In the style of Mike Rowe’s “The Way I Heard It” and Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” this episode of the Piano Parent Podcast brings you the backstory of a simple little song that keeps finding its way to the top of international charts and in the hearts of multiple generations.
Listen to the full episode here
Have you ever found yourself in an embarrassing situation? Have you ever been caught in a lie? If so, then you can sympathize with one of the characters in today’s story. On the flip side, what would y ou do if you learned someone had lied about you? Would you call them out? Would you ‘teach them a lesson’? Let’s find out what really happened in today’s Musical Mystery, Opus 1, No. 5, “He Taught Her a Lesson”.
Making a Name for Yourself
Like most aspiring performers, she was only trying to make a name for herself, get her foot in the door, catch the attention of the masses. These days, all you need is an active Instagram account and you’re suddenly an influencer. (I always find it funny to see Instagram accounts with lots of followers and no posts. Exactly what are the followers following??) Not so in the mid 1800’s. It’s safe to say that our leading lady did not have an online presence so she would have to find another means of stirring up publicity, and authority.
She wanted to play the piano. She was good at it. So good, in fact, that she knew she could make a career as a performing artist. But who would listen to her; more importantly, who would PAY to come to her concerts if she didn’t have some hook? Some validity? Some clout? She knew audiences would love her if she could only get them in the door, but how could she attract them?
In those days, much like today, you could often get farther through your connections, the people you know, more than your ability alone. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. She needed to attach herself to a name that would draw a crowd. There were plenty of pianists during that time period, Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms. She wasn’t far removed from Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven. The list could go on and on. If only she had studied with a well-known teacher or had ever been on stage with one of these 19th century rockstars, she could use that in her advertisements.
Who Would Know?
Whether innocently or maliciously, she devised a plan for her upcoming performance in Germany. For the premiere of her Berlin recital, she decided to employ an advertising tactic that was sure to sell tickets. She decided to make the claim that she was a pupil of THE most famous solo performer of their time. After all, he spent most of his time in Paris so surely he’d never be aware of what she was claiming 1,000 kilometers away, in Berlin.
Fortunately for our not-so-fair maiden, this was well before the time of mass media or even social media and news traveled slowly. Who, besides her, would know her claims were not true? Who would bother to fact-check her billboards, at least not until after she left town?
Whose Shadow Should She Hide Behind?
The man she chose to declare as her tutor had made a great name for himself in solo performance. In fact, until he did it, no one thought a piano soloist could carry an evening of entertainment. But entertaining audiences came almost as naturally to this celebrity as his musical flair at the piano.
Audiences were thrilled to see his grand entrances from the wings of the stage, a new innovation at the time. Their rhapsodic screams erupted when he made a show of slowly removing his gloves before he began to play. Recognizing the effect his 6’1” frame and chiseled jawline had on the assembled spectators, he chose to turn the piano at a 90 degree angle to give them full view of his musical technique and expression. It wasn’t uncommon for him to have the piano turned during intermission so his fans could gaze at his other side during the second half of his program.
Ladies in the crowd would throw momentos onto the stage hoping to catch his eye. They would hang around after the concert hoping to get a closer look or maybe grasp a lock of his hair. He sometimes would cleverly “forget” his gloves on the piano for adoring fans to fight over.
Yes, this was the perfect candidate to give our would-be femme fetale the credentials she needed for a successful reception in Berlin. As the day of her concert approached, she extensively advertised that she had been a pupil of the acclaimed and highly respected performer.
Her plan seemed to be working and she was ready to present a stellar performance before an enthusiastic crowd.
He Taught Her a Lesson
On the day of her opening recital, she began the morning like any other. Possibly eating toast with butter and jam while sipping a cup of hot tea. She picked up the daily newspaper and her heart sank as she saw the headline that must have read something like, “University of Berlin suspends classes for Franz Liszt Berlin Tour”.
What a horrible turn of events!
She would surely be exposed as the fraud she was. Her reputation would be ruined, not to mention her dreams of becoming a world-renowned concert pianist. She had no other choice, she must to go to Mr. Liszt and confess her sin to him and hope she could bear the consequences that would follow.
Mercifully, she was granted an appointment with the virtuoso at his lodging in the city. With hardly an introduction, her words, mixed with tears, rushed out as she confessed her misconduct. After what seemed like an eternity, the great Franz Liszt calmly asked her to name the selections she would be performing later that evening. He chose one from the list and invited her to sit at his piano and play it for him.
Can you even imagine playing for such a giant on your best day? Can you fathom playing for him on this, your worst? Surely her fingers trembled as they moved across the keys. No doubt she was grateful to have the music committed to memory as reading the score would have been impossible with her blurry eyes.
She played the final strains of the melody and waited.
To her amazement, no wrath came. Instead, Franz Liszt commented on various points of the composition with improvements she could make to her performance. Then, with a gentle smile, he wished her luck and said, “Now, my dear, you may call yourself a pupil of Liszt.”
Take a Page from the Liszt Playbook
With this single gesture of unmerited kindness, he turned her lies into the truth. Rather than sending her away in shame and disgrace, he helped her save face.
We don’t have a record of anything about this woman after her meeting with Liszt. In fact, history has forgotten her name. I think that’s for the best. After all, it is not her actions we should strive to emulate, but his.
This is not the only time Franz Liszt extended grace and mercy. There are many stories of his encouragement to young, up-and-coming composers and performers. When Richard Wagner’s music wasn’t making a connection with the audience, Liszt stood and applauded him with raised hands. The audience recognized Liszt in his box seat and turned to applaud him. Liszt, however, gave his attention to the orchestra, demanding an encore. Finally, the audience began giving the orchestra and composer the adulation they deserved.
On another occasion, Liszt learned that the Budapest press was actually encouraging audiences to stay away from Wagner’s upcoming concert; ticket sales were dismal. Liszt announced that he would be opening the concert with his performance of Beethoven’s Concerto in E Flat Major. Overnight, the concert was sold out!
Franz Liszt used his influence to bring attention to others and support them in their musical careers, even if they eclipsed his own.
These days, when tension is running high and uncertainty is more certain that ever, let’s take a page from the Liszt playbook and extend extra kindness and patience with each other.
Resources
To write this story, I used the following resources. I encourage you to read them to learn many other interesting things about Franz Liszt.
“Obie’s Opus” by Obie Yadgar, page 190
Etude: the Music Magazine, Volume 26, Issue 8 (August 1908), page 494
NPR Music News, “How Franz Liszt Became the World’s First Rock Star”
Tribute to Franz Liszt in his Bi-Centenary Year
“Spiritual Moments with the Great Composer” by Patrick Kavanaugh, pages 135-136, 23-24
Listen to More Musical Mysteries
Click one of the pictures below or follow this link to view the entire Musical Mystery archive.
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