Mephisto Waltzes

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The Mephisto Waltzes (German: Mephisto-Walzer) are four waltzes composed by Franz Liszt from 1859 to 1862, from 1880 to 1881, and in 1883 and 1885. Nos. 1 and 2 were composed for orchestra, and later arranged for piano, piano duet and two pianos, whereas nos. 3 and 4 were written for piano only. Of the four, the first is the most popular and has been frequently performed in concert and recorded. [1]

Contents

Associated with the Mephisto Waltzes is the Mephisto Polka, which follows the same program as the other Mephisto works.

The Waltzes

No. 1, S.514

Excerpt from the beginning of the Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Mephisto-WalzerNr1.JPG
Excerpt from the beginning of the Mephisto Waltz No. 1

No. 2, S.515

The Second Mephisto Waltz, S.515, followed the first by some 20 years. Its composition took place between late 1880 and early 1881. Liszt wrote the orchestral version (S.111) first, then based both the piano solo (S.515) and four-hand (S.600) versions on it. The orchestral version was premiered in Budapest in 1881. After this performance Liszt extended the work and changed the ending radically. The printed music for all three versions is based on this revision and is dedicated to Camille Saint-Saëns. [6]

Harmonically, the second waltz anticipates Scriabin, Busoni and Bartók. Liszt begins and ends the work with an unresolved tritone, a musical interval famous as representing the devil in music, and the music overall is more violently expressive than both its predecessor and Camille Saint-Saëns' Danse macabre , which Liszt had transcribed a few years earlier. [7] The piece, for all its dissonance, remains firmly in E major until the BF tritone shatters the work's climax at the piece's end. [5] This gesture leaves the work's ending unresolved harmonically. [8]

No. 3, S.215a and S.216

Composed in 1883, the Third Mephisto Waltz, S.216, takes the harmonic language even further, featuring chords built up by fourths with numerous passages of descending minor triads whose roots are a semitone apart. The chord on which these progressions are based, according to Alan Walker, "is difficult to explain in terms of traditional harmony. It is best regarded as a 'fourths' chord in its last inversion." [9] Tonally, the music is pulled between F major, D minor and D minor. As in its predecessors, the Third Waltz has the devil dancing in triple time while other groups of three move past so quickly that a larger rhythm of four is established, and triple time is abandoned altogether in the dreamlike passage near the work's conclusion. [5] Humphrey Searle, in his book The Music of Liszt, considers this piece to be one of Liszt's finest achievements. [10]

This waltz bore no dedication initially. After French pianist Marie Jaëll played the work for the composer (who asked her to repeat certain passages over and over again), he made extensive changes to the work and dedicated it to her. Saint-Saëns, Jaëll's composition teacher at the Paris Conservatoire (who also dedicated his first piano concerto to her), commented about her interpretation of Liszt's works that "only one person in the world [besides Liszt] who can play Liszt—Marie Jaëll". [11] Liszt made no orchestral version of the piece. [5] However, British composer and arranger Gordon Jacob orchestrated this along with other late works of Liszt for the Sadlers Wells ballet Apparitions, a project conceived by composer Constant Lambert. [7]

The first recording of this piece was by France Clidat in her traversal of Liszt's works for Decca. [12]

No. 4, S.216b

The Fourth Mephisto Waltz, S.696, remained unfinished and was not published until 1955. Liszt worked on the piece in 1885. Like the second waltz, the fourth uses an introduction and coda which do not stick to the basic key. While the work is mainly in D major, it begins and ends in C minor. This, writes noted Australian Liszt scholar and pianist Leslie Howard, [13] was an encouragement while working on his performing version to refer to the main material in the slow Andantino and to recapitulate a portion of the fast Allegro before Liszt's coda. [14] Some critics do not consider this waltz as original as its predecessors and surmise that, had Liszt lived to complete it, he might have made considerable improvements. [15] No orchestral version of this waltz was made by Liszt.

