Editing Franz Liszt (section)

=== Paris ===
[[File:Nîmes,Beaux Arts086,Liszt vers 14-15 ans.jpg|thumb|Liszt in 1826 by {{ill|Jean Vignaud|fr}}]]

Having made significant sums from his concerts, Liszt and his family moved to Paris in 1823, with the hope of his attending the [[Conservatoire de Paris]]. Even with a letter of recommendation from Chancellor [[Klemens von Metternich]], director [[Luigi Cherubini]] refused his entry, however, as the Conservatoire did not accept foreigners. Nevertheless, Liszt studied under [[Anton Reicha]] and [[Ferdinando Paer]], and gave a series of highly successful concerts debuting on 8 March 1824. Paer was involved in the Parisian theatrical and operatic scene, and through his connections Liszt staged his only opera, ''[[Don Sanche]]'', which premiered shortly before his fourteenth birthday. The premiere was warmly received, but the opera only ran for four performances, and is now obscure.{{sfn|Whitelaw|2021}} Accompanied by his father, Liszt toured France and England, where he played for [[George IV|King George IV]].{{sfn|Walker|1973|pp=24-26}}

Adam Liszt died suddenly of [[typhoid fever]] in the summer of 1827, and for the next eight years Liszt continued to live in Paris with his mother.{{sfn|Whitelaw|2021}} He gave up touring, and in order to earn money, he gave lessons on piano and composition, often from early morning until late at night. His students were scattered across the city and he had to cover long distances. Because of this, he kept uncertain hours and also took up smoking and drinking, habits he would continue throughout his life.{{sfn|Searle|1995|p=30}}{{sfn|Walker|1987|p=131}} During this period Liszt fell in love with one of his pupils, Caroline de Saint-Cricq, the daughter of [[Charles X of France|Charles X]]'s minister of commerce, [[Pierre de Saint-Cricq]]. Her father, however, insisted that the affair be broken off.{{sfn|Walker|1973|pp=26-27}}

[[File:Caroline de Saint-Cricq - 1830.png|thumb|Caroline de Saint-Cricq, 1828]]

Liszt fell very ill, to the extent that an obituary notice was printed in a Paris newspaper, and he underwent a long period of religious doubts and introspection. He stopped playing the piano and giving lessons, and developed an intense interest in religion, having many conversations with [[Hugues Felicité Robert de Lamennais|Abbé de Lamennais]] and [[Chrétien Urhan]], a German-born violinist who introduced him to the [[Saint-Simonianism|Saint-Simonists]]. Lamennais dissuaded Liszt from becoming a monk or priest.{{sfn|Walker|1973|pp=27-28}} Urhan was an early champion of Schubert, inspiring Liszt's own lifelong love of [[Schubert's song cycles|Schubert's songs]]. Much of Urhan's emotive music which moved beyond the [[Classical period (music)|Classical]] paradigm, such as ''Elle et moi, La Salvation angélique'' and ''Les Regrets'', may have helped to develop Liszt's taste and style.{{sfn|Walker|1987|pp=137–138}}

During this period Liszt came into contact with many of the leading authors and artists of his day, including [[Victor Hugo]], [[Alphonse de Lamartine]], [[George Sand]] and [[Alfred de Vigny]]. He composed practically nothing in the years between his father's death and the [[July Revolution|July Revolution of 1830]], which inspired him to sketch a symphony based on the events of the "three glorious days" (this piece was left unfinished, and later reworked as ''[[Héroïde funèbre (Liszt)|Héroïde funèbre]]'').{{sfn|Whitelaw|2021}} Liszt met [[Hector Berlioz]] on 4 December 1830, the day before the premiere of the ''[[Symphonie fantastique]]''. Berlioz's music made a strong impression on Liszt, and the two quickly became friends.{{sfn|Macdonald|2005|loc=§17}}{{sfn|Bloom|1998|p=64}} Liszt also befriended [[Frédéric Chopin]] around this time.{{sfn|Walker|1973|p=36}}

[[File:Niccolo Paganini.jpg|thumb|upright|Niccolò Paganini (1828)]]

After attending a concert featuring [[Niccolò Paganini]] in April 1832,{{sfn|Eckhardt|Mueller|Walker|2001|loc=§5}} Liszt resolved to become as great a virtuoso on the piano as Paganini was on the violin. He dramatically increased his practice, sometimes practising for up to fourteen hours a day, and in 1838 published the six ''Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini'' (later revised as ''[[Grandes études de Paganini]]''), aiming to represent Paganini's virtuosity on the keyboard.{{sfn|Walker|1973|pp=31-32}} The process of Liszt completely redeveloping his technique is often described as a direct result of attending Paganini's concert, but it is likely that he had already begun this work previously, during the period 1828{{endash}}1832.{{sfn|Davison|2006|pp=38-39}}