History Music / FranzLiszt

* Liszt has been portrayed in several movies, most notably by [[Music/TheWho Roger Daltry]] in ''Film/{{Lisztomania}}'' and Creator/JulianSands in ''Film/{{Impromptu}}''. His affair with dancer/courtesan Lola Montez is dramatized in Max Ophuls' film ''Film/LolaMontes''.

* MadArtist: Was considered as such in old age, [[DarkerAndEdgier when he abandoned tonality]], [[DarkerAndEdgier wrote harrowingly bleak music]], and thus became the most radical composer at the time.

* {{Bishonen}}: [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Liszt_(Lehmann_portrait).jpg In his younger years]].

As a child prodigy, Liszt was stage-managed by his father Adam (who played cello in the Esterházy family's orchestra under the baton of Music/JosephHaydn, and through whom the teenage Liszt met Music/LudwigVanBeethoven and Music/FranzSchubert at least once each), until he dropped dead in 1827. Liszt entered a self-imposed exile until the 1830s. After coming out of seclusion, he toured for nine years in Europe, and soon accrued a devoted fanbase comparable to that of today's pop stars. When Liszt got tired of touring, he settled in Weimar, where he first met that young hotshot composer Music/RichardWagner. They were musical kindred spirits, with a flair for the dramatic. Liszt actually premiered several of Wagner's operas. A number of Liszt's musical themes turned up in Wagner's work (we ''assume'' by permission?!). In 1870, Wagner married Liszt's daughter, Cosima. After 15 years in Weimar, Liszt moved to Rome. Though Liszt was known as a womanizer, he was a practicing Roman Catholic; nevertheless, his decision to become a priest (well, a monk, actually -- a Franciscan Third Order Secular[[note]]St. Francis created the Third Order or "Tertiary" for men and women who were married or couldn't for other reasons [[TakingTheVeil join a monastic community]] but wanted to devote themselves to a holy life[[/note]]) shocked everyone. After he took up the cloth, Liszt spent the remaining years of his life teaching in Rome, Weimar, and Budapest (which must have been quite the commute). Liszt died of pneumonia in 1886, in Bayreuth (where he did ''not'' want to be, and said so many times) during the big Wagner Festival; without having his Last Rites, with his request to be buried simply in a monk's robe[[note]]actually, the Tertiaries don't wear robes[[/note]] ignored.

Before there was [[Music/TheBeatles Beatlemania]], there was Film/{{Lisztomania}}. The Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was the TropeCodifier for all music stars that came after him. (Violinist Niccolo Paganini was the UrExample, for anyone interested.)

Before there was Beatlemania, there was Film/{{Lisztomania}}. The Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was the TropeCodifier for all music stars that came after him. (Violinist Niccolo Paganini was the UrExample, for anyone interested.)

[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/franliszt_2816.png]]

As a child prodigy, Liszt was stage-managed by his father Adam (who played cello in the Esterházy family's orchestra under the baton of Music/JosephHaydn, and through whom the teenage Liszt met Music/LudwigVanBeethoven and Music/FranzSchubert at least once each), until he dropped dead in 1827. Liszt entered a self-imposed exile until the 1830s. After coming out of seclusion, he toured for nine years in Europe, and accrued a devoted fanbase comparable to that of today's pop stars. When Liszt got tired of touring, he settled in Weimar, where he first met that young hotshot composer Music/RichardWagner. They were musical kindred spirits, with a flair for the dramatic. Liszt actually premiered several of Wagner's operas. A number of Liszt's musical themes turned up in Wagner's work (we ''assume'' by permission?!). In 1870, Wagner married Liszt's daughter, Cosima. After 15 years in Weimar, Liszt moved to Rome. Though Liszt was quite the womanizer, he was a practicing Roman Catholic; nonetheless, his decision to become a priest (well, a monk, actually -- a Franciscan Third Order Secular[[note]]St. Francis created the Third Order or "Tertiary" for men and women who were married or couldn't for other reasons [[TakingTheVeil join a monastic community]] but wanted to devote themselves to a holy life[[/note]]) shocked everyone. After he took up the cloth, Liszt spent the last years of his life teaching in Rome, Weimar, and Budapest (which must have been quite the commute). Liszt died in 1886, in Bayreuth (where he did ''not'' want to be, and said so many times) during the big Wagner Festival; without having his Last Rites, with his request to be buried simply in a monk's robe[[note]]actually, the Tertiaries don't wear robes[[/note]] ignored.

He is the composer of the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, immortalized in the cartoons "WesternAnimation/TheCatConcerto" and "WesternAnimation/RhapsodyRabbit" as ''the'' definitive concert piano music.

!! Liszt in Fiction

* In Film/PhantomOfTheOpera1943, Liszt appears portrayed by Fritz Lieber Sr. He first appears as a music critic being shown's Claudin's concerto and later plays it at the Paris Opera.

