It is essential to verify the accuracy of information through multiple sources. Revue des Romantiques cites all sources consulted and also relevant sources that could be used for further research at the bottom of each post. There are authors, musicologists, or works that the musical community generally agrees on regarding accuracy. Listed below are some sources, primary and secondary, that are commonly used to fact-check or research topics within the music research community and by Revue des Romantiques analyses. These listed sources are also excellent to consult for those who want to study broad topics in more depth.
As with all research that relies heavily on information sourced over a century ago, one must be cautious of both accuracy and potential author biases. This is especially true for Franz Liszt, whose heavily clouded and controversial fame, compounded by the lack of any autobiography or information written by Liszt himself (with the exception of individual private letters or published reviews of other musicians), hinders efficient and precise investigation. Fortunately, as of the late twentieth century, interest in Liszt’s music and life has grown significantly, resulting in a higher overall quality of research content.
It is of utmost importance to understand that inaccurate information, especially about romantic composers, is not necessarily useless information. In fact, inaccuracy may facilitate a deeper analysis of why these inaccuracies have become part of common knowledge, whether it is due to the complexities of European culture or the stubbornness of conservatives within the musical circle. Generally, especially for Liszt, the newer the source, the more accurate it tends to be. Previously undiscovered primary musical content is discovered every single day, leading to more successful research endeavors. It is essential to recognize imprecision and utilize it effectively, rather than discarding it as unusable material.
Commonly used Sources for Liszt
- Franz Liszt, The Virtuoso Years, 1811-1847. Alan Walker. 1983.
- Franz Liszt, The Weimar Years, 1848-1861. Alan Walker. 1989.
- Franz Liszt, The Final Years, 1861-1886. Alan Walker. 1996.
Alan Walker’s biographies of Franz Liszt are the gold standard accepted by essentially all within the Liszt scholarly community. They represent the epitome of research and conciseness, delivered in a professional and informative manner. However, since they are decades old, some information may be outdated or left out. This amount is relatively negligible compared to the overall quality of the work.
- Franz Liszt. Oliver Hilmes. 2016.
- Franz Liszt: a story of Central European subjectivity. Erika Quinn. 2014.
- The Music of Liszt. Humphrey Searle. 2012.
Humphrey Searle’s work is particularly fascinating because it also extends beyond the book itself. In fact, the entire Liszt musical numbering system (Hoboken numbers for Haydn, K numbers for Mozart…) was devised by Searle, hence S-numbers.
- Liszt Ferenc: A Complete Thematic Catalogue. Leslie Howard, Michael Short, Minkyu Kim, Aidan Modica. 2025-
This new thematic catalogue will eventually consist of 8 volumes, covering all of Liszt’s works. As of September 2025, only one volume has been published. Nevertheless, this catalogue is much more up to date than the old Searle Catalogue. This is due to many new discoveries as well as general reorganization in the catalogue.
- Franz Liszt and his World. Christopher Gibbs and Dana Gooley. 2006.
- The Virtuoso Liszt. Dana Gooley. 2004.
Dana Gooley’s books are particularly helpful when read in conjunction with Alan Walker’s, as Gooley’s works are noticeably based on Walker’s but offer corrected and updated information, as well as include new sources discovered after Walker’s publications.
- Franz Liszt, Artist And Man. 1811-1840 V2. Lina Ramann. 1882.
Lina Ramann’s book is quite special in the sense that it contains high amounts of inaccuracies. Ramann was alive during Liszt’s era and was, in fact, one of his only biographers. Liszt did not want to write his own autobiography and showed little interest in others writing one for him. Ramann was also heavily pressured by Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, Liszt’s second mistress, to intentionally elevate Liszt to a pedestal while defaming Marie d’Agoult, Liszt’s first mistress, perhaps out of jealousy or envy.The inaccuracies within Ramann’s biography of Liszt help paint a picture of how significant Liszt’s influence and legend really were. It is helpful while reading not to take the words at face value, but instead think thoroughly about the text’s relation to European society and politics.
- Nelida. Daniel Stern (Marie d’Agoult). 1846.
Marie d’Agoult’s novel differs in that it does not directly discuss Liszt or provide concrete facts. D’Agoult was famously one of Liszt’s mistresses, with whom he often eloped. Due to complications with both d’Agoult’s husband and Liszt’s prolific social life, as well as Liszt’s increasing obsession with musical meaning and performance, this relationship soured. As a sort of “last laugh”, near the end of this relationship, d’Agoult published Nelida, a fictional novel whose “antagonist” very clearly is supposed to represent Liszt. Nelida, the protagonist based on Marie d’Agoult herself, is seen to be emotionally tossed by Gummerman (Liszt). It was a bitter novel that aroused public attention and attempted to ruin Liszt’s public image.
- An Artist’s Journey. Franz Liszt. 1989 (modern publishing date).
- Life of Chopin. Franz Liszt. 1851.
As mentioned above, Liszt left no autobiography or even full-length journals about himself that historians can use as primary sources. What he did leave, however, was his thoughts about other things, whether it be the state of music within Europe, the beautiful views of the Swiss Alps, or his thoughts on his fellow composers and colleagues. One must keep in mind that Liszt’s own writings, especially those from his early years (1830s and 1840s), were heavily influenced by social and political issues.