Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 12/28/2016, uploaded on 12/28/2016

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

I have always found Liszt’s piano music to be irresistible. He understood the piano better than anyone and was a true pioneer in the development of piano compositions. More importantly, he was the creator of solo piano recitals. His virtuosity, combined with his unequaled improvisation skills, allowed him to transcribe and recreate folk music he heard; and this was the origin of his Hungarian Rhapsodies. The twelfth rhapsody was dedicated to his compatriot Joseph Joachim, who was a violinist, conductor, composer, and a close colleague of Johannes Brahms. The episodic rhapsody features three main themes: one solemnly tragic, one light and bubbly, and one warm and charming. One of these themes was also used by Brahms in his fifteenth Hungarian Dance. Liszt showcases his inventive piano writing by creating the sounds of the bells, cimbalom, violins, and marching band as he imaginatively develops the principal themes of the work. It eventually builds to a celebratory climax where all three tunes are recapitulated simultaneously in the final statement.         Wayne Weng

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.