Certainly one of the most recognizable pieces written for the piano, Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 has remained within popular culture in one way or another since he first penned the work in 1847. As composer, pianist, and teacher Liszt encapsulated the musical ideals and passions of his time more than any other musician. He was known for his dazzling virtuosity at the piano and his daring explorations of new musical techniques and forms. His performances enthralled the public with their technical difficulty and his dramatic stage presence. After his death many of his works, such as the second Hungarian Rhapsody, have become mountains which all pianists wanting to prove their technical prowess must summit.

The work has a life outside of the concert hall as well. Countless films, both animated shorts and feature-length, have used the Rhapsody. Its first silver screen appearance was a performance by Mickey Mouse in the 1929 short The Opry House, in which he struggles with a piano that has a mind of its own. It then appeared in many other animated shorts such as William Hannna and Joe Barbera's Academy Award-winning 1946 short The Cat Concerto, featuring Tom and Jerry. Other film appearances range from Marx Brothers films to Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

- Composer John Glover is the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Publications Assistant.

07/07