Unpacking the Past

Before Franz Liszt came along, concerts were chaotic mashups with no headliners and no structure. But in the 1840s, Liszt flipped the script—turning the piano recital into a solo spectacle packed with improvisation, charisma, and pure 19th-century drama. From coining the word recital to making fans faint mid-performance, Liszt didn’t just change how concerts worked—he turned them into events. This article explores how Liszt’s “flex parties” transformed classical music forever.