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Piano Rivals is the working title of a documentary about the two leading pianists and piano composers in Europe during the romantic era, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. It is the second part of a planned trilogy with focus on classical music and how it connects with history and people. The first was “Beethoven – Freedom of the Will” which received prizes at film festivals in Japan, Singapore and Sweden. Piano Rivals will tell the story of two composers from small countries in the middle of Europe, squeezed between much more powerful countries and their interests. Neither Poland nor Hungary existed as independent nations, ruled by Russia and the Habsburg monarchy respectively. Both Chopin and Liszt associated strongly with their nations. Born only a year apart, both composers became symbols for their countries and their fight for independence. This lives on until this day. In the world, only two airports situated in a capital bearing the name of a composer: Ferenc Liszt airport in Budapest, and Chopin Airport in Warsaw. The film will be filled with music, of course. The music is the main reason these composers touched and inspired people, and the music performed will show this. As is the case in “Beethoven – Freedom of the Will”, whole movements will be performed, performed especially for the film. This is something rather unique: usually only fragments of works are heard in documentaries. Other parts will be about historical events that make the viewers understand and feel the connection between music and history, between music and people and their lives.

Three geographical places will be the main focus: Paris, Warsaw and Budapest. Paris was the place where both composers lived at the same time, and it was the home of Chopin for most of his adult life. Warsaw and Budapest are, of course, the capitals of the native countries of the composers. As the working title alludes, these were two very diƯerent men on a personal level. Liszt was perhaps the first real international star in history, creating mass hysteria which even had a name, “Lisztomania”. Chopin refused to play in public and only performed in salon settings with friends. Liszt lived a long life, Chopin died young. Liszt was greeted as a national hero in Budapest, being carried through the streets on the shoulders of his supporters, Chopin was never able to return to Poland. Liszt used his fame and fortune to help young and unknown composers and raised enormous amounts of money to charity; Chopin was constantly struggling to make ends meet. There was no open animosity between the men, but while Liszt admired Chopin, Chopin could be quite resentful of Liszt, and what he thought was mannerisms and bad taste.