Liszt was born in Hungary.His early talent in music was rewarded by the support of a group of Hungarian nobles who subsidized his studies in Paris. There he became a teacher and sponsor of many brilliant musicians, that included Frederic Chopiin.

In 1848 he moved to Weimar where he began his career as a composer. He developed the rhapsody as a form of serious music. The 'Hungarian Rhapsodies', in which he used gypsy music and folk dance tunes, are his best remembered compositions

In his early life, he was an extravagant virtuoso, the darling of the ladies, and a creator of new and adventurous music.

In his old age, he turned to the church, becoming a priest, writing sacred music, and championing the music of a new generation.