Georges Cziffra (1921-1994) Transcriptions Grandes Etudes de Concert pour piano Volume I Sous la direction de Istvan Kassai C2ziffra EDITION Distribution by: C.F. PETERS ‘FRANKFURTPréface Danses hongroises No. No.2. . No. No. No. No. No. No. Etudes de concert Le Vol du bourdon. . ‘Tritsch-tratsch polka. La Fantaisie roumaine La Valse triste Appendice 1 Contenu La Cinguidme danse hongroise. ... . - 15 22 28 31 40 45 51 58 62 67 14 8 89 101 107 119) 146 152INTRODUCTION TO MY TRANSCRIPTIONS ‘My most important desire and wish was to one day give my experiences with the Piano over to each pianist, and future young performer. But I have never seen myself as a teacher in the general meaning of the word. Rather I see in myself someone who sheds light, one who directs with a small lamp those similar to himself. My intentions may appear presumptuous to some, but it is what I have found my calling to be. One day without searching, I just found that this is what I can give. Itwas as if destiny was pulling the plow, and I was just following behind. Being led through storms and into unknown territories. Throughout my whole youth I have been enthralled by improvisational art, and during occasional concert as a pianist, I had wanted to finish with such a short piece, that, personally, could stand alone, and which was not prepared for eternity. When I improvise [feel as if I become one with myself, and my body is freed from all earthly pain. Itis truly a process of going beyond my own talents, which makes it possible at each occasion to step over the known boundaries of the technical side of the piano performance. While I give myself over completely to the moment of inspiration, while I give the field of form and theme over completely to my imagination I always try to maintain a discipline of my thoughts on the following two-three tracks, so that my hands can follow the path of my vision. The practice of this at one time tender and at another time enchanting method, made it possible for me in the moments of creation to discover the future form of piano performance. ‘A few months after my arrival in France, in the Paris studio Pathé-Marconi, the art director suggested we improvise a few known melodies in front of the microphone. It was not necessary for him to ask a second time, for I have always loved to amuse myself that way. At that time Rossini was my favourite. The product of a few hours of improvisation became La Danza (The Dance) and then the Paraphrase sur Vouverture de Guillaume Tell. (Paraphrase to the opera William Tell.) After listening to the tape of improvisations, the paraphrases and rewriting which followed, I found that destiny had decided, that I should open a different road in the music world and a new field in piano performance. This was a mighty undertaking. The following years I studied very carefully these works of creation. I saw so many things in them that were new, I at times became frightened. But I could do nothing against it. That is how it was. I was but a servant to art. And what an art it was. For it was at this time that I came to realize can establish for the future of piano performance the method of methods. However, there was one problem. Itis extremly difficult to put on paper the product of an improvisational session. To put on paper the uniqueness of the improvisational form. But it was important to try, to make it a real work of art, so that other artists could read and play them. One needs an ear, and untiring patience with the piano. From those who have attempted to tackle this titanic work, many have stepped back. Even when we played back on tape slowly the creations, we saw insurmountable difficulties. One day my son George said that he would like to give it a try. At this time he was 25 years old. With a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm he took