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Franz Liszt

Musician, Celebrity, Superstar
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Franz Liszt by Oliver Hilmes is a vivid biography that delves into the life of the renowned 19th-century composer and pianist. It explores Liszt's extraordinary career, his complex relationships, and his influential role in shaping modern music. The book provides a detailed portrait of his dynamic personality set against the rich cultural backdrop of his time.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3599
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This biography offers a captivating glimpse into the life of a classical music visionary. You might enjoy this book if you appreciate stories about trailblazing musicians, crave insight into 19th-century European culture, or are fascinated by the interplay between an artist's personal life and their creative genius.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An engrossing new biography of Franz Liszt, the musical revolutionary who became the world’s first international megastar.

"Makes a significant contribution to our knowledge of Liszt as a man and superstar. Hilmes shines a light into the shadows behind a life lived in the spotlight." —Andrew Taylor, Times

Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811–1886) was an anomaly. A virtuoso pianist and electrifying showman, he toured extensively throughout the European continent, bringing sold-out audiences to states of ecstasy while courting scandal with his frequent womanizing. Drawing on new, highly revealing documentary sources, including a veritable treasure trove of previously unexamined material on Liszt’s Weimar years, best-selling author Oliver Hilmes shines a spotlight on the extraordinary life and career of this singularly dazzling musical phenomenon.

Whereas previous biographies have focused primarily on the composer’s musical contributions, Hilmes showcases Liszt the man in all his many shades and personal reinventions: child prodigy, Romantic eccentric, fervent Catholic, actor, lothario, celebrity, businessman, genius, and extravagant show-off. The author immerses the reader in the intrigues of the nineteenth-century European glitterati (including Liszt’s powerful patrons, the monstrous Wagner clan) while exploring the true, complex face of the artist and the soul of his music. No other Liszt biography in English is as colourful, witty, and compulsively readable, or reveals as much about the true nature of this extraordinary, outrageous talent.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Franz Liszt by Oliver Hilmes receives praise for its insightful exploration of the composer's multifaceted life and character. Reviewers commend it for shedding light on both his extraordinary talents and complex personal relationships, often drawing on unpublished sources. The book is lauded for its objectivity, fluent translation, and vibrant, engaging narrative, offering a comprehensive and enthralling portrait of Liszt as both a man and a musical legend.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300228755

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 May 2018

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 20 b-w illus.

Contributors:

  • Translated by Mr. Stewart Spencer

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 544g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Oliver Hilmes, the author of several best-selling biographies, lives in Berlin, Germany. Stewart Spencer is an acclaimed translator whose work includes biographies of Gustav Mahler, Richard Wagner, Cosima Wagner, and W. A. Mozart.

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