Liszt returned to the stage, this time not as a child prodigy, but as a mature master and composer. His meetings with Hector Berlioz and Chopin awoke a sense of artistry and romantic expression deep in his soul. In the mid-19th century, Liszt was tearing up the polite salons and concert halls of Europe. He became obsessed with realizing the same virtuosity on the piano. But the classical pianist, born 200 years ago today, was in many ways the first rock star of all time. He wrote very little during these years.īut in 1831, Liszt heard violin virtuoso Niccolo Paganini for the first time. Franz settled with his mother in Paris where he desired to join the priesthood. Liszt saw this as his musical christening.įranz Liszt began to tour Europe extensively until his father fell suddenly ill and died of typhoid fever. By the next year, he was performing in public.Īt one such performance, in 1823, Beethoven reportedly came to the 12-year-old pianist and kissed him on the forehead. The family moved to Vienna when Franz was 10 in order for him to study with Czerny and Salieri. Liszt’s father actually played the cello in the court orchestra.įranz became enraptured by music and his father encouraged this fascination, giving his son piano lessons. That name should sound familiar it’s the same court that Franz Joseph Haydn served in for 30 years. Liszt’s father was an official in service to Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy. He was one of the most “forward-looking” composers of the 19th century, a teacher, a conductor, a transcriptionist and possibly the greatest piano virtuoso of all time. However, there was much more than “stardom” to Franz Liszt. One writer actually called the phenomenon, “Lisztomania." Most of the conventions of the modern recital exist because of Liszt. During his tours, Liszt pioneered the solo recital, even coining the term. He loved spectacle and used it to keep his audience hooked. His fans, mostly women, would rush the stage at his performances desperate to grab a bit of his clothes or a lock of his long hair. Franz Liszt’s Theatrics Ein Matinée bei Liszt by Josef Kriehuber, 1846, via Europeana Franz Liszt was a showman. In many ways, composer and pianist Franz Liszt was Europe’s first “rock star." A Faust Symphony in three character pictures ( German: Eine Faust-Symphonie in drei Charakterbildern ), S.108, or simply the ' Faust Symphony ', is a choral symphony written by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe s drama, Faust. When I say the words “rock star," what comes to your mind? Perhaps you picture guitars, stadiums and teeming mobs of adoring fans flocking to their favorite band or musician. So just what was it that made Franz Liszt so magnetic to so many at this time in history Here are 4 reasons why Liszt was so adored by his fans.
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