Lizt - Rhapsodie Espagnole

[brokenagraffe]

Hey everyone, I'm a n00b. Since y'all seem like really nice people, I've got a question for you. It's kinda lame but here it goes: Can anyone tell me anything about this piece - Liszt's Rhapsodie Espagnole or Spanish Rhapsody (how effective it is, if you like it, badass, or whatnot)? I just haven't heard this piece and right now, I can't get hold of a recording or the sheet music itself. Mucho thanko.

[brokenagraffe]

shittles. i didn't notice i spelled liszt wrong in the topic header thing. how embarrassing. sorry folks.

[JP]

It is a badass piece IMO..
I havent heard many recordings of it, but if I remember well Arrau's was my favorite even though it was wild enough..

[brokenagraffe]

alright. sounds like i have enough reasons to start it. badass...

[pianowelsh]

Quite a few folks have recorded it - dont bother looking at the score unless you are a very advanced pianist it'll just make you want to cry - it is VERY hard technically. Very effective piece though and certainly a fab prog finisher. Dont worry about wrong spellings you dont gen get graded on this forum

[earthward]

It's one of those Lizst pieces that goes on, and on and on.... and you're like, "oh here we go with the big theme again ... okay now it's definitely over  ... oh okay another big climax... etc. etc."  Very flashy but I think this one is almost not worth the energy because it's really long and difficult and yet it repeats itself a lot to the point that it kinda gets annoying.  Don't get me wrong, I loooove flashy lizst pieces, but I think there are more effective ones.

[BuyBuy]

I disagree with you guys.

I believe that the Spanish Rhapsody is one of Liszt masterpieces, standing among the best Hungarian Rhapsodies and opera transcriptions. Of course, it does not reach the musical level of, let's say, his piano sonata, but it is still one of my favourite in his output (which is very largie, as you know...).

It is rather long, granted, but the interest is never lost, as he develops with ingenuity the themes during the two sections of the piece. It is very grand, full of passion and fire, and works very well in concert.

It is a pity that many people don't value it much, though. The best recordings can think of are from Jorge Bolet (live recording in a CD that was issued last year), who adds Busoni's ending to the piece (more effective than Liszt', which was a bit short and lacking the epic proportions that the conclusion needed), and from Roberto Szidon (recording from the 70's with the 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, from a Brazilian pianist that is unfortunately not well known).

Regarding its difficulty, obviously not anyone can play it properly, for it requires a really good technique. However, it's not the monster that people seem to think. It's far from being the most difficult Liszt work (compared for example to Don Giovani's transcription or some of the etudes). If you break it in small sections, it is actually quite manageable even for an amateur pianist (by amateur I don't mean someone who plays "Fur Elise" and "Clair de Lune", but a fairly good pianist that just does'nt have the stature of a great concert performer because it's not his career...). I have more fear of Chopin etudes in general than of the Rhapsody, so if you have a technique that allows you to play decently most Beethoven sonatas, I say go for it ! Just know that you'll need patience, method and passion to get through it. But it's really worth it.

[allchopin]

Here's a link to the sheet music:
https://sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/lzrhpesp.pdf

I have Elena Kuschnerova's videorecording of the rhapsody (she removed it from her site) but there's no easy way to host if for everyone - if someone could allow anonymous access to an ftp or be able to upload the file I will share it.

[rohansahai]

This, IMO is one of franz liszt's masterpieces...the best of the rhapsodies by far !! The highlight of the piece is undoubtedly the split octave passage near the end, and the beautiful passages on the higher registers in the middle.
I can't find any type of blemish in this piece at all !! Structurally perfect and musically.......exactly what a rhapsody should be. But its damn tough, so unless you are really good, it won't be a good idea to run after it.
I have heard three recordings-----the Elena Kuschnerova video, Stephen Hough, and Emil Gilels (the notorious live recording ..!) . Although Gilels does not satisfy at all with his technique, in this recording (lots and lots of wrong notes and slips .......and a very messy octave passage at the end), but still I find his interpretation the most exciting and hair raising of the three. Stephen Hough is good too, studio recording, so notes are perfect, although not as dramatic as Gilels. Elena Kuschnerova recording is okay, brilliant in patches, but does not give the complete picture as well as the other two !
P.S. I don't know if Horowitz made a recording of this work......would be very intersting to hear it ! So if anyone has it, maybe we can exchange an mp3 or something....!!

