method analogous to that which Wagner made in the opera. The two composers were actuated by similar impulses at about the same time without explicitly deriving direction from each other. We may doubt, however, whether Liszt would have made the significant advance he did if he had not felt the stimulus of Wagner's style and caught the spirit of his revolution.
While other prominent groups in Germany were conservative in tendency, the Weimar circle became noted for its radicalism. Here began several lines of progress which ultimately gave character to the succeeding period, with its tendency to reconstruct the whole fabric of musical style.
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Franz Liszt
The early, pianistic career of Franz Liszt (d. 1886) has already been
sketched (see sec. 201). It is supposed that one of the influences that
diverted him into other paths was his passionate attachment to the Princess
von Sayn-Wittgenstein of Russia, whom
he met in 1846-7, and who exerted herself
to turn him to larger efforts than
those of a popular virtuoso. He had
been connected with the Weimar court
as a visiting artist since 1843. From
1849 he was court-choirmaster in residence,
with every facility. The most
striking feature of his incumbency was
the series of operatic and orchestral
performances under his direction. These
included, among others, Wagner's Tannhauser
in 1849, his Lohengrin in 1850,
Raff's König Alfred and Rubinstein's
Das verlorene Paradies in 1851, Berlioz'
Benvenuto Cellini in 1852, Wagner's Der
fliegende Holländer in 1853, Schubert's
Alfonso ed Estrella and Rubinstein's Die
sibirischen Jäger in 1854, Schumann's
Genoveva, Lassen's Landgraf Ludwigs Brautfahrt in 1857, Cornelius' Der
Barbier von Bagdad in 1858, besides large orchestral works by Berlioz,
Schumann, Raff and others. His fame as a conductor led to his directing
many festivals in 1852-9, as at Ballenstedt, Carlsruhe, Vienna, Magdeburg,
Aix and Leipsic. His advocacy of Wagner and Berlioz aroused widespread
discussion, with a ranging of critics and composers into parties throughout Germany.
In the war of ideas the Neue Zeitschrift at Leipsic became the leading
organ of the 'New-German' spirit. Of special importance in this movement
were Liszt's own 'symphonic poems,' including Tasso (1849), Prometheus
(1850), Orpheus, Les Préludes and Mazeppa (all 1854), Die Ideale, the
