vir·tu·o·so

Noun: virtuoso; plural noun: virtuosi; virtuosos

Definition: a person highly skilled in music or
another artistic pursuit.
Example: “a celebrated clarinet virtuoso”
FRANZ LISZT (1811-1886)
• Franz Liszt was first the piano
virtuoso
• He could do things no one else
could, such as:
• Rapid double octaves
• Trills with the 4th and 5th fingers
• Extremely fast passagework
• Born in Hungary
• Child prodigy
• First concerts at age 9
• Excellent at
improvisation
• Became a superstar
• Liszt had a great influence
• He composed flashy piano pieces
• Invented the Tone Poem
• Was very popular with women
• Most famous piece: Hungarian
Rhapsody No. 2
Niccolo Paganini (1782–1840)
 Niccolo Paganini

• Was the first virtuoso violinist

• He composed incredibly hard pieces
• Was Italian, and thus rather exotic
• Was also very popular with women
• Was in league with the Devil himself
• Most famous work: 24 Caprices