Fantasie über Themen aus Figaro und Don Giovanni, S.697 - Leslie Howard/Franz Liszt/W. A. Mozart

Franz Liszt/Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Fantasie über Themen aus Mozarts Figaro und Don Giovanni, S.697 (1993 completion of Liszt's manuscript by Leslie Howard, probably an earlier version of his 1996 EMB edition).
[...] A peculiarity of the Fantasy is that Liszt illustrated themes from two operas in it: In addition to the themes employed in his well-known fantasy Réminiscences de Don Juan (R 228, S 418), written in 1841-which is a worthy companion to the Fantasy edited here-Liszt uses three further melodies from Don Giovanni: a minuet, a contradance and a waltz.
The work concerns itself with two arias from Le moze di Figaro-Figaro's Act 1 aria (“Non più andrai”- his teasing and admonitory injunction to Cherubino to take life seriously and to cease his ubiquitous flirting) and Cherubino’s Act II arietta (“Voi che sapete"-a serenade to the Countess, Figaro's advice notwithstanding), and the dance scene from the Act I finale of Don Giovanni (the masked figures of Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Don Ottavio come to accuse Don Giovanni of the murder of the Commendatore and the rape of Donna Anna, and find themselves just in time to prevent the rape of Zerlina).
After a dramatic introduction (based upon Figaro's aria but ending with a hint of what is to come), Cherubino’s arietta is given a gentle, florid setting, transposed to A flat from the original B flat. This theme occurs only here in the entire work, then is heard no further. After a brilliant transition, Figaro’s aria returns in its original bright C major. In the reprises of this theme Liszt presents marvellously inventive pianistic and harmonic variations. But instead of proceeding directly to Mozart's coda, the aria falls away to reveal the Don Giovanni dance scene, where Mozart's score calls for two additional onstage dance orchestras to add to the pit orchestra, simultaneously adopting various tunes for different social groups-the celebrated minuet in 3/4, a rustic dance in 2/4, and a fast waltz in 3/8. As in the opera, the minuet is first given alone, in F major, and Liszt retains this key for the combination with the rustic dance. Liszt does not add the third theme as Mozart does, but keeps it for separate treatment, and gives it rather more substance than it has in the opera, combining it with fragments of the rustic dance and, excellently, parts of Figaro's aria. There follows a modulatory section which allows Liszt to toy with parts of all four themes together before the transition. This uses earlier Figaro material alongside the minuet theme, and leads to the coda, which finally completes Figaro's aria and the work itself.
Bearing in mind George Bernard Shaw's’ perceptive observations upon Liszt's musical interpretation of the morality of the Don in the Don Giovanni Fantasy it might be similarly if cautiously suggested that the combination and disposition of the themes in the minuet scene in the present work also adumbrate a moral fable: that the flirtatiousness of Cherubino which may seem harmless enough at the beginning could be leading to the unforgivable behaviour of a Don Giovanni, unless good common sense hinders him from doing so.
At the beginning of this century Ferruccio Busoni published a greatly truncated version of the present fantasy under the title: “Fantasie / Gber zwei Motive aus W. A. Mozarts / Die Hochzeit des Figaro / nach dem fast vollendeten Originalmanuskript / erginzt und Moriz Rosenthal zugecignet von / Ferruccio Busoni / Erste Ausgabe 1912". His honourable intention to make an unknown work of Liszt available was somewhat compromised by the edition remaining silent about exactly how great was Busoni’s contribution. Nor is there any mention of what and how much he omitted from Liszt's manuscript. A comparison with the autograph manuscript reveals that Busoni omitted sections from Don Giovanni altogether which implies that he was obliged to shorten by 245 bars (!) Liszt’s original manuscript consisting of 597 bars and compose 37 new bars in order to make the remaining sections suitable for performance.” Busoni’s paraphrase (comprising just 389 bars which may have reflected temporary conceptions of Liszt) no longer meets the theoretical or practical requirements of a time like ours which strives for an ever-greater fidelity to the original. [...] (perface to the 1996 EMB edition by Leslie Howard, a brief structural analysis of the piece below in the comment section).
