Hungarian Rhapsody no. 8

The eighth Hungarian Rhapsody, published in 1853, treats themes that Liszt became acquainted with during his visit to Hungary in 1846: a folk song, a popular dance melody of the time and a csárdás. No. 8 is one of the lesser-known Hungarian Rhapsodies. But it is worth rediscovering: the way in which a multitude of rhythms and harmonies with tempo changes and rich ornamentation in the “style hongrois” are heard here in a very compact space and effectively concluded by a furious Presto section – this is Liszt at his best!

While the slow sections require a wide range of expressive and formative ability, the fast sections demand strength and stamina. Participating in the Urtext edition, which for the first time takes into account all the preserved sources, are two eminent Liszt experts: Mária Eckhardt for the preface and Vincenzo Maltempo for the fingerings.