Franz Liszt (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, and teacher of the Romantic period. A celebrated touring performer whose fame sparked "Lisztomania," he befriended and promoted many contemporaries and helped lead the progressive New German School. He pioneered the symphonic poem and thematic transformation, and is best known for works such as the Hungarian Rhapsodies and the Piano Sonata in B minor.
