Hungaria (Liszt)

It was premiered under Liszt's baton at the Hungarian National Theater in Budapest on September 8, 1856, where it achieved an enormous success.

After a short introduction, marked Largo con duolo, the main theme of the March in the Hungarian Style appears on clarinets, bassoons and violas.

This theme and its continuation dominate the first section of this work, though interrupted at one point by a cadenza for solo violin.

This section contains the stylistic characteristics of the verbunkos, with Largo con duolo sections alternating with an Andante marziale in a contrast of lassú and friss, sharply accentuated rhythms and profuse violinistic ornamentation.

Here, Liszt clearly wished to symbolize both the defeat of Lajos Kossuth's revolt in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and the hope that one day Hungary would be liberated by its own people.