Printed set (Score & Parts)
Eb Clarinet
4 Bb Clarinets
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
I first heard this on a radio performance by Marta Argerich at the Gala Concert when she won the International Music Competition in Geneva in 1957. Of the 20 Hungarian Rhapsodies, some were arranged for orchestra by Liszt and his disciple Doppler, following the most famous "No.2" of the orchestra version. No. 6 is the No.3 orchestra version. Mostly made in the form of Csárdás, or Hungarian gypsy dance, it is based on the uninflected word of a loose recitative-like part called Lassan and a rapid part called Friska. In the Lassan part of this song, the lyrics of a sad Hungarian folk song, "My father and mother are dead, I have no brothers, and the remaining money is about to buy a rope for hanging a neck" are written in the score.
In this arrangement, alto clarinet, which rarely plays main parts, expresses this despair and regret.The theme of Friska, which is said to imitate the Hungarian folk instrument "cimbalom", is written to show the transcendent skill of Liszt himself as a pianist, so there is no point in playing this song unless you can show virtuosity.
For that purpose, first of all, refer to how a first-class pianist performs. You can see that the tempo is not so fast, but the beat is very lively. It is important to experience and reproduce that, and the tempo setting and composition for the final climax are the most important.
(Takeo Kimura)
