T & J short

June 5, 2018 8:54 AM

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. Here it is performed by 15 year old Yannie Tan.
posted by growabrain (13 comments total)

And Tom and Jerry!

Who, along with Bugs Bunny, I have to thank for my familiarity with this piece.
posted by Gelatin at 9:00 AM on June 5, 2018 [4 favorites]

This post is not without controversy.

http://www.animationmagazine.net/top-stories/the-case-of-the-copycat-concerto/
posted by jayb3369 at 9:10 AM on June 5, 2018 [2 favorites]

I think you mean Laurel Tan
posted by prize bull octorok at 9:15 AM on June 5, 2018 [3 favorites]

Oh wow - so ... Liszt wrote "the Entertainer"-! ;-)
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:32 AM on June 5, 2018

None of these stand up to Daffy Duck's version.
posted by Daily Alice at 10:07 AM on June 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

Say what you will, but plenty of those old cartoons served as an introduction to classical music. Then and John Williams, of course. :)
posted by zooropa at 10:09 AM on June 5, 2018 [2 favorites]

There are plenty of good parts of that particular composition that you don't hear in the cartoons. ;)
posted by wierdo at 10:11 AM on June 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

(On preview: nevermind.)
posted by evidenceofabsence at 11:32 AM on June 5, 2018

As this clip of chronological uses shows, it was already a cartoon mainstay well before Rhapsody Rabbit vs Cat Concerto. Sometimes, something is just in the air. Every Armageddon has its Deep Impact.
posted by kersplunk at 12:07 PM on June 5, 2018

Don't forget about Victor Borge!
posted by beisny at 12:42 PM on June 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

Man, Tom & Jerry's animation was really, really good.
posted by grumpybear69 at 2:38 PM on June 5, 2018

If it takes it being included in cartoons to popularise a decent piece of music and get it to the masses, then so be it!!!
posted by Burn_IT at 8:59 AM on June 6, 2018

If it takes it being included in cartoons to popularise a decent piece of music and get it to the masses, then so be it!!!

Agreed, Franz Liszt's work really needs more notice and enthusiasm from listeners, I don't know how it's remained so obscure all this time.

Also, Miss Tan is a very skilled young pianist, but I enjoyed more her general musicianship--she easily paid very keen attention to the video, and had no problem playing this ridiculous, fireworks-laden showpiece while staying totally in sync with the cartoon.
posted by LooseFilter at 9:16 AM on June 6, 2018 [1 favorite]