Before there was Beatlemania, there was Film/{{Lisztomania}}. Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was the TropeCodifier for all music stars that came after him. (Violinist Niccolo Paganini was the UrExample, for anyone interested.)

* In '' The Wiki/SCPFoundation'' lore Lisztomania was once considered an SCP.

* RecycledINSPACE: His declared aim was to become the Paganini [-OF THE PIANO-] -- and he succeeded beyond his wildest imagination.

* AscendedFanboy: Liszt became friends with composer [[TheMentor Hector Berlioz]]; his arrangement for solo piano of Berlioz' ''Music/SymphonieFantastique'' helped to popularize the work in the older composer's lifetime, and it is now considered one of his greatest works.

As a child prodigy, Liszt was stage-managed by his father Adam (who played cello in the Esterházy family's orchestra under the baton of Music/JosephHaydn, and through whom the teenage Liszt met Music/LudwigVanBeethoven and Music/FranzSchubert at least once each), until he dropped dead in 1827. Liszt entered a self-imposed exile until the 1830s. After coming out of seclusion, he toured for nine years in Europe, and accrued a devoted fanbase comparable to that of today's pop stars. When Liszt got tired of touring, he settled in Weimar, where he first met that young hotshot composer Music/RichardWagner. They were musical kindred spirits, with a flair for the dramatic. Liszt actually premiered several of Wagner's operas. In 1870, Wagner married Liszt's daughter, Cosima. After 15 years in Weimar, Liszt moved to Rome. Though Liszt was quite the womanizer, he was a practicing Roman Catholic; nonetheless, his decision to become a priest shocked everyone. After he took up the cloth, Liszt spent the last years of his life teaching in Rome, Weimar, and Budapest (which must have been quite the commute). Liszt died in 1886, without having his Last Rites, with his request to be buried simply in a monk's robe ignored.

* DirectorsCut: The original ending of his ''Music/FaustSymphony'' was a rather abrupt handful of bars celebrating Faust's apotheosis. A replacement ending instead featured a men's chorus supported by an organ, notably more [[LighterAndSofter tonal and glorious]] than the original ending which implied [[EvilIsCool Mephisto]] to be [[EsotericHappyEnding way more sympathetic]] than he would be in a classic good ending. JustifiedTrope since Liszt became [[HeelFaithTurn a clergyman later in life]].

* MadArtist: Was considered as such in old age, [[DarkerAndEdgier when he abandoned tonality]], [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy wrote harrowingly bleak music]], and thus became the most radical composer at the time.

As a child prodigy, Liszt was stage-managed by his father Adam (who played cello in the Esterházy family's orchestra under the baton of Music/JosephHaydn, and through whom the teenage Liszt met Music/LudwigVanBeethoven and Music/FranzSchubert at least once each), until he dropped dead in 1827. Liszt entered a self-imposed exile until the 1830s. After coming out of seclusion, he toured for nine years in Europe, and accrued a devoted fanbase comparable to that of today's pop stars. When Liszt got tired of touring, he settled in Weimar, where he first met that young hotshot composer Music/RichardWagner. They were musical kindred spirits, with a flair for the dramatic. Liszt actually premiered several of Wagner's operas. After 15 years in Weimar, Liszt moved to Rome. Though Liszt was quite the womanizer, he was a practicing Roman Catholic; nonetheless, his decision to become a priest shocked everyone. After he took up the cloth, Liszt spent the last years of his life teaching in Rome, Weimar, and Budapest (which must have been quite the commute). Liszt died in 1886, without having his Last Rites, with his request to be buried simply in a monk's robe ignored.

* Liszt has been portrayed in several movies, most notably by [[Music/TheWho Roger Daltry]] in ''Film/{{Lisztomania}}'' and Creator/JulianSands in ''Film/{{Impromptu}}''.

* FriendlyRivalry: With Music/FryderykChopin. Each admired the other's work as a composer, although Chopin was said to be jealous of Liszt's virtuosity as a pianist - and also annoyed at the liberties he took with Chopin's own work when he performed it in public. Their jealousy spilled into their personal lives as well; Liszt was suspicious of the friendship between Chopin and his own romantic partner (and the mother of his illegitimate children), Countess Marie d'Agoult, while Chopin thought there was something going on between Liszt and his own on-off girlfriend, author Creator/GeorgeSand.

** ''[[Music/NocturneEnReve Nocturne (En Rêve)]]'' is a very strong example of this as well.

He is the composer of the ''[[Music/HungarianRhapsodyNoTwo Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2]]'', immortalized in the cartoons "WesternAnimation/TheCatConcerto" and "WesternAnimation/RhapsodyRabbit" as ''the'' definitive concert piano music.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Franz Liszt himself considered [[Music/CharlesValentinAlkan Charles-Valentin Alkan]] the best pianist of his time.