on the work. Slowing down the tape in both directions, he wrote down the place of each sound, and slowly after a point he was able to give form to a certain amount of my musical creations. Finally I too became involved in writing down the musical notes, which now turned into true composition — which mirrored my thoughts and emotions. I must say that this work represented for me the excitement of creation. Later, I asked the Hungarian piano performer expert Istvin Kassai, who I had a great deal of trust in, to look over and inspect what we now had in written form. When certain musicians see this collection, they might possibly declare: ‘This cannot be played’. I can assure them that that is not the case. In his time, when Ferenc Liszt published his own works, everyone thought that only he could play it. But times change: techniques develops, and today a professional piano performer — and one or two amateur — with great pleasure and not too many mistakes in interpretation, are able to follow his large virtuosos. I think that today’s piano performers learn these works easier. It becomes ‘more ‘natural’, and my hopes are that one day they will become part of musical culture, In the following outlines I would like to diagram those piece which we will become familiar with tonight.Between 1982-1983 I recorded Brahms’ Fifteen Hungarian Dances, which had originally been written for four hands. Inspired by the popular melodies of his time Brahms composed 21 pieces, While these works left a free hand to personal interpretations the compositions temperaments were not their unique feature. Liszt - whose piano ‘ornamentation was too virtuoso for his taste — he did not really like. I wanted to break though this stylistic period through Hungarian themes, and bring peace between these two great musicians. Respecting. Brahms’ constructive spirit, and Liszt's enthusiasm for improvisation. The following five pieces I had recorded before 1958, which I had named ‘concert etude’. La Vol du bourdon (The Bumblebee). Rimsky Korsakoff’s famous intermission with the Sultan has been put innumerable times to music. My rewriting has the advantage of bringing out unmistakably the octave technique ... As it is built up on a long cadence I must mention the internal chromatic line does not break. In relation to the octave, when I am asked, what is the secret of performance, I always answer: Work, work, and more work. A Tritsch-tratsch polka was probably the young Johann Strauss’s most popular piece. I wrote a variation on the bridges between the different thythmic themes. This piece, can possibly be understood as a free ‘paraphrase’. An ideal work for the elaboration of the reflexes. Roman Fantasy is purely an improvisational piece which contains the two traditional ‘slow-fast’ elements that are distinct for Central-European melodies. A Ia Valse triste (The Sad Waltz) was composed in 1916 by the famous Ferenc Vecsey (1893-1935), who is unfortunately today a forgotten violin performer. This piece in his day was very popular, and even words were written to it. In the salons it belonged to the regular repertoire. In Budapest during my “bar piano’ days, I was often asked to improvise to this beautiful theme. In memory to those days in my life, I wanted to rewrite this dramatic and painful fantasy. The Fifth Hungarian Dance which is found in the appendix, originates from 1957. It is different from the original version, thus leaving open the possibility that it can be studied in a different relation. Thope that these few pages open a new door to the world, and that these pieces stimulate a more individualistic rather than a stereotypical interpretation. Georges CziffraDanses hongroisesNo. 