October 22 – Happy Birthday, Franz Liszt

nPostednon October 22, 2015

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I’venread that Franz Liszt was the rock star of classical music!

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nI’venread that some rate him THE greatest virtuoso pianist who ever lived!

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nHenpretty much invented the master class and the symphonic poem. And henpopularized other composers’ music by transcribing it for piano. Andnhe met important musicians, taught important upcoming musicians, andninfluenced and helped important musicians…

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nFranznLiszt was born in Hungary on this date in 1811, and he grew up tonbecome an important and influential musician, composer, and musicnteacher.

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nAndnhe started young!

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nFranznLiszt’s father was a musician, and he saw that Franz was interestednin music as a small child. At age seven, Franz started to learn tonplay piano, at age eight he began to write simple music, and at agennine he began to play in concerts!

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nBynage 11, Liszt was taking piano lessons from a fellow who had,nhimself, learned from Beethoven, Liszt was meeting importantncomposers such as Beethoven and Schubert, and one of his compositionsnwas published as one of 50 composers in an anthology (the only childncomposer who was included).

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nLearnnmore about Liszt from this video, and listen to one of hisnpieces here. (The latter is ten minutes long! If you don’tnfeel like listening to it all, after you have given the first minutenor two a good careful listen, be sure not to miss the middle. Fastnforward to the five minute mark and see how fast and complex it gets.nAnd continue to listen a bit past the six minute mark, because Inthink you might recognize that part….)

nIfnyou want an enormous, hour-long compilation of Liszt’s music, checknout this video.

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nDidnyou know…?

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n Then reason for the “rock star” description of Liszt is that he gotn so many rave reviews for his piano playing – so many honors, son much praise – people have said that “Lisztomania” sweptn Europe. Women, in particular, were crazy about him—fighting overn his handkerchiefs and gloves, which ended up being ripped to shredsn among all the women trying to obtain souvenirs! Some men were quiten jealous of this heartthrob!

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Lisztn gave away a lot of the money he earned for his concerts to charity.n He had made so much money by the time he was forty-something, alln the rest of his performing fees, from 1857 on, went to humanitariann causes. He gave to the building fund of the Cologne Cathedral inn what is now Germany, and he gave private donations to a variety ofn hospitals, schools, churches, gymnasia, and other charitablen organizations. When much of Hamburg (now in Germany) burned down,n Liszt gave concerts to aid the thousands of homeless people.

n Lisztn played so passionately, he often broke piano strings when he played!n I read that audiences used to be disappointed if he didn’t breakn one!

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n Whenn Liszt was born, Hungary was part of the Austrian Empire. So youn sometimes see him listed as a Hungarian composer and sometimes as ann Austrian composer…

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nAlsonon this date:

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