October 22 marks the 213th birthday of the pianist and composer Franz Liszt, one of the most prominent musical figures in 19th-century Europe

October 22 marks the 213th birthday of the pianist and composer Franz Liszt, one of the most prominent musical figures in 19th-century Europe. Over a six-decade career, he left behind a colossal amount of music – mostly piano, but also orchestral and vocal. Liszt’s destiny was shaped when he heard the great violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) play in Paris in 1831. The charismatic performance of the violinist inspired Liszt to try and emulate that success with the piano. Liszt was the first person to give a piano recital— a concert that featured piano music exclusively. Liszt spent most of his life traveling around Europe giving piano recitals. Liszt’s performances were so exciting that they made audiences hysterical – a phenomenon that would be deemed “Lisztomania.” The Romantic era in music marked a profound shift in the artistic landscape. Among the luminaries of that time, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt stand out as revolutionary figures who redefined piano music. Franz Liszt held Fryderyk Chopin in great esteem. It was precisely Liszt who published his first biography three years after his friend’s death, devoting much attention to mazurkas and nocturnes.