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101-627: Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic period . With a diverse body of work spanning more than six decades, he is considered to be one of the most prolific and influential composers of his era, and his piano works continue to be widely performed and recorded. Liszt achieved success as a concert pianist from an early age, and received lessons from esteemed musicians Carl Czerny and Antonio Salieri . He gained further renown for his performances during tours of Europe in

202-749: A Beethoven Monument in Bonn were in danger of collapse for lack of funds and pledged his support, raising funds through concerts. The countess returned to Paris with the children, while Liszt gave six concerts in Vienna, then toured Hungary. Liszt would later spend holidays with Marie and their children on the island of Nonnenwerth on the Rhine in the summers of 1841 and 1843. In May 1844, the couple finally separated. Swiss pianist Sigismond Thalberg moved to Paris in 1835 after several successful years of touring. His concerts there were extremely well received, and Liszt, at

303-441: A 21st-century virtuosi is primarily a performing musician. As virtuosic playing has gained popularity over the centuries, more exciting music has ingrained itself into the culture in unique ways. Many music pedagogues emphasize technique in private teaching as a way to approach modern, virtuosic repertoire. Additionally, much of classical music that becomes popular among non-musicians tends to lean into difficult, flashy styles. In

404-428: A Czech composer and violinist, scheduled a presentation for Czerny at the home of Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven asked Czerny to play his Pathétique Sonata and Adelaide . Beethoven was impressed with the 10-year-old and accepted him as a pupil. Czerny remained under Beethoven's tutelage until 1804 and sporadically thereafter. He particularly admired Beethoven's facility at improvisation, his expertise at fingering,

505-596: A German-born violinist who introduced him to the Saint-Simonists . Lamennais dissuaded Liszt from becoming a monk or priest. Urhan was an early champion of Schubert, inspiring Liszt's own lifelong love of Schubert's songs . Much of Urhan's emotive music which moved beyond the Classical paradigm, such as Elle et moi, La Salvation angélique and Les Regrets , may have helped to develop Liszt's taste and style. During this period Liszt came into contact with many of

606-406: A breast growth which developed shortly after giving birth to a son she named in memory of Daniel. In letters to friends, Liszt announced that he would retreat to a solitary living. He moved to the monastery Madonna del Rosario , just outside Rome, where on 20 June 1863 he took up quarters in a small, spartan apartment. He had a piano in his cell, and he continued to compose. He had already joined

707-400: A day, and in 1838 published the six Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini (later revised as Grandes études de Paganini ), aiming to represent Paganini's virtuosity on the keyboard. The process of Liszt completely redeveloping his technique is often described as a direct result of attending Paganini's concert, but it is likely that he had already begun this work previously, during

808-468: A dedication to Czerny. Czerny left Vienna only to make trips to Italy, France (in 1837, when he was assisted by Liszt) and England. After 1840, Czerny devoted himself exclusively to composition. He wrote a large number of piano solo exercises for the development of the pianistic technique, designed to cover from the first lessons for children up to the needs of the most advanced virtuoso. (see List of compositions by Carl Czerny ). Czerny died in Vienna at

909-629: A deep sadness of the heart which must now and then break out in sound." On 13 January 1886, while Claude Debussy was staying at the Villa Medici in Rome, Liszt met him there with Paul Vidal and Ernest Hébert , director of the French Academy. Liszt played " Au bord d'une source " from Années de pèlerinage , as well as his arrangement of Schubert's Ave Maria for the musicians. Debussy in later years described Liszt's pedalling as "like

1010-486: A failure of imagination greater than that of Czerny." Liszt included several Czerny compositions in his repertoire and also dedicated his twelve Transcendental Études to Czerny. He also collaborated with Czerny on the Hexaméron . But even Liszt suggested, in an 1852 letter to Otto Jahn : "It is ... a pity that, by a too super-abundant productiveness, he has necessarily weakened himself, and has not gone on further on

1111-415: A father of modern piano technique for generations of pianists, when it is taken into account that many of his students, such as Theodor Leschetizky , Franz Liszt and Theodor Kullak , also became teachers and passed on his legacy. The US music magazine The Etude presented in its issue of April 1927 an illustration (see above) showing how Czerny could be considered the father of modern piano technique and

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1212-519: A fever, cough and delirium. He died during the festival, near midnight on 31 July 1886, at the age of 74—officially as a result of pneumonia , which he had contracted prior to arriving in Bayreuth, although the true cause of death may have been a heart attack . He was buried on 3 August 1886, in the municipal cemetery of Bayreuth  [ de ] , according to Cosima's wishes; despite controversy over this as his final resting place, Liszt's body

1313-434: A form of breathing." Liszt travelled to Bayreuth in the summer of 1886. This was in order to support his daughter Cosima, who was running the festival but struggling to generate sufficient interest. The festival was dedicated to the works of her husband Richard Wagner, and had opened ten years previously; Wagner had died in 1883. Already frail, in his final week of life Liszt's health deteriorated further, as he experienced

