Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19

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Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19 in D minor is the last of Liszt’s 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies. It was written in 1885 and is based on the Csárdás nobles by Kornél Ábrányi. The piece opens with a sharp, dramatic theme in a low register, then moves up and down before gaining more Hungarian character. In the middle, the mood shifts and a memorable four-note melody appears, becoming the main idea of that section and returning in different forms. The ending brings back Liszt’s flashy style from his younger days, and the piece lasts about ten minutes.

Piano great Vladimir Horowitz later made his own transcription of No. 19. He said Liszt was already quite old when he wrote it, but the piece has wonderful ideas that are sometimes sketchy, so it needed to be expanded in transcription. Horowitz notes that the slow section (lassan) is doubled and expanded, the fast section (friska) is reworked, and Liszt’s repeating ideas feel a bit naive. He made the ending more brilliant, but not just for show; it keeps the musical spirit strong and very Hungarian. While not as flashy as earlier rhapsodies, No. 19 is harmonically bold and still very difficult.