Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-sharp minor, S.244/2, is the second in a set of 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies by composer Franz Liszt, and is by far the most famous of the set. In both the original piano solo form and in the orchestrated version this composition has enjoyed widespread use in animated cartoons. Its themes have also served as the basis of several popular songs. The Hungarian-born composer and pianist Franz Liszt was strongly influenced by the music heard in his youth, particularly Hungarian folk music, with its unique gypsy scale, rhythmic spontaneity and direct, seductive
Rhapsodies for Orchestra quirky rhythmic vitality. Van Zweden and the CSO brought the 10-minute piece to life most enjoyably." Katie Womack of the "Dallas Observer" similarly praised the piece at its Dallas premiere, commenting, "The dynamics of this piece range from intimate to bombastic and the juxtaposition of those extremes created some stunning sounds in the Meyerson. At only ten minutes, Stucky's "Rhapsodies" left me wanting more." Anthony Tommasini of "The New York Times" also lauded the work, remarking: Jeffrey Gantz of "The Boston Globe" was more critical, describing the piece as "a series of ecstatic outbursts in which one instrument essays an