1414-475: A keen amateur musician, he played the piano, cello, guitar and flute, and knew Haydn and Hummel personally. A renowned child prodigy , Franz began to improvise at the piano from before the age of five, and his father diligently encouraged his progress. Franz also found exposure to music through attending Mass, as well as travelling Romani bands that toured the Hungarian countryside. His first public concert

1515-561: A mental institution in Endenich . Clara asked for Liszt's help that year in finding a performance venue in order to earn an income. Liszt arranged an all-Schumann concert with Clara as the star performer and published an extremely positive review, but Clara did not express any gratitude. In a posthumous edition of Robert's works, Clara changed the dedication of the Fantasie from Liszt to herself. After Liszt's death, she wrote in her diary "He

1616-601: A particular movement or set of unified principles. What commonalities the composers had were around the development of programmatic music , harmonic experimentation, wide-ranging modulation and formal innovations such as the use of leitmotifs and thematic transformation . The disagreements between the two factions is often described as the " War of the Romantics ". The "war" was largely carried out through articles, essays and reviews. Each side claimed Beethoven as its predecessor. A number of festivals were arranged to showcase

1717-570: A performance of the Piano Trio No. 1 being held in his honour in the Schumanns' home. Liszt arrived two hours late with Wagner (who had not been invited), derided the piece, and spoke ill of the recently deceased Mendelssohn . This upset the Schumanns, and Robert physically assaulted Liszt. The relationship between Liszt and the couple remained frosty. Liszt dedicated his 1854 piano sonata to Robert, who had by that point been committed to

1818-531: A person who has cultivated appreciation of artistic excellence, either as a connoisseur or collector . The plural forms of virtuoso is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation virtuosos , and the feminine forms are virtuosa and virtuose . According to Music in the Western civilization by Piero Weiss and Richard Taruskin : ..."A virtuoso was, originally, a highly accomplished musician, but by

1919-520: A piece Liszt had written at the age of 11 – his Variation on a Waltz by Diabelli (S. 147) – appeared in Part II of Vaterländischer Künstlerverein as his first published composition. This volume, commissioned by Anton Diabelli , includes 50 variations on his waltz by 50 different composers ( Part I being taken up by Beethoven's 33 variations on the same theme, which are now separately better known simply as his Diabelli Variations ). Liszt

2020-408: A regular occurrence. Carl Czerny Carl Czerny ( German: [ˈtʃɛʁniː] ; 21 February 1791 – 15 July 1857) was an Austrian composer, teacher, and pianist of Czech origin whose music spanned the late Classical and early Romantic eras. His vast musical production amounted to over a thousand works and his books of studies for the piano are still widely used in piano teaching. He

2121-561: A series of highly successful concerts debuting on 8 March 1824. Paer was involved in the Parisian theatrical and operatic scene, and through his connections Liszt staged his only opera, Don Sanche , which premiered shortly before his fourteenth birthday. The premiere was warmly received, but the opera only ran for four performances, and is now obscure. Accompanied by his father, Liszt toured France and England, where he played for King George IV . Adam Liszt died suddenly of typhoid fever in

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2222-439: A serious composer. Very shortly after Chopin's death in 1849, Liszt had a monument erected in his memory and began to write a biography. Chopin's relatives and friends found the timing of this insensitive, and many declined to help with Liszt's enquiries. Scholars disagree on the extent to which Chopin and Liszt influenced each others' compositions. Charles Rosen identifies similarities between Chopin's Étude Op. 10, No. 9 and

2323-534: A skilled performer. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the word shifted in meaning, and many musicians applied it without considering merit, sometimes to themselves. Sébastien de Brossard , in his Dictionnaire de Musique ( Paris , 1703), approached the word virtuoso by its Latin root virtu emphasizing exceptional training, especially in theory. This position was also defended in Johann Gottfried Walther 's Musicalisches Lexicon (1732) favoring

2424-456: A week, with the Prince calling out only the desired opus numbers. Czerny maintained a friendship with Beethoven throughout his life, and also gave piano lessons to Beethoven's nephew Carl. At the age of fifteen, Czerny began a very successful teaching career. Basing his method on the teaching of Beethoven, Muzio Clementi and Johann Nepomuk Hummel , Czerny taught up to twelve lessons a day in

2525-522: A winner, famously concluding that "Thalberg is the first pianist in the world – Liszt is unique." The biographer Alan Walker , however, believes that "Liszt received the ovation of the evening and all doubts about his supremacy were dispelled. As for Thalberg, his humiliation was complete. He virtually disappeared from the concert platform after this date." After his separation from Marie, Liszt continued to tour Europe. His concerts in Berlin in

2626-558: A yellowish ointment, in his ears." Beethoven selected Czerny as pianist for the premiere of the former's Piano Concerto No. 1 in 1806 and, at the age of 21, in February 1812, Czerny gave the Vienna premiere of Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto . Czerny wrote that his musical memory enabled him to play virtually all of Beethoven's piano works by heart without exception and, during the years 1804–1805, he used to play these works in this manner at Prince Lichnowsky's palace once or twice

2727-411: A young lady, on the art of playing the pianoforte"; his three-volume "School of Practical Composition" (published as his Op. 600), of which the last volume is a treatise on orchestration; his edition of Domenico Scarlatti 's sonatas (1840); and "On the proper performance of all Beethoven's works for piano" (1846), as well as several editions of Beethoven's works for piano. Czerny can be considered as

