Even though Chopin and Liszt were both great musicians during the same decade and only a year apart in age Chopin had a great influence on Liszt. In his own way I think Liszt was following Chopin in his musicality. "Chopin's creative output and pianistic style were to have a great refining influence on Liszt, particularly in directing him to the best and most serious of the piano literature." (172) Liszt may well have been all technique and unrestraint without Chopin's musical guidance. Chopin directed him to Beethoven, by 1832 Lizst had mastered all of his sonatas but when he performed them he did not give the composers name because Beethoven was considered boring. (172) So why was Liszt so idolized during his time and Beethoven not? Did temperament have anything to do with it? Liszt seemed to have an ideal temperament for performance, he enjoyed the status and glory, he liked being the center of attention.

Addressing the lessons Liszt gave to Valerie I found it useful reading. The importance of octave study I thought was especially true as well as the "elementary exercise" he talks about, the one for freeing your fingers. I think both of these exercises would be useful to remember in my own practicing as well as for teaching later on. Another point I want to remember as a pianist and teacher one day is the idea of not having "purposeless mechanical study." Liszt states it nicely, he wants us to "always search for expression." I think it is easy to forget about the musicality of scales and finger exercises. One tends to just play through them with no regard for shaping and dynamics. The point he makes about having patients with yourself and not cutting conners is another good thing to remember not only as a student but for teaching as well.