- cially on the creative originality displayed. Liszt's own efforts
in this field—which were not confined to his earlier period or to his piano works—often have a vigor and beauty hard to deny. Hence here again he effected a considerable expansion of the range of artistic style (see sec. 210).
Franz Liszt (d. 1886) was born in 1811 at Raiding, a small town in western
Hungary (35 m. southeast of Vienna). His father was employed as
manager on one of the Esterhazy estates—a musical amateur who played the
piano and other instruments. At 9 the son was so far advanced that his
playing before a company of noblemen led them to proffer an annual scholarship
of about $1000 for six years to ensure his education. This the father
accepted, gave up his position and took the boy at once to Vienna. There
he studied under Czerny, Salieri and Randhartinger with such rapid growth
that when, at the opening of 1823, he appeared in public his playing made a
sensation, moving even Beethoven to an unusual display of emotion. He was
now taken to Paris, but as a foreigner was declined at the Conservatoire by
Cherubini, and began private study under Reicha and Paër. His ambition at
first lay in the field of opera, and in 1825 his operetta Don Sanche was successfully
produced. He also made some tours as a pianist in England and
Switzerland.
His annual stipend ceased in 1826 and his father died the next year. This forced him to choose a pianistic career, teaching and touring. He had the entrée into society through high-born Hungarian friends, and he came to know the foremost literary and musical lights of Paris, including Victor Hugo, Lamartine, 'George Sand,' Paganini, Berlioz and Chopin. For a time he was much interested in the socialistic program of Saint-Simon, and was deeply stirred by the excitement of the Revolution of 1830. Already he showed the peculiar mixture of aristocratic tastes with revolutionary propensities which marked him later. In 1834 began his connection with the Countess d'Agoult, known in literature as 'Daniel Stern,' with whom he lived about ten years, mostly at Geneva, and by whom he had three children. In 1835 Thalberg appeared in Paris, and in 1836 he and Liszt contested for supremacy, the latter being plainly the stronger.
From 1839 Liszt's time was largely occupied by far-reaching concert-tours throughout Europe. Everywhere his amazing technique, his masterly interpretations and improvisations, and his unique magnetism placed him at the head of the increasing circle of pianists. His ambition, to be the Paganini of the piano, was fully realized, and his pecuniary profits were so large that his independence was secure. In this connection came out his fine generosity. In 1837 he sent a large gift for the sufferers by an inundation at Pesth, in 1839 established a fund for the poor in his native town, and in 1839, also, when the subscriptions to the proposed Beethoven monument at Bonn lagged, made up the needed balance of about $10,000. These are but instances of a life-long habit. After 1847 it is said that he gave no concerts for his own benefit.
As early as 1842 he had become a favorite at Weimar, where he appeared year after year. In 1849 he became court-choirmaster, a position that he
