Franz Liszt, in his day the king of
pianists, a composer whose compositions
still glow and burn with the fire he breathed into them; Liszt the
diplomat, courtier, man of the world—always a conqueror! How difficult
to
tell, in a few pages, the story of a life so complex and absorbing!
A storm outside: but all was warmth and
simple comfort in the large
sitting-room of a steward's cottage belonging to the small estate of
Raiding, in Hungary.
It was evening and father Liszt, after
the labors of the day were over,
could call these precious hours his own. He was now at the old piano,
for
with him music was a passion. He used all his leisure time for study
and
had some knowledge of most instruments. He had taught himself the
piano,
indeed under the circumstances had become quite proficient on it.
To-night
he was playing something of Haydn, for he greatly venerated that
master.
Adam Liszt made a striking figure as he sat there, his fine head, with
its
mass of light hair, thrown back, his stern features softened by the
music
he was making.
At a table near sat his wife, her dark
head with its glossy braids bent
over her sewing. Hers was a sweet, kindly face, and she endeared
herself to
every one by her simple, unassuming manners.
Quite near the old piano stood little
Franz, not yet six. He was
absolutely
absorbed in the music. The fair curls fell about his childish face and
his
deep blue eyes were raised to his father, as though the latter were
some
sort of magician, creating all this beauty.
When the music paused, little Franz
awoke as from a trance.
"Did you like that, Franzerl?" asked his
father, looking down at him.
The
child bent his curly head, hardly able to speak.
"And do you want to be a musician when
you grow up?" Franzerl nodded,
then,
pointing to a picture of Beethoven hanging on the wall, exclaimed with
beaming eyes: "I want to be such a musician as he is!"
Adam Liszt had already begun to teach
his baby son the elements of
music,
at the child's earnest and oft-repeated request. He had no real method,
being self-taught himself, but in spite of this fact Franz made
remarkable
progress. He could read the notes and find the keys with as much ease
as
though he had practised for years. He had a wonderful ear, and his
memory
was astonishing. The father hoped his boy would become a great
musician,
and carry out the dream which he had failed to realize in himself.
Little Franz was born in the eventful
year of 1811,—the "year of the
comet." The night of October 21, the night of his birth, the tail of
the
meteor seemed to light up the roof of the Liszt home and was regarded
as
an omen of destiny. His mother used to say he was always cheerful,
loving,
never naughty but most obedient. The child seemed religious by nature,
which feeling was fostered by his good mother. He loved to go to church
on
Sundays and fast days. The midnight mass on Christmas eve, when Adam
Liszt,
carrying a lantern, led the way to church along the country road,
through
the silent night, filled the child's thoughts with mystic awe.
Those early impressions have doubtless
influenced the creations of
Liszt,
especially that part of his "Christus" entitled "Christmas Oratorio."
Before Franz was six, as we have seen,
he had already begun his musical
studies. If not sitting at the piano, he would scribble notes—for he
had learned without instruction how to write them long before he knew
the
letters of the alphabet, or rudiments of writing. His small hands were
a source of trouble to him, and he resorted to all kinds of comical
expedients, such as sometimes playing extra notes with the tip of his
nose.
Indeed his ingenuity knew no bounds, when it came to mastering some
musical
difficulty.
Franz was an open minded, frank,
truth-loving child, always ready to
confess his faults, though he seemed to have but few. Strangely enough,
though born an Hungarian, he was never taught to speak his native
tongue,
which indeed was only used by the peasants. German, the polite language
of
the country, was alone used in the Liszt home.
The pronounced musical talent of his boy
was a source of pride to Adam
Liszt, who spoke of it to all his friends, so that the little fellow
began
to be called "the artist." The result was that when a concert was to be
given at the neighboring Oldenburg, Adam was requested to allow his
wonder
child to play.
When Franz, now a handsome boy of nine,
heard of the concert, he was
overjoyed at the prospect of playing in public. It was a happy day for
him when he started out with his father for Oldenburg. He was to play a
Concerto by Reis, and a Fantaisie of his own, accompanied by the
orchestra.
In this his first public attempt Franz proved he possessed two
qualities
necessary for success—talent and will. All who heard him on this
occasion
were so delighted, that Adam then and there made arrangements to give a
second concert on his own account, which was attended with as great
success
as the first.
The father had now fully made up his
mind Franz was to be a musician.
