F. Liszt - Spanish Fantasy [S.253] [REMASTERED]

Liszt's time in Spain -

Liszt was the first and greatest pianist to tour the Spanish peninsula. Madrid newspapers compared other performers to him. His Spanish Rhapsody and Spanish Fantasy were popular showpieces. Liszt performed at the Teatro del Circo in Madrid in 1844, playing Bellini and Donizetti paraphrases. He also included compositions related to Spanish culture, such as Reminiscences de Don Juan. On November 9, he played Grandes Variations de Bravoure and Reminiscences de Lucrezia Borgia. He ended with an improvisation on the piano.

The sponsor of Liszt's visit to the Spanish capital was the Liceo Artistico y Literario, founded in 1837. The two biggest musical lions previously presented by the Liceo were Giovanni Battista Amusements sur des motifs des Mercadante, Liszt transcribed La Zingarella spagnola. Liszt performed several concerts in Madrid and Lisbon in November 1844. He played various compositions, including duos with the court pianist Giielbenzu. The concerts were well-received by the public and featured a mix of instrumental and vocal performances. Liszt's charity concert in Madrid included two-piano variations on themes from Rossini's "The Lady of the Lake." He also attended social events and listened to musical performances by local artists.

Liszt played his first public concert in Córdoba under the auspices of the Córdoba Liceo. He then spent a brief time in Seville, where he was honored with a banquet at the Museum. Liszt was impressed by the cathedral in Seville and wrote a letter expressing his admiration. He also heard the organist Eugenio Gómez perform and praised his work. After Seville, Liszt traveled to Cadiz and then made a visit to Granada. He arrived in Lisbon in January 1845 and stayed there until February. Liszt had been planning to visit Portugal and receive a decoration from the Portuguese Crown as a reward for his composition, Heroischer Marsch im ungarischen Stil, dedicated to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg.

During his travels in Lisbon, Franz Liszt wrote to his friend Lichnowsky, outlining his travel plans and mentioning his forthcoming visit to Vienna. Liszt received a warm welcome in Lisbon, where he played several concerts and was even made a knight of the Order of Charles III by Queen Isabella II. Liszt also made personal donations to charitable causes during his time in Lisbon.

During Liszt's concerts in Madrid and Lisbon, he performed a variety of pieces, including his own compositions and works by other composers. He received great enthusiasm from the audience and was known for his virtuosity and philanthropy. Liszt also played at private parties and received honors from the Queen of Portugal.

Liszt's visit to Lisbon was eventful, with him offending the Academia Philharmonica by arriving late and leaving early. Two composers dedicated works to him in honor of his visit. Liszt also composed Le Forgeron and left a piano sketch of his Ballade in D Flat. His later work, Spanish Fantasy, showcased technical difficulties and combined Spanish dances. The Spanish fantasy was well-received and catered to an international audience.

Gottschalk included the same passage in his La Jota Aragonesa, premiered in Madrid in 1852. Liszt was entranced by Glinka's orchestration of the passage and promised to visit Weimar to hear it played by the orchestra. Liszt's use of Spanish dance themes in his fantasy and Glinka's First Spanish Overture foreshadowed compositions to come from composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov and Ravel.

Introduction -

Spanish Fantasy was composed in 1845 but was only published in 1887, a year after Liszt's death in 1886. Spanish Fantasy is considered to be one of the most difficult works written by Liszt. Spanish Fantasy has 3 main themes; Fandango, Jota Aragonesa, and Cachucha. The Fandango theme is a Spanish courtship dance and genre that was popular in Europe in the 18th century. The Dance is commonly found in 3/4 or 6/8 time. This dance is first heard in the beginning of the piece. The second theme is the Jota Aragonesa, the most common theme heard throughout the piece. The Jota Aragonesa is a folk dance that originated in Aragon Spain. Just like the Fandango theme, the dance is in 3/4 or 6/8 time. Lastly, the Cachucha dance, a solo dance that despite originating from Cuba, it’s still considered a Spanish dance. The Dance is commonly found in 3/4 or 3/8 time. This dance appears multiple times in the piece but is first shown after the first occurrence of the Jota Aragonesa dance.

Sections -

0:00 - Allegretto (Fandango)
2:31 - Andante (Jota Theme)
5:04 - Jota Theme
6:29 - Cachucha
7:58 - Quasi Allegro (Fandango)
9:44 - Allegretto (Cachucha)
10:22 - Cachucha
12:11 - Quasi Presto (Cachucha)
12:54 - Jota Theme
13:16 - Cachucha
13:31 - Presto (Jota Theme)
13:46 - Prestissimo (Cachucha)

Sheet Music - https://musescore.com/user/33320489/s...
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VST - Garritan CFX Full -