We cannot discuss virtuosos this month
without mentioning Franz Liszt (1811–1886). Liszt could be considered the most
well-known virtuoso of his time, beginning studies with his father at age six.
Once apparent that the young boy had great talent, he went on to study piano
and theory with other prominent musicians including Carl Czerny and Antonio
Salieri.
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| Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk |
The picture above depicts Liszt’s
“star” status during his day. His ability to stretch boundaries and develop new
techniques made him stand out among his contemporaries and the public loved
him. Liszt spent much of his life as a touring pianist, pioneering the idea of
a solo recital that has remained popular to this day. He also memorized his
music and played a wide repertoire from various eras—methods common today but
revolutionary during the nineteenth century. When he first moved to Paris as a
youth, Liszt was given a new seven-octave double escapement action piano that
allowed quicker repetition of notes. He became one of the first pianists to
master this virtuosic technique.
Liszt stopped performing in 1848 and
decided to devote the rest of his days to teaching, conducting, and composing.
Next time, we’ll look at one of his virtuosic piano compositions!
