Franz Liszt

Life and music

Franz Liszt was a pianist, composer, conductor and teacher whose career crossed much of Europe. He studied with Czerny in Vienna, then developed his career in Paris. Paganini's violin playing stimulated his pianistic ambitions, while Chopin was an important friend. In 1838 Liszt gave benefit concerts for victims of the Pest flood. Settling in Weimar in 1848 allowed greater concentration on composing. His piano catalog includes original compositions and transformations of other composers' music.

Compare the quiet scale of Consolation No. 1 with Liebesträume No. 3 and the broader Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. Elsewhere, his Schubert transcriptions bring another composer’s songs into the piano world: keep Schubert’s musical authorship distinct from Liszt’s transcription.

Sources

• henle.de
• lisztmuseum.hu/liszts-birthday-festival-127
• info.bmc.hu
• lisztmuseum.hu/about-franz-liszt-119943

Where to start

1. 1Consolation No. 1, S. 172Level 4, estimatedWith Maestro
2. 2Liebesträume No. 3, S. 541Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
3. 3Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro

More pieces in the Music Room

At the dance floor

• Mephisto Waltz No. 3Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Valse oubliée No. 1, S. 215/1Level 8, estimatedWith Maestro

The study studio

• Transcendental Étude No. 10 in F minor, S. 139/10Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• La Campanella, Grandes études de Paganini, No. 3Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Grande étude de Paganini No. 6 in A minor, S. 141Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Gnomenreigen, Two Concert Études, No. 2Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro

Small scenes, big imagination

• Apparitions, S. 155 No. 1Level 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Apparitions, S. 155 No. 2Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro

More pieces

• Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Preludio, S. 139 No. 1Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Harmonies du soir, S. 139 No. 11Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Transcendental Etude No. 2, S. 139Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Paysage, S. 139 No. 3Level 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Mazeppa, S. 139 No. 4Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Vision, S. 139 No. 6Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Wilde Jagd, S. 139 No. 8Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Diabelli theme and Liszt's variation, S. 147Level 7, estimatedWith Maestro
• Apparitions, S. 155 No. 3Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Consolation No. 3, S. 172Level 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Consolation No. 4, S. 172Level 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude, S.173 No. 3Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sancta Dorothea, S. 187Level 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10, S. 244Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Grande paraphrase de la marche de Donizetti, S. 403Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Tannhäuser Overture transcription, S. 442Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Second BalladeLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro