D'Ortigue, who is better known as a theorist than a composer and musical
critic, was a great admirer of Liszt, as may be seen by the following
extract from his writings:
"Beethoven is for Liszt a god, before whom he bows his head. He
considered him as a deliverer whose arrival in the musical realm has
been illustrated through the liberty of poetical thought, and through
the abolishing of old dominating habits. Oh, one must be present when he
begins with one of those melodies, one of those posies which have long
been called symphonies! One must see his eyes when he opens them as if
receiving an inspiration from above, and when he fixes them gloomily on
the ground. One must see him, hear him, and be silent.
"We feel here only too well how weak is the expression of our
imagination. He conquers everything but his nerves; his head, hands and
whole body are in violent motion; in one word, you see a dreadfully
nervous man agitatedly playing his piano!"