Keyboard instruments > Piano solo
Franz Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody no. 9 (The Carnival at Pest)
編集者: Ernst Herttrich
指使い: Andreas Groethuysen
前書き: Mária Eckhardt
10.50 €
Urtext Edition, paperbound
ページ: 37 (VIII, 29), 大きさ 23,5 x 31,0 cm
注文番号 HN 805 · ISMN M-2018-0805-5
難易度 (Piano): 難しい (等級 8)
Liszt’s ninth Rhapsody is the “Carnival at Pest” – one of the few Hungarian Rhapsodies to which he gave a name. Once again Liszt turns to Hungarian folk melodies and fuses them with improvisatory elements. The result is a dazzling virtuosic firework display. The relaxed atmosphere of a Budapest carnival around 1840 is brought to life – indeed Liszt is said to have recorded several themes when there. Accordingly, the work quickly found its way into European concert halls, and then into those around the world. To use Béla Bartok’s words, Liszt once again succeeds in creating a “work of perfect authenticity”.
論評
Mit dem “Pester Karneval” setzt Henle die Reihe von Neuausgaben der Ungarischen Rhapsodien fort – im vorliegenden Fall angesichts der nicht gerade unkomplizierten Quellenlage eine nicht ganz leichte Aufgabe, welche die Herausgeber jedoch in gewohnt souveräner Weise gelöst haben.
[Piano News, 2007]
The levels of difficulty of the
piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| やさしい | 中くらい | 難しい | ||||||
The levels of difficulty of the piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
| Level | Grade | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | easy | Bach, Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, nos. 4 and 5 |
| 2 | Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier I, no. 1 Prelude C major | |
| 3 | Beethoven, Piano Sonatas op. 49,1 and 2 | |
| 4 | medium | Grieg, Lyric Pieces op. 12, no. 4 |
| 5 | Schumann, Fantasy Pieces op. 12, no. 1 | |
| 6 | Chopin, Nocturnes op. 27, nos. 1 and 2 | |
| 7 | difficulty | Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 10, no. 3 |
| 8 | Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 81a | |
| 9 | Schumann, Toccata op. 7 |
Guide to the levels of difficulty
"I don't know what 'difficult' means. Either you can play or you can't" – this was the rather terse comment by the great violinist Nathan Milstein, on being asked about the unbelievable difficulty of Niccolo Paganini's Caprice no. 1.
The relativity of the evaluation of difficulty in music immediately becomes clear. Yet I gladly take up this great challenge, presented to me by G. Henle Publishers. For I am aware of how useful a guide like this can be, both from my own experience as well as that of many colleagues. In particular so as to be able to identify "appropriate" works. For example for music teachers, who teach at very different levels, from beginners to those preparing for music conservatories, but also for all those interested amateurs for whom this guide is intended.
After careful deliberation I have settled on nine levels of difficulty, which I have divided into three groups: 1–3 (easy), 4–6 (medium), 7–9 (difficult). A number of parameters have been considered when assessing the level of difficulty. I have not just looked at the number of fast or slow notes to be played, or the chord sequences; of central importance are also the complexity of the piece's composition, its rhythmic complexities, the difficulty of reading the text for the first time, and last but not least, how easy or difficult it is to understand its musical structure. I have defined "piece" as being the musical unit of a sonata, or a single piece in a cycle, which is why Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" Part I comprises a total of 48 levels of difficulty (each prelude and fugue is considered separately), Schumann's Sonata in f sharp minor op.11 only has a single number. My assessment is measured by the ability to prepare a piece for performance.
While assessing the pieces, it became clear that the medium level of difficulty (4–6) is the trickiest. Now and again this means that a piece is judged as a "3/4", even if it only deserved a "3" as far as piano technique is concerned. An example of such a "borderline" case (easy/medium) is Schumann's "Scenes from Childhood" op. 15 Von fremden Ländern und Menschen or at the other end "6/7" part of Bach's "English Suites". And of course within a main category there are also "from-to" evaluations (e.g. 7/8).
Any evaluation of art or music will always be subjective, even if the aim was to be objective. Despite the fact that I have endeavoured to be as careful as possible, I am all too aware that the results of my work can be called into question, and am therefore grateful for any suggestions you might have.
Prof. Rolf Koenen © 2010