He
decided to resign his post of steward at Raiding and take the boy to
Vienna
for further study.
On the way to Pressburg, the first stop,
they halted to call at
Eisenstadt,
on Prince Esterhazy. The boy played for his delighted host, who gave
him every encouragement, even to placing his castle at Pressburg at his
disposal for a concert. The Princess, too, was most cordial, and gave
the
boy costly presents when they left.
At Pressburg Adam Liszt succeeded in
arranging a concert which
interested
all the Hungarian aristocracy of the city. It was given in the spacious
drawing-rooms of the Prince's palace, and a notable audience was
present.
Little Franz achieved a triumph that night, because of the fire and
originality of his playing. Elegant women showered caresses upon the
child
and the men were unanimous that such gifts deserved to be cultivated to
the
utmost without delay.
When it was learned that father Liszt
had not an ample purse, and there
would be but little for Franz's further musical education, six
Hungarian
noblemen agreed to raise a subscription which would provide a yearly
income
for six years. With this happy prospect in view, which relieved him of
further anxiety, the father wrote to Hummel, now in employ of the Court
at
Weimar, asking him to undertake Franz's musical education. Hummel,
though a
famous pianist, was of a grasping nature; he wrote back that he was
willing
to accept the talented boy as a pupil, but would charge a louis d'or
per
lesson!
As soon as the father and his boy
arrived in Vienna, the best teachers
were
secured for Franz. Carl Czerny was considered head of the piano
profession.
Czerny had been a pupil of Beethoven, and was so overrun with pupils
himself, that he at first declined to accept another. But when he heard
Franz play, he was so impressed that he at once promised to teach him.
His
nature was the opposite of Hummel's, for he was most generous to
struggling
talent. At the end of twelve lessons, when Adam Liszt wished to pay
the debt, Czerny would accept nothing, and for the whole period of
instruction—a year and a half—he continued to teach Franz gratuitously.
At first the work with such a strict
master of technic as Czerny, was
very
irksome to the boy, who had been brought up on no method at all, but
was
allowed free and unrestrained rein. He really had no technical
foundation;
but since he could read rapidly at sight and could glide over the keys
with
such astonishing ease, he imagined himself already a great artist.
Czerny
soon showed him his deficiencies; proving to him that an artist must
have
clear touch, smoothness of execution and variety of tone. The boy
rebelled
at first, but finally settled down to hard study, and the result soon
astonished his teacher. For Franz began to acquire a richness of
feeling
and beauty of tone wonderful for such a child. Salieri became his
teacher
of theory. He was now made to analyze and play scores, also compose
little
pieces and short hymns. In all these the boy made fine progress.
He now began to realize he needed to
know something besides music, and
set
to work by himself to read, study and write. He also had great
opportunity,
through his noble Hungarian patrons, to meet the aristocracy of Vienna.
His
talents, vivacity and grace, his attractive personality, all helped to
win
the notice of ladies—even in those early days of his career.
After eighteen busy months in Vienna,
father Liszt decided to bring his
boy out in a public concert. The Town Hall was placed at his disposal
and a
number of fine artists assisted. With beaming face and sparkling eyes,
the boy played with more skill, fire and confidence than he had ever
done
before. The concert took place December 1, 1822. On January 12, 1823,
Franz
repeated his success in another concert, again at the Town Hall.
It was after this second concert that
Franz's reputation reached the
ears
of Beethoven, always the object of the boy's warmest admiration.
Several
times Franz and his father had tried to see the great master, but
without
success. Schindler was appealed to and promised to do his best. He
wrote in
Beethoven's diary, as the master was quite deaf:
"Little Liszt has entreated me to beg
you to write him a theme for
to-morrow's concert. He will not break the seal till the concert
begins.
Czerny is his teacher—the boy is only eleven years old. Do come to his
concert, it will encourage the child. Promise me you will come."
It was the thirteenth of April, 1823. A
very large audience filled the
Redouten Saal. When Franz stepped upon the platform, he perceived the
great
Beethoven seated near. A great joy filled him. Now he was to play for
the
great man, whom all his young life he had worshiped from afar. He put
forth
every effort to be worthy of such an honor. Never had he played with
such
fire; his whole being seemed thrilled—never had he achieved such
success.
