Franz Liszt to Countess D'Agoult

Franz Liszt (October 22, 1811 - July 31, 1886), born in Raiding, Hungary, was a Hungarian-born child prodigy who grew up to become one of the most influential composers of the 19th century.

By the age of six he was displaying exceptional musical ability. He gave his first concert at the age of 9, and by 11 had published his first piano piece and performed in Vienna before some of Europe's most eminent musicians.

Liszt took Paris by storm with his virtuoso performances. Works such as the Piano Sonata in B and the Dante Symphony made him one of the most influential composers of his era.

It was during these years in Paris that Liszt met the young and beautiful Countess Marie D'Agoult. She was unhappily married and in a separation. She fell madly in love with Liszt. Eventually, they became a couple.

A man of strong religious feeling, passion, and intelligence, Liszt retired to Rome in 1861, and joined the Franciscan order in 1865. From 1869 onwards Abbe Liszt divided his time between Rome and Weimar, where during the summer months he continued to receive pupils gratis. From 1876 up until his death at Bayreuth on July 31, 1886, he also taught for several months every year at the Hungarian Conservatoire of Budapest.

Thursday morning 1834

My heart overflows with emotion and joy! I do not know what heavenly languor, what infinite pleasure permeates it and burns me up. It is as if I had never loved!!! Tell me whence these uncanny disturbances spring, these inexpressible foretastes of delight, these divine, tremors of love. Oh! all this can only spring from you, sister, angel, woman, Marie! All this can only be, is surely nothing less than a gentle ray streaming from your fiery soul, or else some secret poignant teardrop which you have long since left in my breast.

My God, my God, never force us apart, take pity on us! But what am I saying? Forgive my weakness, how couldst Thou divide us! Thou wouldst have nothing but pity for us...No no! It is not in vain that
our flesh and our souls quicken and become immortal through Thy Word, which cries out deep within us Father, Father...out Thy hand to us, that our broken hearts seek their refuge in Thee...O! we thank, bless and praise Thee, O God, for all that Thou has given us, and all that Thou hast prepared for us....

This is to be -- to be!

Marie! Marie!

Oh let me repeat that name a hundred times, a thousand times over; for three days now it has lived within me, oppressed me, set me afire. I am not writing to you, no, I am close beside you. I see you, I hear you. Eternity in your arms... Heaven, Hell, everything, all is within you, redoubled... Oh! Leave me free to rave in my delirium. Drab, tame, constricting reality is no longer enough for me. We must live our lives to the full, loving and suffering to extremes!...

Franz