"'He also talked about his musical ancestors...Beethoven begat Czerny,' I recited as best I could, 'Czerny begat Liszt. Liszt begat Lecherovsky—or someone. And Lecherovsky begat...Keller.'" - Paul Crabbe, Page 19-20
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) - Distinguished pianist and later one of the most influential composers of all time. Born in Bonn, Germany, and died in Vienna, Austria. He studied under Joseph Haydn and performed concert tours before beginning his first two opuses in 1795. One of the most notable figures in classical music, Beethoven composed 138 opuses. He continued to compose, conduct, and perform after he began to lose his hearing in 1796, and for the last decade or more of his life he was completely deaf.
Carl Czerny - (1791-1857) - Composer and pianist. Born and died in Vienna, Austria. Beethoven attended one of Czerny's performances in his parents' home and was so impressed that he took on the 10 year old as a student. While less than confident in his performance abilities, Czerny was a successful teacher with many notable students, particularly Franz Liszt. A composer of many works, he is best remembered for his books of études for the piano.
Franz Liszt (1811-1886) - Composer and pianist. Born in Raiding, Hungary, and died in Bayreuth, Germany. Studied under Czerny and Saleiri in Vienna, and afterward in Paris. Went to Weimar in 1848 as conductor of the court orchestra and made Weimar one of Europe's musical centers. Renowned for his skills as a performer, Liszt was also a distinguished and prolific composer, teacher, and conductor. He was a member of the ultra-modern, New German School of composition.
Theodor Leschetizky (1831-1915) - Composer and pianist. Born in Łańcut, Poland, and died in Dresden, Germany. Leschetizky began teaching piano at age 14 and was one of the most celebrated piano teachers of his time. He moved to St. Petersburg, Russia from 1852-1877, where he helped found the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music. Afterward he returned to Vienna, where he established one of the most eminent private piano studios in history.
