Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

Hungary

Birth

:

October 22, 1811 in Raiding

Death

:

July 31, 1886 in Bayreuth, Germany

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Franz Liszt was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and conductor who lived from 1811 to 1886. He was one of the most prominent figures of the Romantic era, and his music had a profound influence on the development of classical music in the 19th century. Liszt was born in the town of Raiding, Hungary, on October 22, 1811. His father, Adam Liszt, was a musician and a steward in the service of Prince Nikolaus II Esterházy. His mother, Anna Liszt, was a talented amateur pianist who gave Franz his first piano lessons. At the age of six, Franz began to show remarkable musical talent, and his father began to give him intensive musical training. By the age of nine, Franz had already given his first public performance, and he soon became known as a child prodigy. In 1820, Franz's father took him to Vienna, where he studied with some of the most prominent musicians of the time, including Carl Czerny and Antonio Salieri. He also met Beethoven, who was impressed by his talent and predicted that he would become one of the greatest pianists of his time. In 1823, Franz's father died, and he and his mother moved to Paris, where he continued his musical studies. He soon became a sensation in the Parisian musical world, and his performances were attended by many of the leading musicians and artists of the time. In 1830, Franz made his debut as a composer with his Piano Sonata in B minor, which is now considered one of his greatest works. The sonata is notable for its innovative structure and its use of thematic transformation, a technique that Liszt would later develop to great effect in his symphonic poems. Throughout the 1830s, Liszt continued to compose and perform, and he became known for his virtuosic piano playing and his flamboyant stage presence. He also became involved in the cultural and political life of Paris, and he was a close friend of many of the leading writers and artists of the time, including Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Hector Berlioz. In 1835, Liszt met the Countess Marie d'Agoult, who would become his mistress and the mother of his three children. The couple traveled extensively throughout Europe, and Liszt continued to compose and perform, often to great acclaim. In the 1840s, Liszt began to focus more on conducting and composing, and he became one of the leading figures of the New German School, a group of composers who sought to break away from the traditional forms and structures of classical music. He also began to develop his own unique style of composition, which combined elements of virtuosity, lyricism, and programmatic storytelling. One of Liszt's most important works from this period is his Faust Symphony, which he composed between 1854 and 1857. The symphony is based on Goethe's Faust, and it is notable for its use of thematic transformation and its innovative orchestration. In the 1860s, Liszt became increasingly involved in the Catholic Church, and he was ordained as a minor priest in 1865. He also began to focus more on religious music, and he composed a number of works based on religious themes, including his oratorio Christus and his Via Crucis. Liszt continued to compose and perform until his death in 1886. He left behind a vast body of work, including piano music, orchestral works, chamber music, and religious music.

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