* DirectorsCut: The original ending of his Faust Symphony was a rather abrupt handful of bars celebrating Faust's apotheosis. A replacement ending instead featured a men's chorus supported by an organ, notably more [[LighterAndSofter tonal and glorious]] than the original ending which implied [[EvilIsCool Mephisto]] to be [[EsotericHappyEnding way more sympathetic]] than he would be in a classic good ending. JustifiedTrope since Liszt became [[HeelFaithTurn a clergyman later in life]].

* EpicRocking: Sonata in B minor. Performances finish around 30 minutes. It's considered one of the most badass pieces of ClassicalMusic, as well as an original take on the piano sonata that re-imagines the format as a single movement entity.

* MentorArchetype: Liszt was one of the most supportive and generous musicians in history. He unselfishly championed music by those he admired, even composers who did not (or could not) reciprocate his help -- the long list of beneficiaries included: Music/JohannSebastianBach, Music/LudwigVanBeethoven, Music/FranzSchubert, Music/FryderykChopin, Music/RobertSchumann, Music/HectorBerlioz, Music/RichardWagner, [[Music/CamilleSaintSaens Camille Saint-Saëns]], Music/EdvardGrieg, Music/AlexandrBorodin, Music/JoachimRaff, and Music/MikhailGlinka. Liszt did so by performing their music (sometimes in transcriptions he prepared himself) and providing financial backing of publication and performances.
* NoEnding: Some of his later works do this, such as Nuages gris and the various La lugubre gondola.

* StandardSnippet: ''[[Music/HungarianRhapsodyNoTwo Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2]]''. If someone on screen is shown playing classical piano, odds are pretty decent they will be playing this piece, especially in cartoons.

** ''[[Music/LiebestraumNoThree Liebestraum No. 3]]'' is far more gentle than his usual work, partially [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] since it still requires virtuoso piano skills.

* EstrogenBrigade: Not surprisingly given his dashing good looks and flowing hair.

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of the ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[MentorArchetype inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important colleague]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Creator/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Music/ArnoldSchoenberg declared during the early 20th century that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, featuring atonality and twelve tone technique and [[FromBadToWorse helping create a whole new schism between 19th century music and his comparatively radical compositions]].

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of the ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[MentorArchetype inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important colleague]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Creator/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Music/ArnoldSchoenberg declared during the early 20th century that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, featuring atonality and twelve tone technique, [[FromBadToWorse helping create a whole new schism between 19th century music and his comparatively radical compositions]].

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of the ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[MentorArchetype inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important colleague]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Creator/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Music/ArnoldSchoenberg clarified during the early 20th century, that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, the twelve tone technique, [[FromBadToWorse helping create a whole new schism between nineteenth-century music and his comparatively radical compositions]].

* MentorArchetype: Liszt was one of the most supportive and generous musicians in history. He unselfishly championed music by those he admired, even composers who did not (or could not) reciprocate his help -- the long list of beneficiaries included: Music/JohannSebastianBach, Music/LudwigVanBeethoven, Music/FranzSchubert, Music/FryderykChopin, Music/RobertSchumann, Music/HectorBerlioz, Music/RichardWagner, [[Music/CamilleSaintSaens Camille Saint-Saëns]], Music/EdvardGrieg, Music/AlexandrBorodin, Music/JoachimRaff, and Music/MikhailGlinka. Liszt did so by performing their music (sometimes in transcriptions he prepared himself) and through financial backing of publication and performances.

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of the ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[TheMentor inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important colleague]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Creator/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Music/ArnoldSchoenberg clarified during the early 20th century, that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, the twelve tone technique, [[FromBadToWorse helping create a whole new schism between nineteenth-century music and his comparatively radical compositions]].

He is the composer of the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, immortalized in the cartoons "WesternAnimation/TheCatConcerto" and "WesternAnimation/RhapsodyRabbit" as ''the'' definitive concert piano music.

* AscendedFanboy: Liszt became friends with composer [[TheMentor Hector Berlioz]]; his arrangement for solo piano of Berlioz' ''Symphonie fantastique'' helped to popularise the work in the older composer's lifetime, and it is now considered one of his greatest works.

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of the ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[TheMentor inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important colleague]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Creator/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Music/ArnoldSchoenberg clarified during the early 20th century, that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, the twelve tone technique, [[FromBadToWorse creating a whole new schism between classical music and his radical compositions]].
* RearrangeTheSong: A good chunk of his work consists of arrangements of other people's work, ranging from transcribing the symphonies of Music/LudwigVanBeethoven to rebuilding the medieval ''Dies Irae'' into a DarkerAndEdgier piano concerto with lots of EpicRocking.

