Franz liszt biography free#

Transcendental Études and Hungarian Rhapsodies Toward the end of 1839 his relations with Madame d’Agoult became strained. Eluding the scandal that would have doubtless ensued were the couple to remain in Paris, they instead embarked on a four-year long period of travel throughout Switzerland, France and Italy their personal ‘years of pilgrimage’ would inspire the composition of several descriptive works for solo piano, collectively known as the Années de pèlerinage (1837-1854), regarded as being among Liszt’s finest works. It was also at about this time that Liszt first made the acquaintance of Marie de Flavigny, Countess d’Agoult, who, although married, would become his companion for the next twelve years, and bear three children by him (one son and two daughters). At this time he also met Frédéric Chopin, a third composer who influenced him under Chopin’s influence Liszt’s poetic and romantic side began to develop.Ĭountess Marie d’Agoult, 1843. Liszt again became interested in virtuoso technique and resolved to transfer some of Paganini’s fantastic violin effects to the piano, writing a fantasia on his La campanella. In 1833 he first heard Niccolò Paganini and was impressed. From Berlioz he inherited the command of the Romantic orchestra and also the diabolic quality that remained with him for the rest of his life. At the end of 1830 Franz first met Hector Berlioz and began lifelong friendship with him on the eve of the premiere of the Symphonie fantastique, a work that exerted enormous influence on him. Contemporaries who influenced Liszt’s worksīetween 18 Liszt became acquainted with his contemporaries, all of whom were to prove lasting influences on Liszt’s own works and performance style. With it resulting in the abdication of the French king Charles X and the coronation of Louis-Philippe, he sketched out a Revolutionary Symphony. Only the gunfire of July Revolution of 1830 awakened him. He sank into a deep depression Liszt was considered so close to death that his obituary appeared in a Paris newspaper.

When her father insisted that the attachment be broken off, Liszt became extremely ill. Wealthy young ladies beat a path to his door, with one of them he fell in love. He began to teach the piano and to interest himself in the newest literary trends of the day. The event proved to be extremely traumatic for him, and it necessitated that Franz share their one-bedroom Parisian apartment with his mother. Liszt’s father passed away when he was fifteen. In 1826 he toured France and Switzerland, returning to England again in the following year. Soon he was taken on tours of France and England, and with the help of Paer, wrote his first one-act opera, Don Sanche that was performed at the Paris Opéra in October 1825, Liszt then was only fourteen. In 1823 Liszt moved with his family to Paris, where he was refused admission to the Paris Conservatoire by Cherubini because of regulation barring foreign students instead, he studied with Anton Reicha, a theorist who had been a pupil of Joseph Haydn’s brother Michael, and Ferdinando Paer, the director of the Théâtre-Italien in Paris and a composer of light operas. Beethoven is supposed to have bestowed a kiss of blessing on him after hearing him play, though by then a great composer could hear little or nothing. Beethoven attended one of Liszt’s concerts. Liszt gave several concerts in Vienna, with great success. At the age of eleven began a dazzling career as a concert virtuoso that lasted with a few interruptions, until 1848.

Franz liszt biography free#

Upon hearing the boy play at a private home, he offered to train him in composition free of charge. He studied piano with Carl Czerny, a composer and pianist who had been a pupil of Ludwig van Beethoven, and studied composition with Antonio Salieri, the musical director at the Viennese court and Mozart’s old rival, he quickly became a proponent of Liszt’s genius. Liszt’s prodigious talents won the patronage of local Hungarian aristocrats, and in 1821 his family took him to Vienna to further the boy’s musical education.

His first music lessons were provided by his father (he played the piano, violin, cello and guitar) within a few years had made such progress that he began to compose at the age of eight and to perform in public at the age of nine.