2828-677: Is estimated that he travelled at least 4,000 miles a year during this period in his life – an exceptional figure given his advancing age and the rigors of road and rail in the 1870s. Liszt's time in Budapest was the result of efforts from the Hungarian government in attracting him to work there. The plan of the foundation of the Royal Academy of Music was agreed upon by the Hungarian Parliament in 1873, and in March 1875 Liszt

2929-475: Is the large number of didactic piano pieces he wrote, such as The School of Velocity and The Art of Finger Dexterity. He was one of the first composers to use étude ("study") for a title. Czerny's body of works also include arrangements of many popular opera themes. The majority of the pieces called by Czerny "serious music" (masses, choral music, quartets, orchestral and chamber music) remain in unpublished manuscript form and are held by Vienna's Society for

3030-434: Is worthy of study, particularly in regard to what he says about Beethoven and the performance of his works, for he was a diligent and attentive pupil ... Czerny's fingering is particularly worthy for attention. In fact I think that people today ought to have more respect for this excellent man" In a letter written to Otto Jahn of 30 October 1852, Liszt wrote: "In the twenties, when a great portion of Beethoven's creations

3131-677: The Hungarian Rhapsodies , Années de pèlerinage , Transcendental Études , " La campanella ", and the Piano Sonata in B minor . Franz Liszt was born to Anna Liszt (née Maria Anna Lager) and Adam Liszt on 22 October 1811, in the village of Doborján (German: Raiding) in Sopron County , in the Kingdom of Hungary , Austrian Empire . Liszt's father was a land steward in the service of Prince Nikolaus II Esterházy ;

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3232-537: The Princess of Belgiojoso , in aid of Italian refugees. Thalberg opened with his Fantasia on Rossini's "Moses" , then Liszt performed his Niobe fantasy. The result of this "duel" is disputed. Critic Jules Janin 's report in Journal des débats asserted that there was no clear winner: "Two victors and no vanquished; it is fitting to say with the poet ' et adhuc sub judice lis est ". Belgiojoso declined to declare

3333-491: The Salle Pleyel on 26 February 1832, which he admired greatly, and by mid-1833 the two had become close friends. They performed together a number of times, often for charity, and since Chopin only performed in public about 12 times, these events comprise a large proportion of his total appearances. Their relationship cooled in the early 1840s, and several reasons have been suggested for this, including that Marie d'Agoult

3434-499: The Third Order of Saint Francis previously, on 23 June 1857. On 25 April 1865 he received the tonsure at the hands of Cardinal Hohenlohe, who had previously worked against Carolyne's efforts to secure an annulment; the two men became close friends. On 31 July 1865 Liszt received the four minor orders of porter , lector , exorcist and acolyte . After this ordination he was often called " Abbé Liszt". On 14 August 1879, he

3535-512: The "highly gifted musician" (" der glückselige Musicus ") or "performer virtuoso" as having nothing more than practical facility. The concept of virtuosity today is typically associated with flashy, technical performance rather than accomplishments as a composer, theorist, etc. Modern virtuosi are known for fast, exciting works and often for using their talents in spaces like international competitions. While historical virtuosi like Niccolò Paganini and Franz Liszt were performers as well as composers,

3636-445: The "triviality and exhibitionist talents of the performer" voicing his opinion strongly: "The real dignity of the virtuoso rests solely on the dignity he is able to preserve for creative art; if he or she trifles and toys with this, he casts his honour away. He or she is the intermediary of the artistic idea. " In the nineteenth century, the public beliefs and attitudes surrounding virtuosity in music greatly varied. Many believed that it

3737-520: The 1830s and 1840s, developing a reputation for technical brilliance as well as physical attractiveness. In a phenomenon dubbed " Lisztomania ", he rose to a degree of stardom and popularity among the public not experienced by the virtuosos who preceded him. During this period and into his later life, Liszt was a friend, musical promoter and benefactor to many composers of his time, including Hector Berlioz , Frédéric Chopin , Robert Schumann , Clara Schumann and Richard Wagner , among others. Liszt coined

3838-531: The 1870s, who definitively moved on from the School and the Neue Zeitschrift . After a visit to Rome and an audience with Pope Pius IX in 1860, Carolyne finally secured an annulment. It was planned that she and Liszt would marry in Rome, on 22 October 1861, Liszt's 50th birthday. Liszt arrived in Rome on 21 October, but a Vatican official had arrived the previous day in order to stop the marriage. This

3939-570: The Friends of Music , to which Czerny (a childless bachelor) willed his estate. Czerny's piano sonatas show themselves as an intermediate stage between the works of Beethoven and Liszt. They blend the traditional sonata form elements with Baroque elements, such as the use of fugato , and free forms of fantasy. Recordings of these sonatas have been made by Martin Jones , Anton Kuerti and Daniel Blumenthal . Czerny's piano nocturnes show some of