Despite its being unfinished, this waltz is still considered playable. [15] It is usually performed in a version (S.216b) combining the completed fast outer sections, omitting the incomplete slow middle section. Howard made a performing version of this waltz in 1978 which utilizes a middle section assembled from Liszt's manuscript sources, completed in line with the composer's late style and with a minimum number of added notes from Howard. A recording of this completion is available on Hyperion's "Complete Piano Music of Liszt" series, while the sheet music, dedicated to Alfred Brendel, has been published by Basil Ramsey, [16] and once again in 1988 by Orpheus Publications. However, the first recording of a version of this piece was by France Clidat in her traversal of Liszt's works for Decca. [12]

Bagatelle sans tonalité

The Bagatelle sans tonalité ("Bagatelle without tonality"; German : Bagatelle ohne Tonart), S. 216a, is sometimes included with Liszt's Mephisto Waltzes. The manuscript bears the title "Fourth Mephisto Waltz" [17] and may have been intended to replace the Fourth Mephisto Waltz when it appeared Liszt might not be able to finish it. [18] Critics point out the similarity in tonal center between these two pieces (D major) as confirmation of their composition shortly after one other in 1885 as well as Liszt's initial intent with the "Bagatelle". [19]

Legacy

The pieces are referenced as the title of the 1969 novel, The Mephisto Waltz by American author and Juilliard-trained pianist Fred Mustard Stewart. Composer Jerry Goldsmith incorporated the pieces into his score for the 1971 film of the same name based on Stewart's novel.

Arrangements

Franz Liszt's Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514 has inspired numerous solo‑instrument arrangements that capture its virtuosic and programmatic essence.

Violin

A virtuosic solo‑violin arrangement by Nathan Milstein, published by G. Schirmer Inc. This demanding version packs Liszt’s dramatic intensity and technical flair into a single unaccompanied violin part. [20]

A duo transcription by Hungarian violinist Nándor Szederkényi (with harp), inspired by Milstein’s solo‑violin edition. Though not strictly solo, this version adapts the main thematic material into an intimate chamber arrangement. [21]

Viola

Italian violist Marco Misciagna has arranged Mephisto Waltz No. 1 for unaccompanied viola. He has performed it live and included it among his catalogue of over 100 solo‑viola arrangements. The version transfers the piece’s fiery, dramatic character into the richer tonal colour of the viola. [22] [23]

Other versions

A virtuosic solo-piano paraphrase by Ferruccio Busoni, published by G. Schirmer (Schirmer’s Library of Musical Classics). Busoni’s transcription compresses the orchestral power into a solo recital piece. [24]

Liszt’s own piano-duet reduction of the orchestral version (S.599/2), later published by Fritz Stade and revised by Isidor Philipp.

References

  1. Hamilton, Early... (2005), p. 80.
  2. Ewen (1965), p. 519.
  3. Quoted in Ewen (1965) , pp. 519–520
  4. From a letter of Liszt to Brendel, Rome, 29 August 1862.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Howard , p. 3
  6. Franz Liszt's Music Manuscripts in the National Széchényi Library, Budapest, by Mária P. Eckhardt, Pendragon Press, p. 88 ISBN   9789630541770
  7. 1 2 Walker (1997) , p. 70
  8. Grove (1980), 14:783.
  9. Walker (1997), pp. 450–451.
  10. Searle (1966), pp. 114–115.
  11. Jung-Ah Kim (December 1999). A Study of Franz Liszt's Concepts of Changing Tonality as Exemplified in Selected "Mephisto" Works" (dissertation Doctor of Musical Arts). University of North Texas.
  12. 1 2 Liner notes to the France Clidat recordings.
  13. Howard recorded all of Liszt's solo piano pieces (over 95 CDs) and has written extensively on Liszt's work.
  14. Howard, p. 4.
  15. 1 2 Walker (1997) , p. 71
  16. Howard, p. 1.
  17. Howard, pp. 1, 3.
  18. Baker (2005), p. 116.
  19. Baker (2005), pp. 118–119.
  20. Schonberg, Harold C. (1981-11-09). "Violin: Milstein Displays Virtuosity of Simplicity". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  21. "F. Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1, violin & harp – iStrings". iStrings. iStrings. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  22. "Liszt/Misciagna – Mephisto Waltz for Solo Viola (video)". YouTube. Marco Misciagna. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  23. "List of solo viola arrangements – Marco Misciagna official website". marcomisciagna.com. Marco Misciagna. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  24. "Busoni – Transcriptions and Paraphrases – review of Mephisto Waltz #1". Classical Net. Classical Net. Retrieved 2025-06-15.

Sources