In the admiration which followed, Beethoven rose, came upon the
platform,
clasped the boy in his arms and kissed him repeatedly, to the frantic
cheers of the audience.
The boy Franz Liszt had now demonstrated
that already at eleven years
old,
he was one of the leading virtuosi of the time; indeed his great
reputation
as a pianist dates from this third Vienna concert. The press praised
him
highly, and many compared him to the wonderful genius, Mozart. Adam
Liszt
wished him now to see more of the world, and make known his great
talents,
also to study further. He decided to take the boy to Paris, for there
lived
the celebrated composer, Cherubini, at that time Director of the Paris
Conservatoire.
On the way to Paris, concerts were given
in various cities. In Munich
he
was acclaimed "a second Mozart." In Strassburg and Stuttgart he had
great
success.
Arrived in Paris, father and son visited
the Conservatoire at once, for
it
would have been a fine thing for the boy to study there for a time, as
it was the best known school for counterpoint and composition.
Cherubini,
however, refused to even read the letters of recommendation, saying no
foreigner, however talented, could be admitted to the French National
School of Music. Franz was deeply hurt by this refusal, and begged with
tears to be allowed to come, but Cherubini was immovable.
However they soon made the acquaintance
of Ferdinand Paër, who
offered to
give the child lessons in composition.
Franz made wonderful progress, both in
this new line of study, and in
becoming known as a piano virtuoso. Having played in a few of the great
houses, he soon found himself the fashion; everybody was anxious for
"le
petit Litz" as he was called, to attend and play at their
soirées. Franz
thus met the most distinguished musicians of the day. When he played in
public the press indulged in extravagant praise, calling him "the
eighth
wonder of the world," "another Mozart," and the like. Of course the
father
was overjoyed that his fondest hopes were being realized. Franz stood
at
the head of the virtuosi, and in composition he was making rapid
strides.
He even attempted an operetta, "Don Sancho," which later had several
performances.
The eminent piano maker, Erard, who had
a branch business in London and
was about to start for that city, invited Liszt to accompany him and
bring Franz. They accepted this plan, but in order to save expense, it
was
decided that mother Liszt, who had joined them in Paris, should return
to
Austria and stay with a sister till the projected tours were over.
Franz was saddened by this decision, but
his entreaties were useless;
his
father was stern. The separation was a cruel one for the boy. For a
long
time thereafter the mere mention of his mother's name would bring
tears.
In May, 1824, father and son, with
Erard, started for England, and on
June
21 Franz gave his first public concert in London. He had already played
for
the aristocracy in private homes, and had appeared at Court by command
of
King George IV. The concert won him great success, though the English
were more reserved in their demonstrations, and not like the impulsive,
open-hearted French people. He was happy to return to Paris, after the
London season, and to resume his playing in the French salons.
The next spring, accompanied by his
father, he made a tour of the
French
provinces, and then set out for a second trip to England. He was now
fourteen; a mere boy in years, but called the greatest pianist of the
day.
He had developed so quickly and was so precocious that already he
disliked
being called "le petit Litz," for he felt himself full grown. He wished
to
be free to act as he wished. Adam, however, kept a strict watch on all
his
movements, and this became irksome to the boy, who felt he was already
a
man.
But father Liszt's health became
somewhat precarious; constant
traveling
had undermined it. They remained in Paris quietly, till the year 1826,
when
they started on a second tour of French cities till Marseilles was
reached,
where the young pianist's success was overwhelming.
Returning to Paris, Franz devoted much
of his time to ardent study of
counterpoint, under Anton Reicha. In six months' study he had mastered
the
difficulties of this intricate art.
Adam Liszt and Franz spent the winter of
1826-7 in Switzerland, the boy
playing in all important cities. They returned to Paris in the spring,
and
in May, set out again for England on a third visit. Franz gave his
first
concert in London on June ninth and proved how much he had gained in
power
and brilliancy. Moscheles, who was present, wrote: "Franz Liszt's
playing
surpasses in power and the overcoming of difficulties anything that has
yet
been heard."
The strain of constant travel and
concert playing was seriously telling
on the boy's sensitive, excitable nature. He lost his sunny gaiety,
grew
quiet, sometimes almost morose. He went much to church, and wanted to
take orders, but his father prevented this step. Indeed the father
became
alarmed at the boy's pale face and changed condition, and took him to
the
French watering place of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Here both father and son
were
benefited by the sea baths and absolute rest. Franz recovered his
genial
spirits and constantly gained in health and strength.