4040-491: The Italian usage of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, signifying an honorific term reserved for a person distinguished in any intellectual or artistic field. The term evolved with time, simultaneously broadening and narrowing in scope as interpretations went in and out of fashion and debates unraveled. Originally a musician was considered a virtuoso by being an accomplished composer , theorist , or maestro , rather than

4141-718: The Leipzig Musicians Pension Fund. After the Great Fire of Hamburg in May 1842, he gave concerts in aid of those left homeless. During a tour of Ukraine in 1847, Liszt played in Kiev , where he met the Polish Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein . For some time he had been considering retiring from the life of a travelling virtuoso to concentrate on composition, and at this point he made

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4242-481: The Paris Conservatoire in February 1837, and to settle the disagreement the two pianists each arranged a performance for the public to compare them the following month. Liszt performed his own Grande fantaisie sur des motifs de Niobe and Weber's Konzertstück in F minor . This was considered to be inconclusive, so the two agreed to perform at the same concert for comparison on 31 March, at the salon of

4343-542: The accomplished music director of the Viennese court who had previously taught Beethoven and Schubert . Like Czerny, Salieri was highly impressed by Liszt's improvisation and sight-reading abilities. Liszt's public debut in Vienna on 1 December 1822 was a great success. He was greeted in Austrian and Hungarian aristocratic circles and met Beethoven and Schubert . To build on his son's success, Adam Liszt decided to take

4444-697: The age of 66. He never married and had no near relatives. His large fortune he willed to charities (including an institution for the deaf), his housekeeper and the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna, after making provision for the performance of a Requiem mass in his memory. Czerny composed a very large number of pieces (more than one thousand and up to Op. 861). Czerny's works include not only piano music (études, nocturnes, sonatas, opera theme arrangements and variations) but also masses and choral music, symphonies, concertos, songs, string quartets and other chamber music. The better known part of Czerny's repertoire

4545-468: The basis of an entire generation of pianists. This list can be extended to the present day: examples of 'descent' are: Czerny wrote an essay on the correct performing of the piano sonatas of Beethoven, "On the Proper performance of all Beethoven's works for piano" (1846). Johannes Brahms wrote about it to Clara Schumann in a letter of March 1878: "I certainly think Czerny's large pianoforte course Op. 500

4646-562: The compositional process, rather than a final task to undertake after the music had already been written. Berlioz joined Liszt and Wagner as a figurehead of the New German School , but an unwilling one, as he was unconvinced by Wagner's ideas about the " music of the future ". Chopin and Liszt first met in the early 1830s, both moving in the same circles of artists residing in Paris. Liszt attended Chopin's first Paris performance at

4747-439: The concept of the symphonic poem , innovations in thematic transformation and Impressionism in music , and the invention of the masterclass as a method of teaching performance. In a radical departure from his earlier compositional styles, many of Liszt's later works also feature experiments in atonality , foreshadowing developments in 20th-century classical music . Today he is best known for his original piano works, such as

4848-474: The concert stage, was based mainly on his accomplishments during this time. Adding to his reputation was that Liszt gave away much of the proceeds of his work to charity and humanitarian causes. He donated large sums to the building fund of Cologne Cathedral and St. Stephen's Basilica in Pest , and made private donations to public services such as hospitals and schools, as well as charitable organizations such as

4949-672: The court Intendant for prior approval. This did not cause large problems until the appointment of Franz von Dingelstedt in 1857, who reduced the number of music productions, rejected Liszt's choices of repertoire, and even organised a demonstration against Liszt's 1858 premiere of Der Barbier von Bagdad . Faced with this opposition, Liszt resigned in 1858. At first, after arriving in Weimar, Princess Carolyne lived apart from Liszt, in order to avoid suspicions of impropriety. She wished eventually to marry Liszt, but since her husband, Russian military officer Prince Nicholas von Sayn-Wittgenstein,

5050-471: The daughter of Charles X 's minister of commerce, Pierre de Saint-Cricq . Her father, however, insisted that the affair be broken off. Liszt fell very ill, to the extent that an obituary notice was printed in a Paris newspaper, and he underwent a long period of religious doubts and introspection. He stopped playing the piano and giving lessons, and developed an intense interest in religion, having many conversations with Abbé de Lamennais and Chrétien Urhan ,

5151-560: The day before the premiere of the Symphonie fantastique . Berlioz's music made a strong impression on Liszt, and the two quickly became friends. Liszt also befriended Frédéric Chopin around this time. After attending a concert featuring Niccolò Paganini in April 1832, Liszt resolved to become as great a virtuoso on the piano as Paganini was on the violin. He dramatically increased his practice, sometimes practising for up to fourteen hours

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5252-611: The decision to take up a court position in Weimar . Having known Liszt for only a few weeks, Carolyne resolved to join him there. After a tour of Turkey and Russia that summer, Liszt gave the final paid concert of his career at Elizabetgrad in September, then spent the winter with the princess at her estate in Woronińce. By retiring from the concert platform at the age of 35, while still at the height of his powers, Liszt succeeded in keeping

5353-458: The early version of Liszt's Transcendental Étude No. 10 , but Alan Walker argues that no such connection exists. Stylistic similarities between other studies, Chopin's Nocturnes and Liszt's Consolations , and even an influence on the ornamentation and fingering of Liszt's works, have been proposed. In 1837 Liszt wrote a positive review of Robert Schumann 's Impromptus and piano sonatas no. 1 and no. 3 . The two began to correspond, and

