Franz Liszt

Franz Liszt stood out among nineteenth-century musicians for his inventive approach as both pianist and composer, drawing elegant musical creations from literary sources. While some observers condemned his daring choices, his output continues to rank among the finest achievements in the classical repertoire.

Born in Hungary as the child of a steward employed by the Esterhazy family, whose tastes included the music of Haydn, Liszt began piano study at six. He devoted his early years to perfecting the instrument through constant practice and frequent concert and recital appearances. After relocating to Vienna with his family, he received piano instruction from Carl Czerny and studied composition under the noted Antonio Salieri. His public performances multiplied and his audience following grew steadily. At sixteen he moved to Paris to launch a professional career centered on piano and composition.

A 1831 recital by violinist Niccolo Paganini prompted Liszt to elevate the piano to the level of a virtuoso instrument. In 1835 he departed Paris alongside his companion, Comtesse d'Agoult, who bore their three children. The relationship ended, and in 1848 Liszt settled in Weimar, Germany.

That relocation proved decisive. Appointed Director of Music Extraordinary, he originated the symphonic poem, shaping literary texts into orchestral narratives. Ce qu'on entend sur la montagne drew from Victor Hugo, while Les preludes followed Lamartine; both rendered poetic lines as continuous musical discourse. Additional works took inspiration from Lord Byron, Goethe, and Dante. “First Mephisto Waltz,” drawn from Lenau’s Faust, appeared first, with a second waltz from the same source following in 1881. Although widely performed, the symphonic poems drew objections for departing from absolute music.

Beyond orchestral writing, Liszt produced an extensive body of piano music, including two piano concertos and assorted pieces pairing piano with orchestra. Keyboard works encompass Totentanz, also called Dance of Death, Hungarian Folk-Melodies, and the nineteen Hungarian Rhapsodies. These rhapsodies, rooted in Hungarian art music performed by gypsy musicians, later received orchestral versions as well. He also created numerous opera transcriptions, among them Reminiscences of Don Juan after Mozart and an additional operatic arrangement prepared by his friend and son-in-law Richard Wagner.

Despite his reputation as a Don Juan, Liszt took holy orders at forty-eight. Thereafter his performances were divided among Rome, Budapest, and Weimar. In 1866 Pope Pius IX conferred upon him the title of Abbé.

Liszt’s primary artistic aim remained the discovery of fresh musical idioms. He extended ideas drawn from Beethoven, Berlioz, and Wagner to develop these new forms. His legacy encompasses piano, orchestral, and symphonic compositions alike. The “Sonata in B minor,” completed in 1853, endures as a landmark solo work. A Romantic pianist and composer, Franz Liszt died in Bayreuth in 1886.