The Hungarian Fantasy (Fantasia on Hungarian Folk melodies; Fantasie über ungarische Volksmelodien) for piano and orchestra is an arrangement of the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 14 written by Franz Liszt in 1852. The work was premiered in Pest on June 1, 1853 with Hans von Bülow as soloist and Franz Erkel conducting the orchestra.^[1]

Overview

During Liszt's lifetime, his Hungarian Rhapsodies were among his most popular works. Because of this popularity, he may have been under pressure to produce versions of them for piano and orchestra. The Hungarian Fantasy is the only such work that Liszt is known to have produced.^[2]

A slow introduction by the orchestra is followed by a solo cadenza before proceeding to the main body of the work.^[3] The bold, marchlike main theme of the work, as in the version for solo piano, is the Hungarian folk song "Mohac's Field,"^[2] with a long-short-short-long rhythm. While much of the piece's thematic material is derived from this song, there is also a section in A minor marked "in gypsy style" (alla zingaresse).^[4]

While the Fantasy is in the same style and tradition as the Hungarian Rhapsodies, it differs structurally from them. The Rhapsodies generally present a clear succession of three traditional Hungarian dances—lassan, czifra, and friska. These dances are evident in the Fantasia, particularly in the long and brilliant friska section. However, Liszt is freer and wider ranging in his combination and juxataposition of material than he usually does for this type of work.^[5]

Bibliography

• ed. Ewen, David, The Complete Book on Classical Music (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1965). Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 65-11033
• Headington, Christopher, Notes to Deutsche Grammophon 5262148, Liszt: Orchestral Works; Shura Cherkassky, piano; Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
• ed Walker, Alan, Franz Liszt: The Man and His Music, (New York, Taplinger Publishing Company, 1970). SBN 8008 2990-5
  • Collet, Robert, "Works for Piano and Orchestra"
• Walker, Alan, Franz Liszt, Volume 2: The Weimar Years, 1848-1861 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1989). ISBN 0-394-52540-X

References

External links

• Fantasy on Hungarian Folk Themes: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.

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