Liszt's importance in this field is not overlooked.
"In Germany, the land of seriousness, organ music had acquired a
character so heavy and so uniformly contrapuntal that, by the middle of
last century, almost any decently trained Capellmeister could produce a
sonata dull enough to be considered first-rate. There were, doubtless,
many protests in the shape of unorthodox works which left no mark; but
two great influences, which are the earliest we need notice, came in the
shape of Liszt's Fantasia on the name of Bach and Julius Reubke's Sonata
on the Ninety-fourth Psalm. Without minute analysis we may say that the
former, though not an entirely great work, was at all events something
entirely new. It showed the possibility of freedom of form without
shapelessness, of fairly good counterpoint without dulness, of the
adaptation of piano technic to the organ in a way never before
attempted; and the whole work, brilliant and effective, never outraged
in the smallest degree the natural dignity of the instrument."