1 SS Allegro molto (MM 4144) poco marcatespressivo f md. ee lege. E ee Sa %FF secherzando stace. Sa iit moderato (MM 4 = 88) 00 sostenuto hel 5 toe: * o he sostenutopoco moss sostenuto Toco ae me Se a ine E * 8 MOsS0_ 9 sastenuto cy loco 3 zy fig nstes!?'” oo a 43 loco "3 Se 8a” eh 8 &‘Tempo 1 legato, espresso] na mb SP , a En arn8 f : ri Ff acca senza ga poco meno subito 161 ‘marrellato “ie \ psubito ¢ stace a * h & aaccelerando poco a Pee bp2 “ae assai (MM 4-100) Brahms - 6. Catia — f — | oS Sh) Qe ‘Sea, a. con passione : oe ee —~eyccmeiny pocorit,.piivrit. = \dm = —-| p ae, eae eS of fa So pocososemte, ©a tempo «on passioneinf. locorinforzando gsloco seed Tempo 1 Bs 7 ; . = F pasionato |= | fa a Se atempo | 9 motto sostemto2B Allegretto (MM 4-92) = J. Brahms ~G. Ceitfa ao 4 misterioso \Pare P sotto voce | ven lo aes san ce ae Se7 risoluro ae are md— P ms staccato sempre staccato‘Meno vivo (MM 4-108) . sparentevole 8 Sempre legato rmartellato P sempre = Finforzando31 J.Brahms ~G. CziffraVivace (MM 4-112) B‘ben marcato 3—=—~),——_—J meee { =e PE ‘ —— y Be, Tempo 1 (poco meno rosso ¢ pt rubato)ST ‘of selocssimo evNo. 5 1. Brahms ~ G. Critica Allegro (MM J=116) Hcanto sempre , pla forte nt ee mp" pocorring lap, OE oe ee ree | er Br oe we mae 2Vivace (MM 4-144) Ts 4 Moderato (J=88) v7 dolce con gr accel, ale.ee mi 85 93 loco $ poco alg. - ‘tac Sf, 8 * Pia vivo (MM J=132) icant pifModerato = Tempo | 0 », |-—~, = = io ? and a * ~ See, = Pl vivo a us oe (ee iz | is 7f @% we £ 33 loco ar i Q ooo pitta tee ttt te tt ce = lad. Tempo eS “ a ae rEE € EF.45 No. 6 Vivace SS, Sostenuto ’Poco piii mosso (MM 4116)7 velocissimo, p |, Sostenuto — eggiero 3 Z = = & Pea) Sa a Molto sostenuto (MM J=80) | passionato, tenwto sempre = Re. Sa,‘non presto, leggiero fa Un poco meno sostenuto (MM J -88) 4, é ae ey | 8 * ea em 8h oH Tempo I (sosienuto) SY49 a a & Meron tame = pitti. == oe ivece! BS a Ff staccato, vey 2 te +, Poco sostenuto m8 oc mp—= | f accentuaro * ae ie staccato Staccato semprein tempo, Bon m1 cc ae ee ogee ee 5 velocissimo, f esieroPoco meno mosso (MM ¢= 144) Tempo II I——) Ja oF - FoySe eae allegrando = grande, intempoanf rif. Jaf scherzando.95 | |——|r vf o = ——— ra m iS Meno mosso (MM 4116) poco alargondo 2 ——-O. . a 102 a 5 . ~ SF - a ma & @ é fo a Sa w sz — ° Asempre == z fe en 6 Meno mosso (MM 4 =116) =) -<--. &. oe eysostenuio ‘fa - poco allargando =~ —_ ‘Se, heh # De = + (Tempo) ao non legato ——=_ [=— | ——= FE | —_—= > Imp mare. senza Se, r gt sosten espressvo aaccel. « Pnan legato res. ma __ Pit mosso ( MM 4-200) poco sosten. = 3758 J. Brahms - G. Cziffra non (MM J+ 100) z Allegro non troppo oo an Lm@oy, i) tr) oo lenis (tp) tr) thy) it o a, lw a62 J. Brahms ~ G. Cziffra64 erg sito mpBe 8 " portato _—= =— |po—or J. Brahms ~ G. Cziffra Presto(MM 4 = 116)0Asiimato (MM 4 +108) ‘appassionaro >7 = @ tempo subito" Andantino grazioso (MM 4-66) f camtabile sostenuto - (Ga) aa J. Brahms - G. Cziffra3 atempo % Con fuoco (MM 4 = 120) Vivace (MM 4 = 104) seherzando ae| p——— ny | = Te Paes oe * & @ i . rubato largamente ‘molto espressivo ff ta er ri. = _moko pipes ace. © mare =a % ‘Tempo Il (MM 4=80) 58 7 ‘cambie motor. eile | Imp erazioso = —sostenuto - molto;No. 16 J. Brahms ~ G. Caiffra Con moto (MM 4=52) fr En Si i aa r F ca it a ritallargando poco a poco - allargando-_- - dolente | = marcato mpegg. sempre leggiero Sag ee 5 nore lege Poco meno presto (MM 4=76) legato camabile mezza voce ——=———— ~via& poco animato con passione iit passionate — glailrgando 5 poco allarg.- = = = == mol + esta (MM S144) 4 7 am 8 no SF loco.84 No. 17 Andantino (MM 4-46) parlando e rubato J. Brahms ~ G. Cziffra espressivo 2 2 za i Ty "portato CE i < = fa Za Ba { ses eee [oec aanVivace (MM 4-112) PP portatoTm ae sone ea A P molto dolce Sa Mono presto (MM 4-60) legato canabile87 ase eee oe espress. mp , — espres MP poco erese. - ” ffoa "7000. loco Pa rit, poco a poco al fine mp — mf"89 No. 19 J. Brahms ~G. Ceifra Allegretto (MM 4-96) canto sempre pit forte SS e : > 4 , k oo. L % atl fe EN 8 ®t BH * poor. er90 molto rit poco sosten.