Leslie Howard's 1993 studio recording for Hyperion diverges slightly from Liszt's manuscript and from the edition printed by EMB 3 years later. We have tried our best to implement those changes (the most notable of which is at the coda) in this MIDI, as well as following his tempo, pedal, dynamic and articulation choices to the utmost of our ability.
Busoni's completion: • Fantasy on two themes ...
Hamilton's completion: • Fantasie über Themen a...
Old version of the MIDI: • Fantasy on themes from...
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Brief structural analysis:
SECTION I: Introduction
0:00 Opening bars. Ostensibly derived from the letimotif of Mozart's aria 'Non più andrai' - a dotted rhythm, which will dominate much of this section and the piece. The descending bass line (first appears at 0:08) will also be structurally important. At first, the introduction is harmonically unstable and has something of an improvisatory air to it, but the momentum gathers very quickly.
0:34 Majestic statement in E major of a truncated 'Non piu andrai'. The falling bass line in the left hand allows for some unique harmonic colorings.
1:06 The beginning repeats though greatly modified, with another fragment of Figaro's aria included at the tail (1:40). Constantly modulating.
2:12 G major transformation of the aria. (This section, as is remarked by many, closely resembles a passage in the first movement of Beethoven's 'Appassionta' Sonata in F minor).
2:42 Transition. The dotted rhythm is fully exploited; the end of this section includes a long and dramatic cadenza (3:17), although tension is soon alleviated.
SECTION II: Arietta 'Voi che sapete' from Le Nozze di Figaro
3:45 Entrance of Mozart's arietta in a wonderful transcription by Liszt. Transposed to A-flat major from the original B-flat major while employing a wide array of pianistic devices (hand crossings, intricate voicings, arpeggios, leaps etc.) to present the cantible melody in varying guises. Extended RH trills and a downward chromatic run leads to
5:25 An incredible thematic transformation here: Liszt turns the melody into a passage reminiscing of Mazeppa's middle section, changing the key to G-flat major in the process. This would later become a passage of climbing thirds (and then octaves) as agitation permeates the section.
6:11 Feux-Follets-like transcription of 'Gemo senza voler', before a long cadenza (6:37) signals the impending clearance of tension. Moving back to A-flat major.
7:01 The final statement of 'Voi che sapete'. RH's glitteringly spread chords contrast with LH's wavelike arpeggios. As it progresses, various fragments from the arietta keeps being recalled; in fact, this is the final time the theme is heard in this piece. A quiet and almost contemplative stop in ppp at the end of the section.
SECTION III: Aria 'Non più andrai' from Le Nozze di Figaro
8:38 The dotted rhythm makes a surprising comeback in a shortened recapitulation of the introduction. Moving to the dominant key of C major while the volume is increased in accordance with the blood-pumping tension. Pyrotechnics galore, especially at 9:20.
9:38 'Non più andrai'. Being bold, joyous and full of hot-blooded bravura moments, this marks a stark contrast with the previous sections. A fairly literal transcription of the famous aria, some of the notable deviations include the chromatically rising third runs (10:27).
10:49 A rising motif in triplets is introduced. This is actually a fragment of a theme which would be introduced (and thoroughly exploited) later on; snippets of the upcoming variation is also heard. Modulating to B major before coming to an unexpectedly quiet halt.
11:02 First variation on 'Non più andrai'. Out of the blue, the jubilant mood of the aria returns, with the right hand performing a dexterious passage of leaps and the left hand a bouncy version of the theme (also notable is the recurrence of the chromatically descending bass line at 11:09, coupled with some wonderful augmented sixth harmonies). The variation is curtailed by a passage of double thirds in contrary motions, leading straight to
