• Born: October 22, 1811, in Raiding, Hungary (now Austria)
• Died: July 31, 1886, in Bayreuth, Germany
Liszt was a:
• Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.
• One of the most famous and influential musicians of the 19th century.
• Known for his virtuoso piano technique and his innovative compositions.
• He composed many works for piano, including the 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, the Sonata in B minor, and the Transcendental Études.
• He also wrote orchestral works, including the symphonic poems Les Préludes, Orpheus, and Tasso, Lamento e Trionfo, and the Faust Symphony.
• Liszt was also a brilliant pianist and toured Europe and the Americas extensively. He retired from performing in 1847 to focus on composing and teaching. He established the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, which is still one of the most prestigious music schools in the world.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Born: January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria
• Died: December 5, 1791, in Vienna, Austria
Mozart was:
• An Austrian composer, pianist, violinist, and conductor.
• One of the most influential and beloved composers in the history of Western music.
• Known for his exceptional talent and precocity. He composed his first opera at the age of 12 and wrote over 600 works in his lifetime, including operas, symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and other chamber music.
• Some of his most famous works include the operas The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, and Don Giovanni; the symphonies No. 40 in G minor and No. 41 in C major (Jupiter); and the concertos for piano, violin, and clarinet.
• Mozart was a child prodigy and began composing at a very young age. He toured Europe extensively with his father and sister and was admired for his musical talent and charm. He settled in Vienna in the late 1780s and worked as a freelance composer, producing some of his greatest works during this time.
• Mozart died at the age of 35, leaving behind a legacy of masterpieces that continue to be performed and enjoyed around the world.