1830s–1840sReputable sourceWell documented

The Age of the Virtuoso: Liszt

On the timeline · around 1830s–1840s · The Romantic Era

What happened

The Hungarian pianist and composer Franz Liszt became the first true musical superstar, touring Europe and driving audiences to a frenzy — a phenomenon dubbed 'Lisztomania.' Inspired by the demonic violin virtuosity of Niccolò Paganini, Liszt pushed piano technique to dazzling extremes and is credited with inventing the solo piano recital.

Why it matters

Liszt turned the performer into a celebrity and the recital into a form of spectacle, elevating instrumental virtuosity to an art and prefiguring the modern star culture of popular music.

Sources

World History Encyclopedia. Franz Liszt · Reputable source

Part of a timelineHistory of Music67 events · From a 40,000-year-old bone flute to AI-generated songs — the instruments, ideas, and voices that shaped how humanity makes music, every milestone sourced.View all →