Liszt And His Music

Fran's list has been called the most Vivid personality in the history of Music he was also known as the prince of pianists he was undoubtedly one of the greatest pianists who ever lived list was also a great teacher his amazing skill was passed on to generations of pupils to become a lasting influence in [Music] music list also was a champion of Romanticism in music his long life from 1811 to 1886 included the 1830s and the 1840s a high point in the Romantic Period during these years list new writers and composers of the Romantic school George sand Victor Hugo Paganini chopan and many others List's own music as well as his playing reflected the ideals of Romanticism it is emotional colorful poetic often it is music that tells a story depicts a dramatic scene or interprets a mood the Hungarian rap CID to which we are listening is an example of romantic music it appeals to the heart as well as to the mind often romantic music reflects the spirit of nationalism in the Gypsy folk music of Hungary Fran list found much inspiration Hungary was his native land and the life story of list begins in Hungary in 1811 fron list was born in the village of riding Hungary where his father was an employee of the celebrated Ester Hai family at one of the eseri Palaces in eisenstat an important event in France's Boyhood took place this fabulous Palace was the country home of Prince Esther hazy patron of poets painters and musicians it was here in a setting that reminds us of a fairy tale the 9-year-old France was brought by his father to play for the prince with this visit the boy pianist began his amazing career after his success here the next stop was Vienna here he played a series of concerts one of his audiences included the Great Master Beethoven who said of the boy list he will be heard from after studying music in Vienna list and his father made their way to Paris the great capital of culture in Europe unable to enter the conservatory of Paris because of his foreign birth list studied with private teachers in Paris he was being compared to the boy Prodigy Mozart within the next few years he gave concerts in England the French provinces in Switzerland and then again in Paris in Paris list came under the influence of other composers at the Paris Opera he heard the playing of Paganini the great violinist the music we're hearing is by list based on a violin Caprice by Paganini list was dazzled by paganini's great skill and he was impressed too by this orchestral work by Hector bero the sanon fantasti a romantic composition Hector BOS was an important figure in Paris a member of a circle of people that included parisan aristocracy in 1834 in her Paris home list met the CEST Dagu a brilliant woman who was one of the great loves in his life list often performed for friends gathered at her home Baro later described these informal concerts in his memoirs [Music] but admiration was not enough list wanted to study to learn more from 1835 to 1840 he traveled in Switzerland and Italy at Geneva Switzerland list lived for a Time studying philosophy at the University of Geneva he was interested too In classical literature especially the writings of Dante Dante's Divine Comedy was the inspiration for the Dante Sonata which we are hearing now the strange and agonizing World Of The Inferno was translated by list into music that excites the emotions list not only wrote original compositions he transcribed The Works of other composers in these transcriptions Liss took many orchestral and vocal works and arranged them for the piano thus he helped to bring the music of other romantic composers to a wider audience l also found inspiration in the other arts in sundrenched Italy for example in the town of Pisa he saw a beautiful architecture at Pisa he also visited the cemetery the compo Santo there he gazed upon a medieval painting on the Triumph of death the somber theme he translated into his eloquent Totten tance the dance of death [Music] but it was life not death that France list poured into most of his music from Italy with its warm and beautiful Landscapes from cities rich in Beauty and history he was ever Gathering the sights and sounds that would go into his romantic music I live he said not in myself but I become a portion of that around me in Rome in the cine Chapel list studied the works of Michelangelo and other artists he said Michelangelo and Raphael make me better her understand Mozart and Beethoven constantly seeking to understand himself list turned more and more to religion which had always interested him on one hand he sought meditation and spiritual experience on the other hand he could not forget his world Fame as a performer once again he decided to make a tour through the beautiful reinland country wherever he went he was acclaimed the tour took him to many cities such as historic cence in Cologne he played in ceremony celebrating the completion of the cathedral in bond he played for a Beethoven celebration after being heard in nearly every major city in Europe list brought his concert tours to an [Music] end list was now more famous than ever the music we are hearing is the conero number one in E Flat it is among the many important Works list composed in the town of viar Germany where he settled in 1848 the master study in viar became the center of his teaching and composing yet success did not seem to offer satisfaction the influence of religion was stronger than ever and so list returned to Rome the great religious Center of Europe here in 1865 the composer decided to become a member of the priesthood list the Prince of pianists became the ab list for the rest of his life he was busy both in Rome and in viar here pupils from many parts of the world came to study under list some of them to become renowned pianists in their own right list was as always the great teacher he never accepted fees for his teaching but was content to help and encourage pupils who showed [Music] promise always a champion of others list not only encouraged his own pupils but also young composers the career of Richard Wagner was greatly helped by list and it was in vogner's home in by Germany that list spent his last days here he no doubt pondered on the meaning of life and the meaning of Music many elements had gone into the making of his music classical literature had furnished some themes as had the Poetry of romantic writers there was the influence of religious experiences and the influence of the music of other romantic composers his own unique contribution to music was the symphonic poem of which Le Prelude is a good example in the Romantic tradition Le Prelude translates a dramatic idea into music of this symphonic poem list wrote what is life but a series of preludes to that unknown song of which the first note is death in a way Le Prelude sums up his music and his life once list had written I have felt that the various aspects of nature did not pass before my eyes like meaningless pictures but that they evoke profound emotion within my soul list was talking about Impressions Impressions that evoked music this was the theory that was to affect much of the music of the future all