Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Franz Liszt has been described by one biographer as `one of the most wonderful human beings that ever lived, and one of the greatest and most original artists of the nineteenth century'. Born in Hungary in 1811, he rapidly achieved fame throughout Europe as a fabulously gifted pianist, and in the course of his long life - he died in 1886 - he visited almost every country in the continent, including three tours of the British Isles. The adulation bestowed upon him was so extraordinary that it gave rise to the term `Lisztomania'. In Portrait of Liszt Adrian Williams has put together a kaleidoscope of eyewitness accounts and anecdotes - many that are likely to be new even to Liszt specialists - extracted from the diaries, letters, and reminiscences of those who knew Liszt as man, pianist, and teacher. These appear side by side with newspaper reviews and passages from Liszt's own letters and writings. The linking narrative provides information about his activities, movements, and concerts, and gives more detail than any previous publication of Liszt's visits to England, Scotland, and Ireland. There emerges a uniquely comprehensive look at one of the most prodigiously gifted of all musicians as well as an absorbing view of European musical and artistic life in the nineteenth century.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This biography is told through the words of Liszt's contemporaries presented in several hundred medium-length quotes. These passages give vivid first-person accounts of Liszt and provide valuable insights into his character. The quotes form the core of the book. Williams has provided his own connecting narrative, within which are further, shorter quotes to illuminate various points. The format is at first confusing: it is difficult to keep track of who the speaker is because, although each quote is identified, the placement of this information is not standardized. Also, the mixture of footnotes to make points of clarification and endnotes to cite references is a cumbersome necessity of this structure. Quotes appear in normal size type; the connecting narrative is set smaller, so small as to make for uncomfortable reading. Nevertheless, even though the book is not easily read as a unit, the wealth of material and mass of detail will keep readers coming back again and again for these interesting first-hand accounts. Williams's connecting material is marvelously detailed and provides an excellent sense of continuity. He does not discuss Liszt's music except as it happens to appear within the narrative. Each year of Liszt's life receives a separate chapter. With a good bibliography and index, this book will be useful to any library as a supplement to the standard narrative biographies, e.g., Derek Watson's Liszt (CH, Dec'89) and Alan Walker's ongoing Franz Liszt (CH, Sep'83, Dec'89). -C. Cai, Kenyon College

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Freelance writer,