin interesting, I'd somewhat agree, but Liszt can be poetic to the same degree as Chopin, just not in the same style (or with the same finesse, but really, I do love Liszt)

It enthuses me to realize that you could relate to what I tried to explain about.

I haven't listened to enough Liszt, but I prefer his music to Chopin on certain terms. The heart is quickly seized by Chopin, but it's healthy to listen to some flashy Liszt pieces sometimes.

I think Liszt does a better job of  balancing flash and depth. I don't really "love" Chopin's "flashy" pieces, such as the "Waterfall", "Ocean", etc., for instance, and I'd pick "Wilde Jagd" over them anyday, the reason being that I think virtuosity seems to be a central aspect of Liszt's music, inseperable from his harmonic genius and overall flamboyant quality.

Chopin is overall, better at meditative, introspective music, but I think too much of this often results in a kind of over-poetic or "artistic" outlook on life. With Liszt we get to hear a man sharing stories in a simpler language, easier to grasp, and not as soul-captivating or maybe, but somehow more "human" and more "heartwarming".

Plus I would just really generally pick Liszt to provide in me flames of inspiration me over Chopin. His music's "fiery" and "courageous" quality generally outclasses that of Chopin, I think. So in this realm, I would choose Liszt over Chopin.

Thankyou though, for getting me to listen to this one again, it is a good piece, even if I prefer stuff like No. 10 in F minor.

No problem.  

And for future reference I'm more of a rhapsody/dante/b minor sonata/mephisto waltz Liszt fan than a Transcendental Etude fan, but they certainly are good.

They are good, yes, but there are these certain pieces by Liszt that I really love, and most of them aren't the "famous" ones like those you mentioned.

By the way, I'm listening to the Hungarian Rhapsodies now...they have a kind of lovely quality that lifts the heart in a way Chopin normally can't. While so far, Chopin's "Heroic Polonaise" is easily one of my ultimate anti-depressant musics, Chopin just makes the heart weep too much, that I think he should be taken in moderate doses. My soul is right now being lifted up by the Rhapsodies.

Generally-speaking, I feel that with Chopin, I can see his face smiling at me a sad smile, with sadness and melancholy in his eyes...Liszt however smiles at me too, and he too knows sadness, but in the end he pats me on the back, and smiles that warm, reassuring grin.

[josh93248]

I think we're mostly on the same page about Chopin and Liszt, I would rate Chopin slightly higher as a composer for his extreme degree of nuance and perfectionism. But I would agree that there is a courageous slightly more human quality to Liszt that I quite like. He's also more risky and daring too, which I respect and enjoy.

Oh and by the way I LOVE the Heroic Polonaise

[rubinsteinmad]

BTW, Liszt's harder Etudes are generally prettier than Chopin's harder ones. lol 

OK. I should shut up. Chopin wrote great etudes too (Op. 10 #1,3, 6, 12; Op. 25 #1, 3, 7, 9;), but I like Liszt too (Concert Etudes #2, 3; Paganini Etudes #3, 4, 5, 6; Waldesrauchen; TE #9, 10, 11, 12; Grand Etude #10; Etude Op. 1; etc.)

But I should shut up    Chopin's has more pretty nocturnes than Liszt does.
This list is only my list, so it will not apply to everyone, but I'm really a jerk, so shut me up anytime!

Chopin's: Op. 9 #1, 2; Op. 27; Op. 48 #1; Op. 55 #1; Op. 62 #1; Op. posth c minor; Op. posth c# minor ; Op. 72;

Liszt's: Liebestraumes

[rubinsteinmad]

By the way, I'm listening to the Hungarian Rhapsodies now...they have a kind of lovely quality that lifts the heart in a way Chopin normally can't. While so far, Chopin's "Heroic Polonaise" is easily one of my ultimate anti-depressant musics, Chopin just makes the heart weep too much, that I think he should be taken in moderate doses. My soul is right now being lifted up by the Rhapsodies.

Chopin's Grande Polonaise really makes me smile Especially when Daniil Trifonov plays it OMG Have any of you watched him grinning while he plays? LOL I think it really connects the listener/watcher with the music, but it also would do well on the face of a haunted doll

[rubinsteinmad]

and oh, yesterday I was watching Cinderella with my little sister

[snorefest]

Yes, one's heart may change after listening to his Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses. Even Liszt's Apparitions written in his early 20s remains perpetual and reigns supreme over a chunk of Chopin's output. So unfortunate that Liszt didn't write music as intricate as Chopin. One ought to hear his Sonata, an absolutely pivotal composition that separates him from the "flashy" superficiality he represented.

[1972dd]

Yes, one's heart may change after listening to his Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses. Even Liszt's Apparitions written in his early 20s remains perpetual and reigns supreme over a chunk of Chopin's output. So unfortunate that Liszt didn't write music as intricate as Chopin. One ought to hear his Sonata, an absolutely pivotal composition that separates him from the "flashy" superficiality he represented.

     Just joined the site. No musical ability but absolutely love the piano. Liszt Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses is one of my favorite works. Just fantastic

[liszt-and-the-galops]

The only reason etudes like Winter Wind and Mazeppa are played more often than etudes like Double Thirds or Ricordanza is because it's much more obvious to an audience (that is usually unaware musical difficulties) that 25/11 and TE 4 are absurdly difficult than it is for musically difficult pieces (Le Gibet) or pieces that seem easy until you try them (25/6). Many concert pianists only perform pieces that are obviously  very difficult during competitions, and I have a hunch that a lot of people get in to classical piano through watching such competitions on platforms like youtube or the one with the short videos that I can't ever remember the name of...
That kind of lends itself to people who are ONLY interested in difficult pieces (despite not knowing exactly what makes pieces difficult). As a result, pieces like Ricordanza fall into disuse for not being "hard enough."
It's sad that fewer people care about how the piece sounds than how hard it is, but it seems to be the truth.