Life of Liszt (Unabridged)

Summary

The Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer, Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886), is still regarded as one of the greatest classical musicians of all time. A few words from the author’s preface will introduce this elucidating volume. “In contrast with our practice in the previous biographies, let us, this time, as the master has also done in his greatest oratorio, disclose the life of the hero in his deeds, which display themselves before us in regular succession. First of all appears his early youth with its incomprehensible virtuosity. . . .Still further, there appears in its wonderful versatility his active sympathy with all the momentous intellectual questions of the time and of humanity. . . . Then comes the crown of all, the latest and grandest work he has accomplished, the renovation of church music. . . . In a sketch of such a richly exuberant life it is essential that we fail not to recognize the personality of this genius in his creations as ‘Master.’”