Lovas Csilla szerk.: Liszt Ferenc és Szekszárd / Szekszárdi füzetek 4. (Szekszárd: WMMM, 2011)

es zum Wohltätigkeitskonzert des Szekszárder Frauenverbandes am 25. September. Am 22. Oktober wurde sein Geburtstag mit einem Fackelzug gefeiert und die Redner baten ihn, endgültig in Ungarn zu bleiben. Sein vierter Besuch in Szekszárd fand zwischen 21 und 31 Oktober 1876 statt. Antal Augusz starb zwei Jahre später. Nach dem Tod seines Freundes, von dem der Komponist schwer betroffen war, kam Liszt nie wieder nach Szekszárd. FRANZ LISZT IN SZEKSZÁRD Franz Liszt (born in Doborján, Hungary, today the town of Raiding in Austria, on October 22, 181*1, and died at Bayreuth, Germany on July 31, 1886), the most significant 19th-century composer of Romantic music, the greatest and most celebrated pianist of all time and the inventor of the modern piano recital, was invited to visit Szekszárd four times in his life. His father, Adam Liszt, worked in Doborján as an official in the service of Prince Esterházy. His mother Maria Anna Lager came from a modest Austrian craftsman family. Liszt himself insisted both verbally and in writing that he was Hungarian. After his concert tour around Europe, the great artist arrived in Pozsony on December 18, 1839, and thus his triumphal march in Hungary started. On January 4, 1841, he was granted a ceremonial sword by Count Leo Festetics, who made a speech in the Hungarian language. Liszt replied in French and his words were translated into Hungarian by Anton Augusz. Anton Augusz was one of the guests invited to the dinner party given by Franz Liszt in Pozsony in honour of his friends. For forty years afterwards, their relations never ceased. Anton Augusz (1807-1878), who came from a landowner family from Tolna County, travelled through most of Europe in his youth. Besides his love for music, he also showed keen interest in museums, libraries, the western industry and agriculture. He was a skilled singer with a pleasant voice. He was also one of the famous Reform Generation in Tolna County and from 1843 to 1848 he was a deputy sheriff. His role during the period of Absolutism in 1848-49 is rather controversial; however, his efforts to boost and advance the Hungarian musical life were recognized. Liszt was first invited to Szekszárd to stay as a guest in Anton Auguszs home from October 13 to 24 in 1846. After Liszt's concerts in Sopron and Pest, Augusz himself went up to Pest to pick him up and they travelled to Tolna by boat. Young people joined in a torchlight procession to extend a warm welcome to Liszt as he and Augusz travelled from Tolna to Szekszárd in a carriage. At 12.00 o'clock on October 18, Liszt gave a concert in the ceremonial room of the County Hall, which was such a huge success that he was asked to give a second concert in the evening. Szekszárd was the first Hungarian town where Liszt had the opportunity to come in contact with the rural society of the country. Under this influence, he soon realized that he belonged here and that, with his music, he was supposed to be of service to this country. He composed the Hungarian Rhapsody (Rhapsody No. 8) here, which he dedicated to Anton Augusz. He also paid a visit to the Bishop of Pécs. This is when he first used Hungarian poetry for his musical composition. It was the poem "A patakhoz" (To the stream) by János Garay that he put to music for the glee-club in Pécs. After his first visit to Szekszárd, it was only five years later that Liszt made contact with Anton Augusz in 1851. Anton Augusz, however, followed the musician's career carefully. He played a very important role in having Liszt's Missa Solennis (Esztergomi mise) accepted and performed in 1855-56.