Menter, too, was known to have composed a few small pieces herself, which may well have been the shred of fact that supported the eventual mis-attribution of the concerto.
The trick was to get somebody to pen it: it wasn't easy for a pianist to approach a composer at a time when so many composers were pianists interested in writing for themselves. Clearly the piece owes its existence as much to Menter's magnetic personality as to her outstanding virtuosity, since there was no shortage of brilliant pianists making the circuit in those days, for whom a concerto on gypsy airs could have been an ideal vehicle. It is virtually certain Tchaikovsky scored the piece, which makes it a fascinating, and unique, instance of a blind collaboration by two of the 19th century's greatest composers.Īssuming that Liszt really did write it, the ''Concerto in the Hungarian Style'' - it is frequently called the ''Sofie Menter Concerto'' - is an example of what two artists were willing to do for a woman, and a colleague, they both admired. Now the experts are beginning to suggest that it was probably written by the master, not his pupil. The only difference is that, until now, the work has always been attributed to Sophie Menter, one of Liszt's favorite students - what else she may have been is open to speculation - and a powerful Valkyrie of a pianist whom George Bernard Shaw once said he preferred to Paderewski. Katsaris will perform Thursday at the Mann Music Center (formerly Robin Hood Dell) with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Choreographed by George Balanchine, the ballet was entitled ''Hungarian Gypsy Airs,'' an English rendering of the concerto's German title, ''Ungarische Zigeunerweisen.''
Who wouldn't be amused at the thought that a concerto most likely written by Liszt, and orchestrated apparently without knowledge of that fact by Tchaikovsky, could receive its American premiere in the pit of the New York State Theater as a production of the City Ballet? That unheralded performance, which took place a year ago tonight as part of the company's 1981 Tchaikovsky Festival, involved the pianist Richard Moredock. Katsaris agonized for a moment in mock despair. Having just been told that he had been beaten to the punch - that his performance in Philadelphia on Thursday night of what is now believed to be Franz Liszt's ''Concerto in the Hungarian Style'' will not be the work's American premiere - Mr. A pained look spread across the face of this French-born pianist of Greek-Cypriot descent. Balanchine!'' Cyprien Katsaris exclaimed, drawing back from the table with a gesture of helplessness.
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