12:19 Second variation on 'Non più andrai'. Hands moving in contrary movements. Briefly moving to A major before returns to a virtuosic transformation of the dotted rhythm in C major.
13:05 Third variation and a final, FFF statement of 'Non più andrai', marking the climax of the piece. However, exactly when concluding moments are expected, a transitional passage (13:30) appears as the atmosphere suddenly turns mystical and unambiguous. Fragments from the earlier transition reused.
13:49 Short preparation for the oncoming minuet. Time signature changes to 3/4. In fact, at least one commentator has opined that this transition was 'the most jarring aspect of this fantasy' due to its incongruity, but the way Liszt dovetails the bright theme of 'Non più andrai' with the delicacy of upcoming melodies so seamlessly is nothing short of incredible. Again some distinctive harmonies with the descending bass line are found. A prolonged trill prepares the entrance to
SECTION IV: Dance Scene from Don Giovanni
14:15 Minuet theme in F major. Laden with voicings and large intervals in both hands. Varying sets of pianistic techniques are employed as the tune becomes pastoral, playful, joyous and cheeky in turn, the results of which include a laughter-evoking passage full of acciaccaturas (14:55).
15:36 Rustic dance, introduced in right hand (astonisingly in 2/4 time!) and combined with the minuet theme in left hand. As the former dominates the higher register of the keyboard, the minuet theme is filled with large jumps and arpeggios to compensate for the loss of voices. A sort of ritornello appears first at 15:53 and will keep recurring throughout the entire section.
15:59 Variations on the two dances, with roles in both hands occasionally changed. The polyphonic nature of this section is an attempt by Liszt to transcribe (or even imitate) Mozart's much more intricate combination of the melodies in the original opera.
17:06 Third dance in B-flat major, introduced with a sharp difference in tempo while the rising triplets return as part of this theme. Later transposed to D-flat major (17:32).
SECTION V: Finale
17:57 Transition. Liszt employs numerous fragments from previous themes (mainly the minuet and the triplet motif) for a tension-inducing transition, before a passage of sixths makes way for
18:31 A grandiose statement of the minuet theme in bright, magnificent C major. Blind octaves (also appeared earlier) used as bridge towards
19:15 Minuet theme, in pianissimo. Dexterious and constantly modulating. At 19:35 where Liszt leaves a small blank in the manuscript, Leslie Howard provides a three-bar completion, utilising material heard earlier with minimal modification in order to fit with another blind octave passage. Quickly returns to C major in preparation for the long-awaited finale of the entire piece.
19:45 Coda of Act I from Le Nozze di Figaro. Transcribed with a great many strokes of genius sprinkled throughout. As the tension is slowly increasing, technical demands never cease: at 19:58 the left hand performs a series of rising thirds, which is the motivic fragment of the Dance theme (and which fits so well with the music Busoni did not even attempt to remove it in his truncated edition). At the same time, the right hand's leaping thirds clearly harks back to the D-flat major section. A series of modulations (C major - A major - F-sharp major - E-flat major) ensues before Liszt's manuscript breaks off at 20:21. Due to the rising tension, a reprise of the previous 4 bars is included in Howard's proposed conclusion, (quite appropriately) employing double sixths. The music finally stabilises at C major as the concluding moments of Act I Figaro's coda is suggestively used. A short cadenza (20:38) makes for a strong conclusion to a grand fantasy.
This is our first (and also somewhat naïve) attempt trying to analyse a piece of Liszt from beginning to end. All of the analysis above might not be perfect or correct, but we are determined to improve our analysing abilities in the future! Thanks for watching.

[@bozzigmupp510]

Mf said brief

[@remuspierre7573]

This is a Masterpiece on the piano

[@remuspierre7573]

Beautiful song sounds good on the piano

[@duqueadriano0081]

8:38

[@Ferenc22]

6:25

[@tranminhtu8339]

darn I missed it

[@jannis11]

noice

[@FranzLiszt0904]

figere

[@LisztAddict]

figure