5454-1015: The elements present in Chopin nocturnes, such as the rhythmic fluidity and the intimate character. Chopin met Czerny in Vienna in 1828 and may have been influenced by his nocturnes. Czerny composed approximately 180 pieces that bear the title "Variations". Among them is La Ricordanza , Op 33, which Vladimir Horowitz recorded. Czerny used not only his own themes but themes from other composers as well, including Daniel Auber , Ludwig van Beethoven , Vincenzo Bellini , Anton Diabelli , Gaetano Donizetti , Joseph Haydn , Heinrich Marschner , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Niccolò Paganini , Gioachino Rossini , Franz Schubert , Carl Maria von Weber and many others. These works range from solo piano pieces to piano pieces for four, six, and eight hands, with some variations having optional accompaniment of orchestra or string quartet. Czerny sometimes combined his variations with other genres, such as fantasy, rondo, or impromptu. Czerny

5555-501: The fact that they did not live physically close together would have been another barrier. On the topic, Liszt commented to Chopin's biographer Frederick Niecks that Marie d'Agoult and George Sand had frequently disagreed, and the musicians had felt obliged to side with their respective partners. Alex Szilasi suggests that Chopin took offence at an equivocal 1841 review by Liszt, and was perhaps jealous of Liszt's popularity, while Liszt in turn may have been jealous of Chopin's reputation as

5656-458: The family to Paris, the centre of the artistic world. At Liszt's final Viennese concert on 13 April 1823, Beethoven was reputed to have walked onstage and kissed Liszt on the forehead, to signify a kind of artistic christening. There is debate, however, on the extent to which this story is apocryphal. The family briefly returned to Hungary, and Liszt played a concert in traditional Hungarian dress, in order to emphasise his roots, in May 1823. In 1824

5757-459: The following three years, and again in 1841 and 1844. In Weimar the two composers revised Benvenuto Cellini , and Liszt organised a "Berlioz Week", which included Roméo et Juliette and part of La damnation de Faust , later dedicated to Liszt (in return, Liszt dedicated his Faust Symphony to Berlioz). The orchestration of Berlioz had an influence on Liszt, especially with regards to his symphonic poems. Berlioz saw orchestration as part of

5858-591: The following year he met Schumann's fiancée Clara Wieck , to whom he dedicated the early version of Grandes études de Paganini . Schumann in turn dedicated Fantasie in C to Liszt. The two met for the first time in Dresden in 1840. Schumann resigned as editor of the music journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1844, ten years after founding it. The journal was taken over the following year by Franz Brendel , who used it to publicise and support Liszt's New German School, to Schumann's chagrin. In 1848 Liszt attended

5959-418: The homes of Viennese nobility. His 'star' pupils included Theodor Döhler , Stephen Heller , Anna Sick , and Ninette de Belleville . In 1819, the father of Franz Liszt brought his son to Czerny, who recalled: He was a pale, sickly-looking child, who, while playing, swayed about on the stool as if drunk...His playing was... irregular, untidy, confused, and...he threw his fingers quite arbitrarily all over

6060-470: The idea of regular lessons. Being so impressed by the initial audition, however, Czerny taught Liszt regularly, free of charge, for the next eighteen months, at which point he felt he had nothing more to teach. Liszt remained grateful to his former teacher, later dedicating to him the Transcendental Études on their 1830 republication. Liszt also received lessons in composition from Antonio Salieri ,

6161-446: The keyboard. But that notwithstanding, I was astonished at the talent Nature had bestowed upon him. Liszt became Czerny's most famous pupil. He trained the child with the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, Ignaz Moscheles and Johann Sebastian Bach . The Liszt family lived in the same street in Vienna as Czerny, who was so impressed by the boy that he taught him free of charge. Liszt was later to repay this confidence by introducing

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6262-506: The late 18th century, people began to use the term to describe an instrumentalist or vocalist who pursued a career as a soloist. The tension about the merit of practical virtuosity started to grow at the same time and intensified in the 19th century, only to remain an open debate since then. Franz Liszt , considered one of the greatest of all virtuosos, declared that "virtuosity is not an outgrowth, but an indispensable element of music" ( Gesammelte Schriften , iv, 1855–9). Richard Wagner opposed

6363-514: The leading authors and artists of his day, including Victor Hugo , Alphonse de Lamartine , George Sand and Alfred de Vigny . He composed practically nothing in the years between his father's death and the July Revolution of 1830 , which inspired him to sketch a symphony based on the events of the "three glorious days" (this piece was left unfinished, and later reworked as Héroïde funèbre ). Liszt met Hector Berlioz on 4 December 1830,

6464-472: The legend of his playing untarnished. In July 1848 Liszt settled in Weimar, where he had been appointed the honorary title of " Kapellmeister Extraordinaire" six years previously. He acted as the official court kapellmeister at the expense of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia until 1859, jointly with Hippolyte André Jean Baptiste Chélard until his retirement in 1852. During this period Liszt acted as conductor at court concerts and on special occasions at

