A Composition History of La Campanella
By Abigail Metzger
October 19th, 2012
Intro to Music 1010
La Campanella, Italian for little bell, has an interesting history corresponding to it's composition. In 1838, Franz Liszt, a piano virtuoso born in Hungary, wrote, “Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini”(Etudes of Transcendent Performing Difficulty, after Paganini), which consisted of six piano pieces. We find “La Campanella” in the third etude of this formation, though how it arrived there is a bit complicated. In 1831, Liszt composed his work, “Grande fantasie de bravoure sur La clochette”, (S. 420). This piece predicated from the melody of Niccolo Paganini's finale composition of the Second Violin Concerto in B Minor. Paganini's finale derives itself from a song from old called “La Campanella”.
In summary then, Liszt composed six etudes in which the third etude comes from an earlier work of Liszt's based on Paganini's finale which comes from the old song. I find it to be quite a complicated story for how Liszt's “La Campanella” came about. The story has not been completed though. In 1851, Liszt revised his six etudes and named them, “Grandes études de Paganini”, (S. 141) (Grand Paganini Etudes); thankfully, the title is shorter and a bit easier to remember than the first title. We find “La Campanella” in third etude of both the original and the revised version of the great six-etude composition.[1]
Liszt's version of “La Campanella” takes Paganini's original folk song and combines it with constant high notes that sound like tinkling bells to display the name. In 1831 at the age of twenty, Liszt heard Paganini play violin in a concert. Through this event, Paganini's talent changed Liszt in an incredible way and began Liszt's virtuosity for which he is famous. Liszt began to practice his instrument in a different way than he had before this event.
The era in which Liszt constructed his piece happened to be an era of change, improvisation, and improvement which greatly influenced Liszt's music. Liszt composed this version during the Romantic era(1820-1869), also known as the 19th century. The Napoleonic Wars gave the 19th century its beginning. Napoleon's defeat occurred at Waterloo in 1815, causing Europe to be torn by desires for democracy and other desires for the old monarchy. Europe began having strong holds in various areas throughout the world, such as Africa and the Middle East. Also at this time, the United States and Canada gained great control in North America. Both of these examples of power are described as The Age of Imperialism, which climaxed at the start of World War I in 1914. Also at this time the Industrial Revolution occurred. Trains, factories, steam ships, cities, great riches, and extreme poverty exemplified this era. In addition to these revolutions was man's revolution in seeing himself and his relationship to others differently due to Charles Darwin's book, “The Origin of Species”.[2]
In the midst of these improvements, disasters, and changes, the beauty of music continued to be heard and constantly improved. Artists such as Beethoven, Wagner, and Berlioz triumphed; symphonies exploded; the symphonic poem developed(by our own Franz Liszt); and operas were performed. Virtuosity pervaded nearly all compositions titled with descriptive words and played with formal looseness. [3]Liszt's work, “La Campanella” greatly shows this; when listened to, one can hear the beauty and the looseness of the incredible work.
Working our way back to the Napoleonic Wars, at this time musicians and composers proceeded to their imaginations to flee from normal life. A spirit of liberty aroused in many, especially in Liszt. In fact, at this time after a period of inactivity, Liszt returned to the world of music due to his desire for freedom and liberty during the war. When hearing “La Campanella”, one can hear the freedom allowed in the notes and the liberty given to the one performing the piece, especially compared to earlier pieces of music from different eras. He, along with the other composers of the era, were not fearful of implementing newness and change. This completely reflected the Romantic Era as described above.
To summarize, all the improvements and changes occurring in Europe and around the world paralleled Liszt and his changes to the world of music. Liszt took a work of art composed by his hero and changed it just as the wars and the improvements in science and industry changed Liszt and the rest of the world. Not only can one be influenced by people, such as Liszt by Paganini, but by things and emotions, such as liberty and imagination which were prevalent at that time. Liszt took the beautiful violin concerto and made it a unique piano movement with his own style and imaginative ideas. It is quite astounding that both developments can be similar yet have their own uniqueness and beauty.
To conclude my history of Liszt's “La Campanella”, I must declare that Franz Liszt had great courage to take an already breathtaking violin composition of his hero, Paganini, in order to develop it into another form of beauty on the piano. And Liszt definitely did a superb job of keeping Paganini's original folk melody and high bell ringing notes and incorporating them into his own version of the song. Now that you, reader, have hopefully absorbed this interesting history of this lovely composition, proceed to the internet to listen to both versions. Amazement will overtake you of the talent of both composers. What a gift the two composers have given the world in their great work of art, “La Campanella”.
Other Sources
The Music Lover's Handbook, Edited by Elie Siegmeister, William Morrow and Company, New York 1943, Kingsport Press, Kingsport, Tenn.
[1]
[2]Listen to the Music Textbook, by Craig E. Ferrin, Kendall Hunt Publishing Company 2002-2012
[3]History of Music by Hugh M. Miller Third Ed. Barnes and Noble, Inc. 1968