But with Adam Liszt the gain was only
temporary. He was attacked with a
fever, succumbed in a few days and was buried at Boulogne. The loss of
his
father was a great blow to Franz. He was prostrated for days, but youth
at
last conquered. Aroused to his responsibilities, he began to think for
the
future. He at once wrote his mother, telling her what had happened,
saying
he would give up his concert tours and make a home for her in Paris, by
giving piano lessons.
Looking closer into his finances, of
which he had no care before, Franz
found the expenses of his father's illness and death had exhausted
their
little savings, and he was really in debt. He decided to sell his grand
piano, so that he should be in debt to no one. This was done, every one
was
paid off and on his arrival in Paris his old friend Erard invited him
to
his own home till the mother came.
It was a sweet and happy meeting of
mother and son, after such a long
separation. The two soon found a modest apartment in the Rue Montholon.
As soon as his intention to give lessons
became known, many
aristocratic
pupils came and found him a remarkable teacher. Among his new pupils
was
Caroline Saint Cricq, youngest daughter of Count Saint Cricq, then
Minister
of the Interior, and Madame his wife.
Caroline, scarcely seventeen, the same
age as her young teacher, was a
beautiful girl, as pure and refined as she was talented. Under the eyes
of
the Countess, the lessons went on from month to month, and the mother
did
not fail to see the growing attachment between the young people. But
love's
young dream was of short duration. The Countess fell ill and the
lessons
had to be discontinued. Caroline did not see her devoted teacher till
all
was over.
There was now another bond between them,
the sympathy over the loss
of their dear ones. The Count had requested that the lessons should be
resumed. But when the young teacher remained too long in converse with
his
pupil after the lessons, he was dismissed by the Count, and all their
sweet
intercourse came to an abrupt end.
Mme. Liszt did all she could to soothe
the grief and despair of her
son.
For days and weeks he remained at home, neglecting his piano and his
work.
He again thought of the church with renewed ardor and told his mother
he
now had decided to become a monk. His spirits sank very low; he became
ill, unable to leave the house and it was reported everywhere he had
passed
away.
Again he rallied and his strong
constitution conquered. As strength
slowly
returned, so also did his activity and love of life.
During his long convalescence he was
seized with a great desire for
knowledge, and read everything he could lay hands on. He would often
sit
at the piano, busying his fingers with technic while reading a book on
the
desk before him. He had formerly given all his time to music and
languages;
now he must know literature, politics, history and exact sciences. A
word
casually dropped in conversation, would start him on a new line of
reading.
Then came the revolution of 1830. Everybody talked politics, and Franz,
with his excitable spirits, would have rushed into the conflict if his
mother had not restrained him.
With all this awakening he sought to
broaden his art, to make his
instrument speak of higher things. Indeed the spirit must speak through
the form. This he realized the more as he listened to the thrilling
performances of that wizard of the violin, Paganini, who appeared in
Paris
in 1831. This style of playing made a deep impression on Liszt. He now
tried to do on the piano what Paganini accomplished on the violin, in
the matter of tone quality and intensity. He procured the newly
published
Caprices for violin and tried to learn their tonal secrets, also
transcribing the pieces for piano.
Liszt became fast friends with the young
composer, Hector Berlioz, and
much influenced by his compositions, which were along new harmonic
lines.
Chopin, the young Polish artist, now appeared in Paris, playing his E
minor
Concerto, his Mazurkas and Nocturnes, revealing new phases of art.
Chopin's
calm composure tranquilized Liszt's excitable nature. From Chopin,
Liszt
learned to "express in music the poetry of the aristocratic salon."
Liszt
ever remained a true and admiring friend of the Pole, and wrote the
poetic
study sketch of him in 1849.
Liszt was now twenty-three. Broadened
and chastened by all he had
passed
through, he resumed his playing in aristocratic homes. He also appeared
in
public and was found to be quite a different artist from what the
Parisians
had previously known. His bold new harmonies in his own compositions,
the
rich effects, showed a deep knowledge of his art. He had transcribed a
number of Berlioz's most striking compositions to the piano and
performed
them with great effect.
The handsome and gifted young artist was
everywhere the object of
admiration. He also met George Sand, and was soon numbered among that
wonderful and dangerous woman's best friends. Later he met the young
and
beautiful Countess Laprunarède, and a mutual attraction ensued.
