Composer | Franz Liszt

Like Mozart, Franz Liszt was the precociously talented son of a musician in the service of a great aristocrat, in this case the Hungarian Prince Esterhazy. Born in 1811, he became the most celebrated piano virtuoso of his day, as well as a much-admired teacher, conductor and composer. He also encouraged the careers of such other composers as Wagner, Berlioz, Grieg, Saint-Säens and Borodin.

In Vienna, the young Liszt studied piano with Czerny and composition with Salieri. By the age of nine he was giving concerts and composing. In 1827, on his father’s death, Liszt lived with his mother in Paris, teaching, belatedly educating himself by reading and meeting leading authors and artists. Inspired by hearing Paganini play, in 1832 Liszt launched himself as virtuoso concert pianist, and for 20 years toured Europe to triumphant acclaim, giving much of his fees to charities.

From 1833-1839, he lived with the married Countess Marie d’Agoult. Two of their children died, in 1859 and 1862, and the third, Cosima, later married Richard Wagner. In 1847, at the age of 35, he met the married Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who persuaded him to retire from concert work, settle in Weimar and concentrate on composing. In later life, Liszt took minor orders of the priesthood and, known as the Abbé Liszt, divided his time between Rome, Weimar and Budapest. He died at Bayreuth in 1886.