Franz Liszt was born in Hungary in 1811. His father was a talented amateur musician who played the cello in court concerts. At the age of five, he began receiving piano lessons from his father and began to compose at the age of eight. He was only nine when he made his first public appearance as a concert pianist at Sopron and Pozsony (now Bratislava, Slovakia) before studying in Vienna.

Liszt was a prolific composer. He is best known for his piano works, which are often marked by their difficulty. Among his many notable compositions are his 12 symphonic poems, two (completed) piano concerti, several sacred choral works, and a great variety of solo piano pieces.