Mazeppa (symphonic poem)
Mazeppa is a symphonic poem (German: Symphonische Dichtung) composed by Franz Liszt between the years 1851 to 1854 for orchestra. Mazeppa, S. 100, is the sixth in the cycle of twelve symphonic poems written during Liszt's time in Weimar[1], however a thirteenth composition was added to his collection in 1882.[2] Mazeppa is based on the poem of the same title written by Victor Hugo in 1829.[2] The work premiered at the Court Theatre in Weimar on April 16, 1854.
History[]
At the age of fifteen (1826), Liszt published twelve piano pieces titled Étude en 48 exercises dans les tons majeur et mineurs. In 1838, he revisited these compositions and republished the collection with a new title, 24 Grandes études. Seven years later (1840), Liszt reworked the fourth étude and titled it Mazeppa. This reimagined étude was reworked to express the elements of Victor Hugo's poem from the 1829 collection Les Orientales. Mazeppa was reworked for a final time in 1851 and the new version was given the title Transcendental Étude No. 4. The final version of the piano étude lead to the orchestrated symphonic poem Mazeppa. [1]
Program[]
Mazeppa was first written as an epic poem by Lord Byron in 1818, however, Liszt's Mazeppa is based upon a much shorter account written by Victor Hugo in 1829 in a collection of poems entitled Les Orientales. The writings are based on the life of Ivan Stepanovich Mazepa-Koledinsky (c. 1632–1709) and Hugo's poem is included in the original manuscript[3].
Hugo's poem introduces Mazeppa as a Ukrainian nobleman who became a page at the court of John Casimir, King of Poland. Due to a love affair with the wife of a Podolian count, Mazeppa was punished and tied naked onto a wild horse that was violently heading toward Ukraine. The horse collapsed in death and Mazeppa was saved by Ukrainian Cossacks who then named him as their leader. Under his leadership, the Ukrainian men gained major victory in the battlefield.[4]
Instrumentation[]
The orchestra consists of piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons, tuba, cymbals, bass drum, and strings.[5]
Form and Analysis[]
The symphonic poem is divided into two distinct sections: Mazeppa's ride and the March. According to Liszt, the March able to be played without the ride.
Mazeppa begins similarly to the piano version, but it has an extended introduction.[6] The composer follows Hugo's narrative, describing the hero's journey through the vast steppes in the first movement. The string section plays the main theme, which is transformed and distorted with six strokes of the timpani that evoke the fall of the rider.[7] After a silence, strings, bassoon and horn soloists express astonishment of the injured, raised by the trumpets at Allegro Marziale. Mazeppa and his cossacks are placed in front of the army (a march is heard) and the return of the hero's theme signifies his end in glory.
| Section | Location | Type | Key | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | mm. 1-35 | allegro agitato | unstable | Introduction |
| A | mm. 36-403 | allegro agitato | d minor, B-flat, b minor, return to d minor | Mazeppa's ride |
| B | mm. 403-435 | un poco più mosso, lament | unstable | Mazeppa's ride |
| A' | mm. 436-558
mm. 465-499 mm. 500-558 |
fast, triumph
March, triumph Trio, funeral march |
D Major
d minor d minor |
Mazeppa's fall |
| Coda (Finale) | mm. 559-611 | triumph | D Major | Mazeppa's victory |
Criticism[]
Mazeppa evoked great criticism compared to the other symphonic poems of Liszt. The Neue Wiener Musik-Zeitung, an Austrian magazine on music, published this review after a performance in Leipzig on April 16, 1857:
Mazeppa was but faintly applauded. After hearing both of these much- talked-of works with our own ears, we, also, are cured of the erroneous idea that they are something special, something we never heard before, something immense. They may be listened to very well with other things. Berlioz has made my head ache much more. People, however, must not allow themselves to be persuaded that they are music with any claims to importance, or destined to enjoy a great future. [4]
References[]
Notes
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Johns, Keith T. (1997). Michael Saffle (ed.). The Symphonic Poems of Franz Liszt. Stuyvesant, New York: Pendragon Press. ISBN 0-945193-40-8. OCLC 35638111.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Kenneth Hamilton, ed. (2005). The Cambridge Companion to Liszt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62204-2. OCLC 54079599.
- ^ "Mazeppa, S.100 (Liszt, Franz) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download". imslp.org. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Summers, Jonathan. Liner notes for Liszt, Franz. Liszt: Symphonic Poems, Volume 3. BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda, conductor. Recorded December 12 and 13, 2006. Chandos Records Ltd CHAND 10417. 2007. 1 CD.
- ^ Scores at IMSLP.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Cormac, Joanne (2017). Liszt and the symphonic poem. Cambridge. ISBN 978-1-316-86127-1. OCLC 1005978776.
- ^ Tranchefort 1998, p. 424.
Sources
- Tranchefort, François-René (1998). Guia da Música Sinfónica (in Portuguese) (1st ed.). Lisbon: Gradiva. ISBN 972-662-640-4.
Further reading[]
- Searle, Humphrey (1970). "The Orchestral Works". In Alan Walker (ed.). Franz Liszt: The Man and His Music. New York: Taplinger Publishing Company. ISBN 0-8008-2990-5.
External links[]
- Mazeppa: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
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- Symphonic poems by Franz Liszt
- 1851 compositions
- Cultural depictions of Ivan Mazepa