(poco piv rubato). = se fm Se wm S&H Sf rit, poco a poco - te ‘poco a poco ritornando 30 == = 2 loco suring. poeg a poco wel 2 ins pcg crest, ———$—_Allegro(MM4-132) 5 poco rit, poco » co sostenutoritornan ee ~ oF ido ia st a ‘Tempo 1 OTPita. = sastenuto e pli espressiva Heno e pis espre a tempo pit sosteno == == poco.aee = = dD) ap Fegato before ff gee 2 Se * % 2a of oa, — - ,. & on Se * ES poco sting. - = = + Animato (MM J=120)8 wee, ee tee. a tempo Se Sze % fd # pit sostenuto uccel. poco a poco == oh ap marcato94, No. 21 Vivace (MM @ = 120) e J. Brahms ~ G, Cziffra zs =~ Gia) ° eo) @)Es Pit presto (Quasi giusio) (MM J+ 176) bo ip OTE —— i & ‘ta aZ co ae ritenwo - poco meno : . quasi creseEtudes de concertLe Vol du bourdon 101 N. Rimsky-Korsakov ~ G. CziffraEs oe ——— Fa psttio103 jf PP Setrillo vibrane & ——— & : fio =, eres. sempre Fi ke — — S velocissimo gua 50 S te: Ee: pp subito ¢ leggiero4 tempo subit 8 #23 i losTritsch-Tratsch polka (um d= 60) 3, Sass. ~ 6. Caita velocissimo108 = «Veloce possibile109 sostenuto accel. + poco Seta Sa poooucte ‘co,atargando - moleooo veel, = poco a po allargando 8 ego ce * wuto (MM_ 144) (Tempo)uzOo sostenuto = caceel. - 1B= Tempo I a ere s ee7 poo. a - poco accelerando laos soc 85 Tloco BLK ‘moto ral len tan : a Allegro stretto (MM 160) Ps 3 SS z E> sempre sace.e mare.DT |g lg!119 La Fantaisie roumaine G. Caiffra toujours tres expressivement TEPER Tye Lent, sans rigueur a (MIM 3-40-66: tes librement) mf. . fretenu Wié ce en serra —__de plus en oe eee eerieedeset no : es. — a Mout ier ; — PP, | dim * 2 — 7 & Eo at lone tréslone rn = = ht cde: wn = % 3 7 Po ® S. fy a if long ¥ Se ae long lone ae cedex == au Moust. ’ doux 43222222 came ‘teint frés calme. v amartlé PP mm a ts lentement, puis crest sre de pls en pus. - eA PPP PP Be wumartelé ° . 85 loge i ‘oes eens (B > & ™p facie * tiger = eresc, et serrez progressivement ang ; dete” 7p Sa Sk Sa123 7 7 marqué F z : 1st Mouv!, (MM 4=60) cider. ee 2 cman tloe) o 2 3 a ‘martelé fa ®124 Vie (HE Mouvt: J-4 du 1€F Mourty (MM J=40) ‘ere progresivament usa a 0M mesure Rapide (I112™€ Mouvt. os —s —125 Vit (IE™ Mouvt: J- J du IT Mouv!,)(MM 4-80) mesuré loco Fon hee = et eS eS * Re Ae De Be De Bw126 loco —27 (64) iY (tr) to oy) bypeu f martelé ry ow ~~129marqué Teger gy see peu omdiminuez ~ pp lointain mf subitement déiachéBa 8% $f. & & >135 Gea. (tenez,jusqu’a la mesure 132)136 dim, peut peu vif détaché loco 2 Ince mp toujours détaché p détaché17 * Imp détaché(185) bb Liasnt ts hive te, ie axée, Lip Bp Se i a co Plus vite (Tv.me Mouvf(MM J-90) (FR -5F) WL ndte KE eT Kt. Ce ne. oo\40141 crescendo et serrez ires progressivement Cadence _ oa loco ’ °° aba (mas if) Pn ae ae Oe a ee16 © 88 * Dig &€Mouvt (Vif) (MM 4-80) no y ie Bogeerese. peu it pewrubato (mais Wf) wd P bate dim, pew peu ‘Ba. (tenes jusqu’a a mesure 200)145 cédez.. -Repide (I™€ Mouv! J=d du Mouv! précédent) (MM J=80) "co _ o 2 toco 7 me pp * 3146 La Valse triste Allegretto Sempre rubato ed espresso assai F, Vecsey ~G. Cziffra ~ = . fg 2100 ie a , Ly 4 | =|>— _ 2 3 £ et are ‘i. a ritartando_-. 8°7"753 tempo aS eS loco ee mn ‘Se ‘a, Me ‘Ya,‘incalzando poco a poco 147martellato i 4 quasi diminuendo 1000 ——~ velocissimopassionato possibile locissimo Se a a150 quasi trillo. 8 riteruto - molto.» ‘poco slentando ~~ tranguillo lagi PP q P doleissimo egualemente5 accel... quasi tilo ~ a tempo152 Appendice La Cinquiéme danse hongroise Allegro (MM 4=84-120) J. Brahms ~ G. Cziffea | re| og rela re | re el ee | x © Be # Se m “et Be nte~ Teggiero staccato eb = |» —— | —— aN staccato154 Vivace (MM 4=126-152) : P leggiero senza Ba ritmolio rit, molto mend accel poco a poco al _tempo oe fe * 2e 2 e Be Be135‘Tempo 1 Sf ™»p——= | ——— | =retteeeeterestftrere158 (169) dime rit. molto == fa, Qafeecetiererferere