Liszt's piano damaged by Russian missile attack on Odesa

Photo courtesy Robert van der Noordaa via Twitter

by Tony Magee

Over the weekend of July 22 and 23, Russian missiles attacked the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.

In one of the buildings there, stands a piano once played by Franz Liszt - in 1847.

The missile strike damaged that building and you can see the result from this photo. Liszt's piano covered in rubble and other debris.

Also pictured is the cathedral "Transfiguration" in Odesa, which has been badly damaged.

In his années de pélegrinage (years of pilgrimage) across Europe, Franz Liszt played on all the best pianos of his time.

Many are still kept in prime condition.

The musical city of Odesa was very proud of its Liszt piano.

NB: Liszt composed a large suite of piano pieces entitled "Années de Pélegrinage", or "The Years Of Pilgrimage". They have only been recorded by a handful of pianists including Jorge Bolet, Lazar Berman, Daniel Barenboim and Jenö Jandó.