6565-475: The most important piano works of the previous eighty years, including works of Mozart, Clementi, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and works of his own. From Czerny's death until the end of the 20th century, negative views about his work have predominated. Robert Schumann in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Musical Gazette), said of Czerny's op. 424: "It would be difficult to find

6666-473: The music of Czerny at many of his Paris recitals. Shortly before Liszt's Vienna concert of 13 April 1823 (his final concert of that season), Czerny arranged, with some difficulty (as Beethoven increasingly disliked child prodigies) the introduction of Liszt to Beethoven. Beethoven was sufficiently impressed with the young Liszt to give him a kiss on the forehead. Liszt remained close to Czerny, and in 1852 his Études d'exécution transcendante were published with

6767-573: The music of the New German School, notably in Leipzig in 1859 and Weimar in 1861. The Allgemeine Deutsche Musikverein , intrinsically linked to the School, was founded at this time, with Liszt becoming its honorary president in 1873. However, as most of Liszt's work from the 1860s and 1870s received little attention, and Brendel and Berlioz died in the late 1860s, the focus of the progressive movement in music moved to Bayreuth with Wagner in

6868-617: The next four years, Liszt and the countess lived together. In 1835 and 1836 they travelled around Switzerland, and from August 1837 until November 1839 they toured Italy. It was these travels that later inspired the composer to write his cycle of piano collections entitled Années de pèlerinage ( Years of Pilgrimage ). Their daughter, Cosima , was born in Como on 24 December 1837, and their son Daniel on 9 May 1839 in Rome . That autumn relations between them became strained. Liszt heard that plans for

6969-435: The nineteenth century the term had become restricted to performers, both vocal and instrumental, whose technical accomplishments were so pronounced as to dazzle the public." The defining element of virtuosity is the performance ability of the musician in question, who is capable of displaying feats of skill well above the average performer. Especially in music, both critics and musicians have mixed opinions on virtuosity. While

7070-477: The opera Rienzi , in Dresden. The two met in Berlin at the instigation of Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient , and Wagner later sent Liszt the scores of Rienzi and Tannhäuser in an attempt to elicit approval. Liszt settled in Weimar in 1848, and the two grew close, Wagner still being located in Dresden. Wagner wrote to Liszt a number of times soliciting financial help. Virtuoso This word also refers to

7171-545: The period 1828–1832. In 1833, Liszt began a relationship with the Countess Marie d'Agoult , who was married to a French cavalry officer but living independently. In order to escape scandal they moved to Geneva in 1835; their daughter Blandine was born there on 18 December. Liszt taught at the newly founded Geneva Conservatoire and contributed essays for L'Artiste and the Revue et gazette musicale de Paris . For

7272-671: The piano: Trios for strings and Piano, Quintets for strings and Piano, Sonatas for Violin and Piano, and also Piano Variations with Flute, Horn, and other instruments. However, there are many works without piano, including string quartets, which have enjoyed a new appreciation in recent years. Czerny, a devout Catholic, also composed many religious pieces. These works include a number of Masses and hymns. In 1842 Czerny published an autobiographical sketch, "Erinnerungen aus meinem Leben" ("Memories from My Life"). Other works by Czerny, apart from his compositions, include: his edition of Johann Sebastian Bach 's The Well-Tempered Clavier ; "Letters to

7373-410: The prince would receive some of Carolyne's estates. However, this arrangement was struck down in 1851 by the consistory court of Zhytomyr . Throughout the decade the couple would continue to negotiate through the complex situation. In 1859 Franz Brendel coined the name " New German School " in his publication Neue Zeitschrift für Musik , to refer to the musicians associated with Liszt while he

7474-478: The rapidity of his scales and trills, and his restrained demeanour while performing. Czerny's autobiography and letters give many important references and details of Beethoven during this period. Czerny was the first to report symptoms of Beethoven's deafness, several years before the matter became public. Of his first meeting with Beethoven, he wrote: "I also noticed with that visual quickness peculiar to children that he had cotton which seemed to have been steeped in

7575-618: The road of his first Sonata (Op. 7, A-flat major) and of other works of that period, which I rate very highly, as compositions of importance, beautifully formed and having the noblest tendency." In "Men, Women and Pianos" Arthur Loesser describes Czerny's music as "without depth, intensity, or wit, but always smooth and pretty and rather ear-tickling when played fast ... endless variety of patterns and endless monotony of import." More positive views have been offered by musicians such as Anton Kuerti , Brahms, and Leon Botstein . Igor Stravinsky wrote about his admiration for Czerny also as

7676-450: The skill implied is clearly positive, musicians focused on virtuosity have been criticized for overlooking substance and emotion in favor of raw technical prowess. More commonly applied in the context of the fine arts , the term can also refer to a "master" or "ace" who excels technically within any particular field or area of human knowledge—anyone especially or dazzlingly skilled at what they do. The meaning of virtuoso has its roots in

