Franz Liszt

Portrait of Franz Liszt painted by Henri Lehmann in 1839.

Franz Liszt had an incredible life, spanning much of the 19th century. He was the equivalent of a rock star in his youth, when he traveled through Europe giving piano recitals. Liszt had a brilliant, charismatic personality, and yet he was a charming and nice man: a true romantic. There is too much to say about him, so I highly recommend the biography by Alan Walker. It is three volumes, but they are page-turners.