I am sure you will like to know how Liszt looked as he sat at the piano. Here he sits playing. You see he had only a simple kind of piano. But he mastered it so thoroughly that he could make people wonder at his art. That is what we learn from the lives of famous people. They are always true to their talent.
After Liszt had traveled many years over Europe (he never visited the United States), he became conductor at the Court Theatre at Weimar. This new music work interested him so much that he gave up travel as a concert pianist. He helped many composers by having their operas performed at the Weimar Theatre. Some of the operas that had their first performance there are now famous indeed.
Among these were "Lohengrin," "Tannhauser" and "The Flying Dutchman" by Richard Wagner.
R. WAGNER - R. SCHUMANN - F. SCHUBERT
Then there were "Genoveva" and "Manfred" by Robert Schumann. Also "Alfonzo and Estrella" by Franz Schubert was given. It would have delighted Schubert's heart if he could have heard this; but he, poor man, had died some years before.
Then Liszt did something else at Weimar that endeared him to hosts of pianists. He held classes and taught the secrets of his wonderful playing to those who were talented and could understand. He was the soul of generosity. When someone, who was gifted but could not pay, came for advice, he gave it freely. When concerts did not pay, he himself often took the loss so that others should not suffer.
Is it not wonderful to think of a man, so loved by the public, giving with such great generosity? Truly it is better to give than to receive.