7777-527: The summer of 1827, and for the next eight years Liszt continued to live in Paris with his mother. He gave up touring, and in order to earn money, he gave lessons on piano and composition, often from early morning until late at night. His students were scattered across the city and he had to cover long distances. Because of this, he kept uncertain hours and also took up smoking and drinking, habits he would continue throughout his life. During this period Liszt fell in love with one of his pupils, Caroline de Saint-Cricq,

7878-692: The terms " transcription " and "paraphrase", and would perform arrangements of his contemporaries' music to popularise it. Alongside Wagner, Liszt was one of the most prominent representatives of the New German School , a progressive group of composers involved in the " War of the Romantics " who developed ideas of programmatic music and harmonic experimentation. Liszt taught piano performance to hundreds of students throughout his life, many of whom went on to become notable performers. He left behind an extensive and diverse body of work that influenced his forward-looking contemporaries and anticipated 20th-century ideas and trends. Among Liszt's musical contributions were

7979-428: The theatre, arranged several festivals celebrating the work of Berlioz and Wagner, and produced the premiere of Lohengrin . He gave lessons to a number of pianists, including the great virtuoso Hans von Bülow , who married Liszt's daughter Cosima in 1857 (she would later marry Wagner). Liszt's work during this period made Weimar a nexus for modern music. As kapellmeister Liszt was required to submit every programme to

8080-444: The theorist over the performer. Johann Mattheson 's Der brauchbare Virtuoso (1720) maintained the respect for the traditional " theoretische Virtuosen " (theoretical virtuoso) but also paid tribute to the " virtuosi prattici " (performer virtuoso). Johann Kuhnau in his The Musical Charlatan ( Der musikalische Quack-Salber , 1700) defined the "true virtuoso", once again emphasizing theory (" der wahre Virtuose "), while describing

8181-512: The time living in Geneva, received news of them from his friends in Paris. In the autumn of 1836 Liszt published an unfavourable review of several of Thalberg's compositions in the Gazette musicale , calling them "boring" and "mediocre". A published exchange of views ensued between Liszt and Thalberg's supporter, the critic François-Joseph Fétis . Liszt heard Thalberg perform for the first time at

8282-461: The winter of 1841–1842 marked the start of a period of immense public enthusiasm and popularity for his performances, dubbed " Lisztomania " by Heinrich Heine in 1844. In a fashion that has been described as similar to "the mass hysteria associated with revivalist meetings or 20th-century rock stars", women fought over his cigar stubs and coffee dregs, and his silk handkerchiefs and velvet gloves, which they ripped to shreds as souvenirs. This atmosphere

8383-448: Was a contributor to the compendium set of variations for piano, Hexameron (1837). The seven symphonies of Czerny began to be recorded in 1990s. In the 21st century, two new symphonies came to light (Symphony No. 6 and a large Symphony written in 1814); also two overtures (in C Minor and E Major) and some symphonic choral music (Psalm 130 and "Die Macht des Gesanges"). Czerny was a prolific composer of chamber music, normally including

8484-487: Was a kind of Sphinx, Czerny was playing Beethoven exclusively, with an understanding as excellent as his technique was efficient and effective; and, later on, he did not set himself up against some progress that had been made in technique, but contributed materially to it by his own teaching and works." Czerny had an influential role in defining the canon of classical piano repertoire. Volume 4 (1847) of his Theoretico-Practical Piano School listed what he considered to be

8585-720: Was a result of the machinations of Cardinal Hohenlohe , who wanted to protect a complex inheritance agreement brokered by Tsar Alexander II . Carolyne subsequently gave up all attempts to marry Liszt, even after her husband's death in 1864; she became a recluse, working for the rest of her life on a long work critical of the Catholic Church. The 1860s were a period of great sadness in Liszt's private life. On 13 December 1859, he lost his 20-year-old son Daniel to an unknown illness. On 11 September 1862 his 26-year-old daughter Blandine also died, having contracted sepsis after surgery on

8686-702: Was added and, two years later, the Gradual. Grand Duke Charles Alexander had been attempting to arrange Liszt's return to Weimar ever since he had left, and in January 1869 Liszt agreed to a residency to give masterclasses in piano playing. He was based in the Hofgärtnerei (court gardener's house), where he taught for the next seventeen years. From 1872 until the end of his life, Liszt made regular journeys between Rome, Weimar and Budapest, continuing what he called his vie trifurquée (" tripartite existence"). It

8787-416: Was an eminent keyboard virtuoso but a dangerous example for the young.   ... As a composer he was terrible." Wagner first met Liszt in Paris in 1841, while living in poverty after fleeing Riga to escape creditors. Liszt was at this point a famous pianist, whereas Wagner was unknown; unlike Wagner, Liszt did not remember the meeting. In 1844 Liszt attended a performance of Wagner's first major success,

8888-411: Was essential for success, while others believed it was a detriment. The celebrity status obtained by such performers was often fueled by tabloid-like rumors, mythical comparisons, and manipulative marketing tactics. On one such occasion, a London theatre critic referred to a Paganini concert as his "fifth and final concert." Purposefully presenting misinformation to gain publicity for the performers became

