a vocal or instrumental work that structurally resembles the performance of epics by ancient Greek rhapsodists or by reciters in other countries. Rhapsodies are free in form, consisting of a succession of diverse and sometimes sharply contrasting episodes. Epic in spirit, they utilize themes from folk songs.
Liszt’s 15 Hungarian Rhapsodies for piano (1846–85) and his Rhapsodie Espagnole (1863) have been especially popular. These works utilize genuine Hungarian gypsy and Spanish folk motifs. Brahms wrote several rhapsodies for piano (Op. 79 and Op. 119). Examples of rhapsodies written for orchestra are Dvořák’s Three Slavonic Rhapsodies and Ravel’s Rapsodie Espagnole. Other rhapsodies have been written for solo instruments with orchestra, such as Lalo’s Rapsodie Norvégienne for violin and orchestra. Among rhapsodies written for piano and orchestra are Liapunov’s Ukrainian Rhapsody, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Rhapsodies by Soviet composers include Karaev’s Albanian Rhapsody, written for orchestra.