Czárdás (Liszt)
Encyclopedia
The three czárdás that Franz Liszt
wrote in 1881-2 and 1884 are solo piano pieces based on the Hungarian dance form of the same name. Liszt treats the dance form itself much less freely than he did much earlier with the verbunkos
in the Hungarian Rhapsodies
, and the material itself remains more specifically Hungarian than gypsy in thematic material. Their spare lines, angular rhythms and advanced harmonies show these pieces to be direct ancestors of the compositions of Béla Bartók
. Because of these attributes, the czárdás are considered by Liszt scholars among the more interesting of the composer's late output
.
One potential pitfall in discussing these works is labeling them as atonal
on the basis of hearing strange sonorities at the surface of the music. The Czárdás macabre, for instance, is solidly based on compositional procedures consistent with Liszt's earlier style. The music focuses on variant forms of the mediant
with concomittant contrast of sharp and flat key areas—in this case F major
, F-sharp minor and G-flat major.
, with the bare fifths at the opening without precedent in Liszt's output. Still more intriguing is the second-subject stage of the structure; this is either a parody of the Dies irae
or a quotation from the Hungarian folk song, "Ég a kunyhó, ropog a nág." Both theories have their advocates. The composer did not indicate what he meant, though he did write on the manuscript after he had finished it, "May one write or listen to such a thing?" A favorite question of some critics is whether the fifth of the opening bar is a flattened supertonic appoggiatura or as an actual tonic. Such tonal ambiguities become common in Liszt's late works.
. It passes to A major
, then ends quietly but unsettled on F-sharp minor after much sequential modulation.
accompaniment begins. An F-sharp minor triad
in the left hand is contrasted with a falling phrase beginning with an A natural
in the right hand. The piece on the whole is written in B minor-major, with major and minor chords being struck simultaneously, a device Liszt came to use with increasingly frequency. Before the coda, the theme is transformed in B major in repeated octaves. Some critics consider this work more interesting musically than its more famous cousin, the Czárdás macabre. The piece is, for lack of a better term, obsessed with a four-note motif
presented at the beginning of the piece, and the work's tonal excursions into the mediant
and submediant
place the music procedurally somewhere between Schumann
and Mahler
.
The first recordings of these two Czárdás was by France Clidat
in her traversal of Liszt's works for Decca.
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
wrote in 1881-2 and 1884 are solo piano pieces based on the Hungarian dance form of the same name. Liszt treats the dance form itself much less freely than he did much earlier with the verbunkos
Verbunkos
Verbunkos is an 18th-century Hungarian dance and music genre. Erroneously, this genre was sometimes attributed to Gypsies, because usually they were the musicians, although the Magyars themselves were sometimes performers,as well....
in the Hungarian Rhapsodies
Hungarian Rhapsodies
Hungarian Rhapsody redirects here. For the 1979 Hungarian film Hungarian Rhapsody . For the 1928 German film Ungarische Rhapsodie.The Hungarian Rhapsodies, S.244, R106, is a set of 19 piano pieces based on Hungarian folk themes, composed by Franz Liszt during 1846-1853, and later in 1882 and 1885...
, and the material itself remains more specifically Hungarian than gypsy in thematic material. Their spare lines, angular rhythms and advanced harmonies show these pieces to be direct ancestors of the compositions of Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
. Because of these attributes, the czárdás are considered by Liszt scholars among the more interesting of the composer's late output
Late works (Liszt)
The radical change Franz Liszt's compositional style underwent in the last 20 years of his life was unprecedented in Western classical music. The tradition of music had been one of unified progression, even to the extent of Johannes Brahms' First Symphony being known as "Beethoven's Tenth". ...
.
One potential pitfall in discussing these works is labeling them as atonal
Atonality
Atonality in its broadest sense describes music that lacks a tonal center, or key. Atonality in this sense usually describes compositions written from about 1908 to the present day where a hierarchy of pitches focusing on a single, central tone is not used, and the notes of the chromatic scale...
on the basis of hearing strange sonorities at the surface of the music. The Czárdás macabre, for instance, is solidly based on compositional procedures consistent with Liszt's earlier style. The music focuses on variant forms of the mediant
Mediant
In music, the mediant is the third scale degree of the diatonic scale, being the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant. Similarly, the submediant is halfway between the tonic and subdominant...
with concomittant contrast of sharp and flat key areas—in this case F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
, F-sharp minor and G-flat major.
Czárdás macabre, S.224 (1881-82)
This is perhaps the best-known of the three czárdás. The piece is written in a miniature sonata formSonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
, with the bare fifths at the opening without precedent in Liszt's output. Still more intriguing is the second-subject stage of the structure; this is either a parody of the Dies irae
Dies Irae
Dies Irae is a thirteenth century Latin hymn thought to be written by Thomas of Celano . It is a medieval Latin poem characterized by its accentual stress and its rhymed lines. The metre is trochaic...
or a quotation from the Hungarian folk song, "Ég a kunyhó, ropog a nág." Both theories have their advocates. The composer did not indicate what he meant, though he did write on the manuscript after he had finished it, "May one write or listen to such a thing?" A favorite question of some critics is whether the fifth of the opening bar is a flattened supertonic appoggiatura or as an actual tonic. Such tonal ambiguities become common in Liszt's late works.
1. Czárdás
Less known than either of the other dances, this czárdás is a short Allegro beginning as though it will be in A minorA minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
. It passes to A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
, then ends quietly but unsettled on F-sharp minor after much sequential modulation.
2. Czárdás obstinée
This czárdás begins with a repeated F-sharp, essentially taking up where the first dance left off, before an ostinatoOstinato
In music, an ostinato is a motif or phrase, which is persistently repeated in the same musical voice. An ostinato is always a succession of equal sounds, wherein each note always has the same weight or stress. The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody in...
accompaniment begins. An F-sharp minor triad
Triad (music)
In music and music theory, a triad is a three-note chord that can be stacked in thirds. Its members, when actually stacked in thirds, from lowest pitched tone to highest, are called:* the Root...
in the left hand is contrasted with a falling phrase beginning with an A natural
A (musical note)
La or A is the sixth note of the solfège. "A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch. Every string instrument in the orchestra has an A string, from which each player can tune the rest of...
in the right hand. The piece on the whole is written in B minor-major, with major and minor chords being struck simultaneously, a device Liszt came to use with increasingly frequency. Before the coda, the theme is transformed in B major in repeated octaves. Some critics consider this work more interesting musically than its more famous cousin, the Czárdás macabre. The piece is, for lack of a better term, obsessed with a four-note motif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
presented at the beginning of the piece, and the work's tonal excursions into the mediant
Mediant
In music, the mediant is the third scale degree of the diatonic scale, being the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant. Similarly, the submediant is halfway between the tonic and subdominant...
and submediant
Submediant
In music, the submediant is the sixth scale degree of the diatonic scale, the 'lower mediant' halfway between the tonic and the subdominant or 'lower dominant'...
place the music procedurally somewhere between Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
and Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
.
The first recordings of these two Czárdás was by France Clidat
France Clidat
France Clidat is a French pianist renowned for her interpretations of the works of Franz Liszt, a great many of which she has recorded, and Erik Satie, whose complete piano works she recorded....
in her traversal of Liszt's works for Decca.