* SelfDeprecation: On the cover page of his then-unpublished piece ''Csardas Macabre'' he wrote, [[WhoWritesThisCrap "May one write or listen to such a thing?"]]
* StandardSnippet: Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2. If someone on screen is shown playing classical piano, odds are pretty decent they will be playing this piece, especially in cartoons.

** Liebestraum No. 3 is far more gentle than his usual work, partially [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] since it still requires virtuoso piano skills.
** "Nocturne (En Rêve)" is a very strong example of this as well.

* UnbuiltTrope: Totentanz with its dissonant usage of the Dies Irae theme, making it sound like actual post-[[Music/IgorStravinsky Stravinsky]] Modern Classical, when it's "only" Liszt's progressive style coupled with Romantic Irony.
* UrExample: The shockingly modern ''Totentanz'' and his atonal experiments towards the end of his life predate Modern Classical.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Franz Liszt himself considered Charles-Valentin Alkan the best pianist of his time.
* AscendedFanboy: Liszt became friends with composer [[TheMentor Hector Berlioz]]; his arrangement for solo piano of Berlioz' ''Symphonie fantastique'' helped to popularise the work in the older composer's lifetime, and it is now considered the his greatest work.

* TheCasanova: He was a notorious ladies' man.

* DealWithTheDevil: His contemporaries suspected him to have sold his soul to the devil to be equal parts virtuoso, original, and dashingly handsome.

* EpicRocking: Sonata in B minor. Performances finish around 30 minutes. It's considered one of the most badass pieces of Classical Music.

* FriendlyRivalry: With Music/FryderykChopin. Each admired the other's work as a composer, although Chopin was said to be jealous of Liszt's virtuosity as a pianist - and also annoyed at the liberties he took with Chopin's own work when he performed it in public. Their jealousy spilled into their personal lives as well; Liszt was suspicious of the friendship between Chopin and his own romantic partner (and the mother of his illegitimate children), Countess Marie d'Agoult, while Chopin thought there was something going on between Liszt and his own on-off girlfriend, author George Sand.
* GriefSong: He wrote ''dark'' tunes after the death of his son-in-law Music/RichardWagner, dedicated to him.

* MadArtist: Was considered as such in old age, [[DarkerAndEdgier when he abandoned tonality]], [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy wrote harrowingly bleak tunes]], and thus became the most radical composer in the world.

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[TheMentor inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important fellow]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Creator/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Arnold Schoenberg clarified during the early 20th century, that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, the twelve tone technique, [[FromBadToWorse creating a whole new schism between classical music and his radical compositions]].

* RecycledINSPACE: His declared aim was to become the Paganini [-OF THE PIANO-].

* OldGuardVersusNewBlood: The ''War of the Romantics''. Liszt was [[TheLeader the informal leader]] of ''New German School'', a loose group of German composers who wrote progressive music [[TheMentor inspired by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann]]. [[TheLancer His most important fellow]] was his friend and son-in-law Music/RichardWagner. Their opponents, the conservatives, were greater in numbers and support and included Music/JohannesBrahms, Music/FelixMendelssohn, and [[FaceHeelTurn Schumann's widow]] Music/ClaraSchumann. Interestingly, both sides heralded Music/LudwigVanBeethoven as their idol. The war was somewhat settled when Arnold Schoenberg clarified during the early 20th century, that Brahms and Wagner were NotSoDifferent and [[TakingAThirdOption took them both]] as a basis for his new music, the twelve tone technique, [[FromBadToWorse creating a whole new schism between classical music and his radical compositions]].

** CleopatraNose

Before there was Beatlemania, there was Film/{{Lisztomania}}. Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 –- 31 July 1886) was the TropeCodifier for all music stars that came after him. (Violinist Niccolo Paganini was the UrExample, for anyone interested.)

As a child prodigy, Liszt was stage-managed by his father Adam (who played cello in the Esterházy family's orchestra under the baton of Music/JosephHaydn, and through whom the teenaged Liszt met Music/LudwigVanBeethoven and Music/FranzSchubert at least once each), until he dropped dead in 1827. Liszt entered a self-imposed exile until the 1830s. After coming out of seclusion, he toured for nine years in Europe, and accrued a devoted fanbase comparable to that of today's pop stars. When Liszt got tired of touring, he settled in Weimar, where he first met that young hotshot composer Music/RichardWagner. They were musical kindred spirits, with a flair for the dramatic. Liszt actually premiered several of Wagner's operas. After 15 years in Weimar, Liszt moved to Rome. Though Liszt was quite the womanizer, he was a practicing Roman Catholic; nonetheless, his decision to become a priest shocked everyone. After he took up the cloth, Liszt spent the last years of his life teaching in Rome, Weimar, and Budapest (which must have been quite the commute). Liszt died in 1886, without having his Last Rites, with his request to be buried simply in a monk's robe ignored.