Franz Liszt occupies an odd niche in music history. A charismatic, dazzlingly virtuosic pianist, at his peak, and a daring, inventive composer, he is probably less well-known today than all of his Romantic contemporaries and near-contemporaries, from Beethoven through Chopin, Schumann, Wagner, and Brahms. I bet that a search of concert programs would find him firmly in last place compared with his overworked peers. Yet the Hungarian-born Liszt probably had as much or more influence on music than any one of them. For one thing, there was his legendary performing style. Think Beatles. Really. Beatles. Liszt set women to swooning and concertgoers into paroxysms of praise. A handsome man with a chiseled face and shoulder-length locks, he may have been the greatest pianist ever, and certainly of his times. As a composer, Liszt broke ground with new forms, including the Romantic standard, the tone poem. His harmonies were innovative, his subject matter often intensely poetic, spiritual and visual. Like his friend Berlioz, he expressed tortured thoughts in some of his works. Buffeted by tragedy in his later life, Liszt took refuge in a Roman monastery, earning himself the nickname “Abbé Liszt.” Finally, Liszt directly contributed to the musical development and success of many like-minded composers, including Berlioz, Wagner, Saint Saëns and Grieg, with both financial support (through his performance earnings) and through his own compositions. (His daughter Cosima would famously go on to marry Wagner.) Marking the 200th year of Liszt’s birth, The Hotchkiss School is putting on a splendid concert of piano music next Friday, Nov. 18. Six pianists — Luiz de Moura Castro, