Liszt as a composer?

[mralkanesque]

I was wondering what you guys think of Liszt as a composer. I have heard some say that his music is not worthwhile, yet others say it is the work of genius. Why? Are there any reasons for this? what are your personal views on Liszt? I'm curious to find out.

[antichrist]

Someone like Glenn Gould disliked Liszt because he found Liszt's music to be empty.
While it might be true but I still find some pieces extremely exciting
e.g. the transcendental etudes, hungarian fantasy .. etc
 

[awesom_o]

Someone like Glenn Gould disliked Liszt because he found Liszt's music to be empty.

 

He certainly liked Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's 5th and 6th symphonies!

[gvans]

Liszt, in many ways the arch-romantic, wrote what he pleased as he was inspired. Unlike, say, Brahms, who burned anything he did not deem perfect, Liszt did not worry so much about what he published. He did go back and re-write many works, though. Because of all this, his canon is somewhat uneven. There are undoubtedly masterpieces--his piano sonata in B minor, the piano concertos, and others. There are also pieces that are Sonata Sogood.

[kakeithewolf]

Personally, Liszt is probably my favourite composer. There's a certain je ne sais quoi to his writings that I don't find in other composers.

To me, it seems like his works gravitate towards the less structured, whilst remaining in a certain degree of intricacy and complexity. Naturally, the concept of self-defined form and rule fascinates me. And as such, it translates to a listening experience I can truly appreciate, enjoy, and connect with.