Rhapsody No. 2 Analysis

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 was a musical work written by Franz Liszt, which encompassed the composing styles of the romantic period. He took many of the stylistic attributes from the romantic period allowing his creativity to come into play within the piece of music. It is tuneful melody and takes the listener on a psychological progression making them almost feel as though they are part of a cartoon. (Leung)

Franz Liszt created Hungarian Rhapsodies from 1839 to 1847. Liszt was very interested in the Hungarian gypsies and wrote a thesis on them after producing the multiple volumes of Hungarian Folk melodies. (Rodda) Liszt’s birthplace was Hungary and he always love it there although; he did not spend much time in Hungary after the age

of ten. (Shulman) Franz always enjoyed the tuneful melodies that were incorporated within Hungarian music. (Shulman) Liszt loved the sound of the gypsies and tried to involve it within his rhapsodies as much as possible.

(Leung) Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 is composed with many twists and turns it leaves the listener on edge waiting to see what comes next. Liszt was a virtuoso and traveled extensively

throughout childhood, but despite leaving Hungary, he always enjoyed the sounds of his native country. He never lived in his hometown much but always seemed to be a Hungarian patriot at heart. “Liszt's enthusiasm and Hungarian pride were probably encouraged by the wave of nationalism that swept Europe in the 1840s and culminated in the Revolution of 1848.” (Shulman) He was no different than many composers from his day. Many classical composers loved to tie in patriot sounds to their music during times of patriotism in their country. Liszt would tie in the sound of his homeland in many of his pieces of work. (Rodda) Franz traveled the world touring and playing the solo piano in many concert halls around Europe. Liszt was aware of his talent and wore it in body language. He would often walk across the stage with confidence strutting his sex appeal. He was portrayed like many of the pop stars of today are with screaming fans and multiple people writing about and following the works he wrote. (Wright)
The romantic period of music was defined as the first time musical composers could write works of art freely. With the artists finally being appreciated for their talents, they were able to explore the more created side of music. Many composers told stories through their music and tried to convey important messages within them. The artist were no longer forced into jobs as court musicians because they could finally make a living off of the money they made from traveling and performing for commoners. It was the first time music was seen as talent instead of a skill. With less pressure for the composer to make a living off of their music, they were able to be more creative with their compositions. There were no new musical forms during the romantic period, but two new genres were, the art song and the symphonic poem. (Wright) Romantic composers focused more on making a story for the listener than they did the technical part of the piece. They did not ignore the logistic of how a piece of work or symphony should be composed, but they did not fret the small stuff either. Liszt takes the listeners on more of an artistic journey making it seem more like a story instead of a song. Liszt uses tone color and perfect melodies to set the mood. He makes the song almost sound like a battle between two cartoon characters. Which, in fact, it was featured in an episode of Tom and Jerry. The episode was actually nominated and won an academy award for short subjects in 1946. (Leung) Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 was originally composed for the solo piano at first but was later turned into a piece for a symphony. (Leung)
Hungarian Rhapsody No.

2 perfectly sets the picture of what romantic style music was known for. I enjoyed the piano solo version because I always tend to be more partial to stripped down solo instrument pieces. Although I did listen to the full symphony verse and it was as equally as beautiful. The sounds created by the symphony made the piece sound more demanding and dramatic, which added a different but delightful touch to the piece of work. I love the way he created the argument within the song. There was the perfect amount of dissonance making it noticeable for the listener, but it was not overpowering. Personally, I think it sounded like an argument between two people. You can hear the two people arguing back and forth throughout the whole thing until the very end when you get a sense that the debate is over.. I would recommend it to a friend so they can experience the beautiful sound that Franz Liszt created with just one instrument. The story told within a simple eleven minutes is impeccable. Everyone can interpret it differently and take their own spin to what Liszt’s was trying to convey in the piece. The simple sounds of the piece can make anyone feel relax. It was an excellent piece with patriot roots tied in making the value of the piece even more

significant.
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt encompasses the romantic era perfectly. With the colorful harmony, creative tone colors, and the psychological journey portrayed within in the musical work makes it the perfect piece. Every listener can interpret it differently making it universal for everyone to enjoy. The soft sound of the piano makes for a calming piece that transports you back to the romantic period. The history, emotion and passion Franz Liszt put into this piece shows exceptionally well.