Great composers pay tribute to other “Greats”

Posted on December 3rd, 2007 and filed in Chopin, Great Composers pay tribute to other "Greats", Liszt, Opera/Vocal

UPDATE: Be sure to read the comment from Emiellucifuge  .. and my response.

It’s fascinating to compare “Transcriptions” of one great composers work, with the “original.”  Here are just two examples: Liszt on Beethoven and Chopin on Mozart. Beethovens’ 5th Symphony – first movement. Yeah .. yeah – I know. We’ve all heard it a million times! Still interesting to see what Liszt did with it. And here’s Liszt. I just can’t see the point! To “render” such a masterwork and not really do anything with it. I don’t think it’s the pianist at fault (Glenn Gould) … just wondering why Liszt bothered.

liszt transcription of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony Alegro-con-brio
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/04-franz-liszt-transcription-symphonie-nr-5-ludwig-van-beethoven-c-moll-op-671-allegro-con-brio.mp3Right Click to Download

And then Chopin gives his interpertation on Mozart.

First here’s Mozart’s La di darem la mano from Don Giovanni
la ci darem la mano
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/16-la-ci-darem-la-mano.mp3Right Click to Download

Then here are 4 variations Chopin composed for it. At least he did something with the theme! … played around a bit with it!

variation-iii sempre sostenuto
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/idil-biret_chopin_-piano-concerto-no-2-_-krakowiak_08_variations-on-_la-ci-darem-la-mano_-from-mozarts-don-giovanni_-variation-iii_-sempre-sostenuto.mp3Right Click to Download

variation ii veloce ma accuratamente
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/idil-biret_chopin_-piano-concerto-no-2-_-krakowiak_07_variations-on-_la-ci-darem-la-mano_-from-mozarts-don-giovanni_-variation-ii_-veloce-ma-accuratamente.mp3Right Click to Download

variation i brillante
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/idil-biret_chopin_-piano-concerto-no-2-_-krakowiak_06_variations-on-_la-ci-darem-la-mano_-from-mozarts-don-giovanni_-variation-i_-brillante.mp3Right Click to Download

tema allegretto
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/idil-biret_chopin_-piano-concerto-no-2-_-krakowiak_05_variations-on-_la-ci-darem-la-mano_-from-mozarts-don-giovanni_-tema_-allegretto.mp3Right Click to Download


2 Responses to “Great composers pay tribute to other “Greats””

  1. Emiellucifuge Says:
    March 13th, 2010 at 1:16 pm

    Liszt most likely intended this in order for pianists to be able to play the work, seems fairly obvious to me.

    There is a large difference between a transcripition and set of Variations. Liszts task was to make the symphony playable on a piano and remaining as faithful as possible to the score. Chopin set out to write a completely new piece using mozarts theme as a starting point. They are incomparable really.

  2. admin Says:
    March 13th, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    Great point! You’re right. I’ve compared apples with oranges here. Won’t do it again!
    Jim

Leave a Comment