8989-450: Was fuelled in great part by the artist's mesmeric personality and stage presence: he was regarded as handsome, and Heine wrote of his showmanship during concerts: "How powerful, how shattering was his mere physical appearance". It is estimated that Liszt appeared in public well over one thousand times during this eight-year period. Moreover, his great fame as a pianist, which he would continue to enjoy long after he had officially retired from

9090-660: Was in Sopron in 1820 at the age of nine; its success led to further appearances in Pressburg and for Prince Nikolaus' court in Eisenstadt . The publicity led to a group of wealthy sponsors offering to finance Franz's musical education in Vienna. There, Liszt received piano lessons from Carl Czerny , who in his own youth had been a student of Beethoven and Hummel. Czerny, already extremely busy, had only begrudgingly agreed to hear Liszt play, and had initially refused to entertain

9191-429: Was in Weimar. The most prominent members other than Liszt were Wagner and Berlioz (although Wagner rejected the label), and the group also included Peter Cornelius , Hans von Bülow and Joachim Raff . The School was a loose confederation of progressive composers, mainly grouped together as a challenge to supposed conservatives such as Mendelssohn and Brahms , and so the term is considered to be of limited use in describing

9292-400: Was infatuated with Chopin, or Liszt with George Sand , or that Liszt used Chopin's home for a rendezvous with Marie Pleyel , the wife of Chopin's friend Camille . The two musicians had very different personalities, with Liszt being extroverted and outgoing while Chopin was more introverted and reflective, so it is possible that the two never had an extremely close friendship to begin with, and

9393-529: Was made an honorary canon of Albano . In 1867 Liszt was commissioned to write a piece for the coronation ceremony of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth of Bavaria , and he travelled to Budapest to conduct it. The Hungarian Coronation Mass was performed on 8 June 1867, at the coronation ceremony in the Matthias Church by Buda Castle in a six-section form. After the first performance, the Offertory

9494-478: Was never moved. Berlioz and Liszt first met on 4 December 1830, the day before the premiere of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique . The two quickly became very close friends, exchanging intimate letters on their respective love lives, which also reveal that Liszt was aware of Berlioz's fixation on suicide. Liszt acted as a witness at Berlioz's wedding to Harriet Smithson in 1833, despite cautioning Berlioz against it, and they worked together at several concerts over

9595-467: Was nominated its president. The academy was officially opened on 14 November 1875 with Liszt's colleague Ferenc Erkel as director and Kornél Ábrányi and Robert Volkmann on the staff. Liszt himself only arrived to deliver lessons in March 1876. From 1881 when in Budapest he would stay in an apartment in the Academy, where he taught pupils in much the same way as he did in Weimar. In 1925 the institution

9696-542: Was one of Ludwig van Beethoven 's best-known pupils and would later on be one of the main teachers of Franz Liszt . Carl Czerny was born in Vienna ( Leopoldstadt ) and was baptized in St. Leopold parish. His father was of Czech origin; his mother was Moravian . Czerny came from a musical family: his grandfather was a violinist at Nimburg , near Prague , and his father, Wenzel, was an oboist, organist and pianist. When Czerny

9797-485: Was one of 50 composers who wrote a Variation on a theme of Anton Diabelli for Part II of the Vaterländischer Künstlerverein (published 1824). He also wrote a coda to round out the collection. Part I was devoted to the 33 variations supplied by Beethoven, his Diabelli Variations , Op. 120. Together with Liszt, Chopin, Henri Herz , Johann Peter Pixis and Sigismond Thalberg , Czerny

9898-587: Was renamed in honour of Liszt. Liszt fell down a flight of stairs at the Hofgärtnerei in July 1881, and remained bedridden for several weeks after this accident. He had been in good health up to that point, but a number of ailments subsequently manifested, such as a cataract in the left eye, dental issues and fatigue. Since around 1877 he had become increasingly plagued by feelings of desolation, despair and preoccupation with death—feelings that he expressed in his works from this period . As he told Lina Ramann , "I carry

9999-588: Was six months old, his father took a job as a piano teacher at a Polish manor and the family moved to Poland, where they lived until the third partition of Poland prompted the family to return to Vienna in 1795. As a child prodigy, Czerny began playing piano at age three and composing at age seven. His first piano teacher was his father, who taught him mainly Bach , Haydn and Mozart . He began performing piano recitals in his parents' home. Czerny made his first public performance in 1800 playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor . In 1801, Wenzel Krumpholz ,

10100-587: Was still alive, she had to convince the Roman Catholic authorities that her marriage to him had been invalid. Her appeal to the Archbishop of St Petersburg for an annulment , lodged before leaving Russia, was ultimately unsuccessful, and the couple abandoned pretence and began to live together in the autumn of 1848. Nicholas was aware that the couple's marriage had effectively ended, and Carolyne and Nicholas reached an agreement to annul in 1850 whereby

10201-592: Was the youngest contributor to the project, described in it as "a boy of eleven years old"; Czerny was also a participant. Having made significant sums from his concerts, Liszt and his family moved to Paris in 1823, with the hope of his attending the Conservatoire de Paris . The director Luigi Cherubini refused his entry, however, as the Conservatoire did not accept foreigners. Nevertheless, Liszt studied under Anton Reicha and Ferdinando Paer , and gave

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