Franz Liszt (Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc; pronounced [?l?st ?f?r?nts]) (October 22, 1811 ? July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian composer, teacher and virtuoso of the 19th century. He was a renowned performer throughout Europe, noted especially for his showmanship and great skill with the piano. To this day, he is considered by some to have been the greatest pianist in history.[1] He used both his technique and his concert personality not only for personal effect but also, through his transcriptions, to spread knowledge of other composers' music.[2] As a composer, Liszt was one of the most prominent representatives of the "Neudeutsche Schule" ("New German School"). He left behind a huge oeuvre, including works from nearly all musical genres. In his compositions he developed new methods, both imaginative and technical, which influenced his forward-looking contemporaries and anticipated some 20th-century ideas and trends. These included his inventing the symphonic poem for orchestra, evolving the concept of thematic transformation as part of his experiments in musical form and making radical departures in harmony.[3]