[brokenagraffe]

yowza.... thank you ladies and gents (dunno if there are both) for all these great advices and ideas. i'll probably get started on this since i usually have no problem with Lisztian technique... but maybe i'll do more etudes first. you guys are flippin' geniuses. kinda. anyway, thanks again  . tools.

[JP]

I disagree with you guys.

I believe that the Spanish Rhapsody is one of Liszt masterpieces, standing among the best Hungarian Rhapsodies and opera transcriptions. Of course, it does not reach the musical level of, let's say, his piano sonata, but it is still one of my favourite in his output (which is very largie, as you know...).

It is rather long, granted, but the interest is never lost, as he develops with ingenuity the themes during the two sections of the piece. It is very grand, full of passion and fire, and works very well in concert.

It is a pity that many people don't value it much, though. The best recordings can think of are from Jorge Bolet (live recording in a CD that was issued last year), who adds Busoni's ending to the piece (more effective than Liszt', which was a bit short and lacking the epic proportions that the conclusion needed), and from Roberto Szidon (recording from the 70's with the 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, from a Brazilian pianist that is unfortunately not well known).

Regarding its difficulty, obviously not anyone can play it properly, for it requires a really good technique. However, it's not the monster that people seem to think. It's far from being the most difficult Liszt work (compared for example to Don Giovani's transcription or some of the etudes). If you break it in small sections, it is actually quite manageable even for an amateur pianist (by amateur I don't mean someone who plays "Fur Elise" and "Clair de Lune", but a fairly good pianist that just does'nt have the stature of a great concert performer because it's not his career...). I have more fear of Chopin etudes in general than of the Rhapsody, so if you have a technique that allows you to play decently most Beethoven sonatas, I say go for it ! Just know that you'll need patience, method and passion to get through it. But it's really worth it.

I must disagree with the difficulty at which you rate this piece.  It is a very difficult piece, & I find it very strange that you think the Chopin Études are harder..

As you said it is a wonderful concert piece or competition piece for that matter.. A couple of years ago I played at a comp (adult/open).. You should have seen the looks on the other competitor’s faces..  However, I'll admit I didn’t take 1st place (3rd actually )..

I had no idea of Bolet's recording of it..  He is the man, after the other man..   
(Old man Ziff)

[pianowelsh]

Hey I didnt mean this is a bad piece I agree it is one of his BEST its masterful piano writing. I do think you might be underplaying the difficulty a liitle (maybe a van cliburn amateur could do it but i think its gen one for the aspiring professional) but that shouldnt stop students doing it. Any piece is doable if you take it in stages - but i do feel that for an 'average' college student it would be a big one to chew on and im not sure i would suggest it if there was an assessment attached - i think i would certainly want to live with it for a while before i would want to give a performance of it. but a general point is that people shouldnt be scared of pieces!!!! Be scared on me instead - 

[willcowskitz]

Liszt, not Lizst.

'zs' is pronounced as "J" in French "Jean" or "Jaques"

'sz' is pronounced as "s" in... English "list"

[brokenagraffe]

dude, i know

shittles. i didn't notice i spelled liszt wrong in the topic header thing. how embarrassing. sorry folks.

[ETH77]

https://www.lisztworks.com/works/S254.shtml

No information yet about the piece but a good performance of the Rhapsody with less than good sound.

[donjuan]

Check out Stephen Hough's recording!  It's electrifying!  This is one of those times when I actually enjoy his little add-ons and ossias.
donjuan

[musicman]

I think Lazar Berman's recording beats them all.

[nitrocan]

This piece is rarely found because of its extreme difficulty, i prefer Kissin.

[donjuan]

Im two pages away from finishing learning this piece now.  some parts are exhausting to play cleanly (ie those octaves) but I dont even have to finish learning it to know it is going to be one of the most rewarding pieces to play.

[avetma]

Check out Stephen Hough's recording!  It's electrifying!  This is one of those times when I actually enjoy his little add-ons and ossias.
donjuan

I just listened it and it was inceredible!!! His ossias really sound good, and it perfectly fits into piece. Very inspiring performance.

[ralessi]

I have 4 or 5 recordings of Cziffra playing this piece, a few being bootlegged recordings and he completely owns this piece.....

Rick