The elderly
Count, her husband, pleased with the dashing young musician, invited
him to
spend the winter at his chateau, in Switzerland, where the witty
Countess
virtually kept him prisoner.
The following winter, 1833-34, when the
salons opened again, Liszt
frequented them as before. He was in the bloom of youth and fame, when
he
met the woman who was to be linked with his destiny for the next ten
years.
We have sketched the childhood and youth
of this wonderful artist up to
this point. We will pass lightly over this decade of his career, merely
stating briefly that the lady—the beautiful Countess d'Agoult,
captivated
by the brilliant talents of the Hungarian virtuoso, left her husband
and
child, and became for ten years the faithful companion of his travels
and
tours over Europe. Many writers agree that Liszt endeavored to dissuade
her from this attraction, and behaved as honorably as he could under
the
circumstances. A part of the time they lived in Switzerland, and it was
there that many of Liszt's compositions were written.
Of their three children, the boy died
very young. Of the girls,
Blandine
became the wife of Émile Ollivier, a French literary man and
statesman. Her
sister, Cosima, married first Hans von Bülow and later Richard
Wagner.
In 1843 Liszt intended to take Madame
with him to Russia, but instead,
left her and her children in Paris, with his mother, as the Countess
was in
failing health. His first concert, in St. Petersburg, realized the
enormous
sum of fifty thousand francs—ten thousand dollars. Instead of giving
one
concert in Moscow, he gave six. Later he played in Bavaria, Saxony and
other parts of Germany. He then settled in Weimar for a time, being
made
Grand Ducal Capellmeister. Then, in 1844-45, longing for more success,
he
toured Spain and Portugal.
A generous act was his labor in behalf
of the Beethoven monument, to be
erected in the master's birthplace, Bonn. The monument was to be given
by
subscriptions from the various Princes of Germany. Liszt helped make up
the
deficit and came to Bonn to organize a Festival in honor of the event.
He
also composed a Cantata for the opening day of the Festival, and in his
enthusiasm nearly ruined himself by paying the heavy expenses of the
Festival out of his own pocket.
The political events of 1848 brought him
back to Weimar, and he resumed
his
post of Court Music Director. He now directed his energies toward
making
Weimar the first musical city of Germany. Greatly admiring Wagner's
genius,
he undertook to perform his works in Weimar, and to spread his name
and fame. Indeed it is not too much to say that without Liszt's devoted
efforts, Wagner would never have attained his vogue and fame. Wagner
himself testified to this.
While living in Weimar, Liszt made
frequent journeys to Rome and to
Paris.
In 1861 there was a rumor that the object of his visits to Rome was to
gain
Papal consent to his marriage with the Princess Sayn-Wittgenstein.
During
a visit to Rome in 1864, the musician was unable to resist longer the
mysticism of the church. He decided to take orders and was made an
Abbé.
Since that time, Abbé Franz Liszt
did much composing. He also
continued
to teach the piano to great numbers of pupils, who flocked to him from
all
parts of the world. Many of the greatest artists now before the public
were
numbered among his students, and owe much of their success to his
artistic
guidance.
In 1871, the Hungarian Cabinet created
him a noble, with a yearly
pension
of three thousand dollars. In 1875, he was made Director of the Academy
at
Budapest. In addition, Liszt was a member of nearly all the European
Orders
of Chivalry.
Franz Liszt passed away August 1, 1886,
in the house of his friend,
Herr Frohlich, near Wagner's Villa Wahnfried, Bayreuth, at the age of
seventy-five. As was his custom every summer, Liszt was in Bayreuth,
assisting in the production of Wagner's masterpieces, when he succumbed
to
pneumonia. Thus passed a great composer, a world famous piano virtuoso,
and
a noble and kindly spirit.
For the piano, his chosen instrument,
Liszt wrote much that was
beautiful
and inspiring. He created a new epoch for the virtuoso. His fifteen
Hungarian Rhapsodies, B minor Sonata, Concert Études and many
transcriptions, appear on all modern programs, and there are many
pieces
yet to be made known. He is the originator of the Symphonic Poem, for
orchestra; while his sacred music, such as the Oratorio "Christus," and
the beautiful "Saint Elizabeth," a sacred opera, are monuments to his
great
genius.
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