"Csárdás" (or "Czardas") is a
rhapsodical concert piece by the Italian composer
Vittorio Monti. Written in
1904, the
folkloric piece is based on a Hungarian
csárdás
Csárdás (, ; ), often seen as Czárdás, is a traditional Hungarian folk dance, the name derived from ' (old Hungarian term for roadside tavern and restaurant). It originated in Hungary and was popularized by bands in Hungary as well as neighb ...
. It was originally composed for
violin
The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
,
mandolin, or
piano
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
.
There are
arrangements for
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
and for a number of solo instruments. "Csárdás" is about four-and-a-half minutes in duration.
Structure
''Csárdás'' has seven distinct mini-"movements", or different sections, usually changing in tempo and feeling (and, occasionally,
key). The first half of the piece is in
D minor; it modulates to
D major
D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...
, then back to D minor, and then finally concludes in D major.
The sections are as follows:
It is generally expected for the piece to be played with some
''rubato''. There are also many
dynamic changes, ranging from ''
pianissimo'' to ''fortissimo''.
In the ''Meno, quasi lento'' section, the violin plays
artificial harmonics; this technique involves the musician placing their finger over a note while playing another note, with the finger only just barely pressing onto the string, five
semitones higher. This gives the effect of the violin sounding two
octaves (24 semitones) higher.
Published scores
*Monti: ''Czardas per violino e pianoforte''. Z. 13 700 (Editio Musica
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
).
*The ''Celebrated Czardas by V. Monti'' F 102595 F (
G. Ricordi & Co., London Limited)
References
External links
*
*
"Czardas" sheet music kreusch-sheet-music.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Csardas (Monti)
1904 compositions
Compositions by Vittorio Monti