Franz Liszt is an Austro-Hungarian composer who started his career as a performer. At a young age, Liszt heard Gypsy music and Hungarian folk that later majorly influenced his work. Liszt is named as one of the most authentic romanticism representatives and is often highlighted for his work as a prodigy (Saffle, 2018). Liszt’s exposure to Hungarian folk music contributed to the development of nationalistic motives in Hungarian Rhapsodies. Music is one of the art forms that can be used to describe the national background of a particular nation or an artist who represents it. There are distinct structural elements inbuilt into the music piece that can demonstrate the specific nation and its characteristics. For instance, in Hungarian Rhapsody N.2, Liszt uses the forms typical for the Hungarian gypsy folk: Lassan and frisky. The former used in the beginning veils listener with a dramatic mood through several modulations (Liszt 1915, 1:17). The frisky elements are meant to add emotional power with increased tempo and volume (Liszt, 1915, 6:54). The combination of friska and Lassan imitates the folk motives and identifies Hungarian national character in this piece.
Music can be used as a tool for communication encompassing its three basic structural elements such as rhythm, melody, and dynamics. Music can be a manifesto that sounds louder than words. The national hymns are made to represent nations and their pride as well the history, symbols, and values. Music serves a role of a precise guide to the storyline that uses more elegant techniques than written pieces. Words do not refer to the specific moments in the nation’s history the way folk music does, for instance. Hence, telling a story using music only is more specific, sensual, emotional, and deep.
References
Liszt, F. (1915). Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, F Minor. Carl Fischer. Web.
Saffle, M. (2018). The Music of Franz Liszt: Stylistic Development and Cultural Synthesis. Routledge.