''Rhapsodie espagnole'' (''Spanish Rhapsody''), S.254, R.90, is a composition for solo piano composed by

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

in 1858. The piece is very suggestive of traditional Spanish music, and was inspired by Liszt's tour in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, In recognized minority languages of Portugal: :* mwl, República Pertuesa is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Macaronesian ...

in 1845. When played, this piece takes roughly 11–14 minutes and contains many extreme technical challenges, including rapid chords and octaves.

Ferruccio Busoni Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and teacher. His international career and reputation led him to work closely with many of the leading musicians, artists and literary ...

arranged the piece for piano and orchestra in 1894. It includes free variations on '' La Folia'' and '' Jota Aragonesa'' and opens with a cadenza including

blind octaves In music, a blind octave is the alternate doubling above and below a successive scale or trill notes: "the passage being played...alternately in the higher and lower octave." According to ''Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', the device ...

.Hinson, Maurice (2000). ''Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire'', p.491. .

References

External links

* Compositions by Franz Liszt 1858 compositions Compositions for solo piano Espagnole {{classical-composition-stub