people please stop paying out composers and pianists! sure we all have our favourites and others we don't like, but honestly there's no reason to outright express your dislike for them for they deserve respect and appreciation for their contribution to the musical world even if for some it's better than others
With the exception of the b minor sonata or possibly even the years of pilgrimage, the musical output by Liszt lacks any real musical ideas.....only composed to show off his technique, is void of real emotion or musical engenuity. His etudes are probably the biggest waste of time and should be dropped from the repertoire. It is fortunate that he had his looks and his technique going for him because as a composer he falls dreadfully short.
I think some of what the original poster has said is valid but some is certainly a little bit harsh. To say that his etudes should be dropped from the repetoire is going too far, yes I would agree that some of the transcendentals are not as good in terms of compositions as some of his other works, but there are some very fine pieces there all the same.
Without him, there wouldn't be any Chopin. He wouldn't have had any idea of the possible virtuosity on the instrument. There wouldn't be any of the future piano pieces either. Everything would be really easy. Piano would be a waste, as everyone can play easy things, and we would be full of piano amateurs.
Thats pretty much it. Liszt's profession was a Concert Pianist with Beethoven as a teacher, not a composer.
Sorry to be so frank but this is rubbish in my opinion! Firstly to say that there would be no Chopin without Liszt, what do you mean?! Where's the proof of this? If Liszt hadn't written what he had then that doesn't mean that Chopin wouldn't have composed! To say there wouldn't be any future piano pieces is also rediculous, not everyone was inspired by Liszt alone, a lot of Romantic composers and future composers such as Brahms, Wagner, Schumann to name just three were influenced by Beethoven.The world would be full of piano ameteurs, what???!! Are you having a joke? What about Rachmaninov to start with, and other composer/performers such as Saint-seans. I'm not saying that Liszt didn't influence future generations, of course he did, noone who had that amount of talent for playing the piano wouldn't leave a legacy, however he wasn't the THAT influencial, to the point that you have described where by you seem to think that if Liszt hadn't lived then music great music and performers would have simply stopped! Also what about Beethoven, now surely you're not telling me that he didn't write hard pieces, to suggest that everyone would be amateurs playing "easy" pieces when works such as the Hammerklavier exist is madness!!!
As a pianist, legend can make giants out of people. Undoubtedly Liszt was an incredible performer, but to name him the best pianist in history is too much. To really give a title like that, you must have first-hand experience listening to him (or a recording, of which there are none as far as I'm aware).Just my two cents.
Anyways, Liszt is a great composer. Without him, there wouldn't be any Chopin. He wouldn't have had any idea of the possible virtuosity on the instrument. There wouldn't be any of the future piano pieces either. Everything would be really easy. Piano would be a waste, as everyone can play easy things, and we would be full of piano amateurs.
Chopin had composed the lot of his etudes before he had even left Warsaw... meaning he didn't learn a thing from Liszt about technique, although Liszt was undoubtedly the stronger of the two. If anything, it was Liszt who learned from Chopin. That said, Liszt composed a great wealth of beautiful piano music, simple or not. As a side note, the majority of Liszt's music actually appalled Chopin, so I highly doubt the latter was standing by taking notes.
ummmm are you sure about that? I didnt think Beethoven was Liszt's teacher- Czerny and Salieri were. When Liszt was a young boy, Beethoven kissed his forehead, but I really didnt think Beethoven taught Liszt.donjuan
His piano music, which was only composed to show off his technique, is void of real emotion or musical engenuity.
Chopin had a somewhat unfortunate life, true, and therefore almost all of his music is very similar, containing depressing themes and coveying his sadness, giving his collective works a somewhat bland flavor, or more appropriately a very distinctive character.
Chopin's music is quite varied. Take a set of pieces like the preludes. You can't say all of them - or even most of them - convey the same emotion (op28 # 1 and #3 depressing? sad?) There is an incredible amount of variety in those pieces.Look at the variation that exists in the waltzes, mazurkas, and even the polonaises - which are overall heroic pieces. Each one of the Scherzos are quite different. Same with the Ballades. The Barcarolle is very different from anything he wrote.
Yes, we all can experiment with arpeggios and scales or even GASP! double thirds... but is it music........
Liszt admired Chopin and Chopin admired Liszt. I, for one, will continue playing pieces by both composers and learn from what each had to say.
Why would you ever study Liszt over Chopin?
We aren't you, Chariana. People that aren't you think differently to you. Did you realise this?
Excuse me, but to anyone ever lived, an opinion is always rightfully granted. You cannot say that just because someones better than you, you cannot say you dislike their actions. "I HATE Scarlatti and I wish he never lived". I can say that, though it's quite an unrespectable quote. But I have all my right to think about anyone whatever I would like to think about them, and I have the same right for outbursting it in any situation or location. That is called the freedom of speach.quote]sorry i was more referring to the blunt outright comments such as the one this thread was started with because they're stupid and to a degree, ignorant. like why even make a thread to specifically insult a great composer/pianist? i'm not a fan of stupid arguments that are based primarily on subjective opinions and probably written just to flare a lot of tempers. and i'm probably being a complete hyprocrite right now so i think i'll just stop typing...
I knew I could get a rise out of youUs musicians are so predictable.....
k, we arent all american here..but, I'll say what I want to say as if I were:hmmm, will, ah reckn yo kand aint naided round this here neck uh the woods boy, now git!seriously, why the hell are you even here? This is a respectable forum with respectable people. Quit wasting our time!
hey now lets not be harsh. I appreciated Charinaweick for starting this thread, because I got to read this fun, interesting, and enlightening topic? Perhaps she doesn't hate Liszt, but was merely using the best method of getting good responses (for the most part): posing a negative question. Why are people flaming this person for what she wrote? After all, she was only asking why. She wasn't condemning liszt or anything. She just wanted to know the answer to a simple question. And I think she got more that she bargained for.
I knew I could get a rise out of you Us musicians are so predictable.....
Liszt is the most overrated pianist of all time