A major, iconic figure of the romantic period, the inventor of the piano recital, Franz Liszt, with his twelve Transcendental Études, brought technical virtuosity up to a level never reached before him. Beyond technically challenging the performer, these flamboyant, evocative pages feed on the composer's observation of nature and readings. The fantastic dimension mingles with the idyllic, the epic borders on contemplation and such combined visions foreshadow the music of the future.