The Classical Roots of Musical Celebrity: Beethoven, Paganini, and Liszt

“Franz Liszt Fantasizing at the Piano,” 1840, by Josef Danhauser. The painting shows an imagined gathering of celebrities of the day, with Franz Liszt is seated at the keyboard, Paganini standing in the center background, and all gathered regarding a bust of Beethoven. State Museum of Berlin. Public Domain

It is no secret that music has a special attraction for young people. It is often an integral part of their identity and the primary source of their role models, for good or ill (with the “ill,” in particular, standing out). Rock stars and hip-hop artists become distant mentors that exacerbate negative emotions and create unrealistic expectations for life.

There was a time when musical celebrities were not all white noise and hot air. Rock stardom, in fact, has its roots in that politest of genres: classical music. The inspirations of these figures were quite different from what motivated the Rolling Stones, though, and their achievements were on a much larger scale as well.

Beethoven: The Creative Genius

Europe’s social order began to change in the 19th century. The Napoleonic Wars brought the demise of many small states and their aristocratic courts that patronized artists. As industrialization gave rise to a middle class, many musicians turned to the marketplace to make their living through teaching, performing, and composing on commission.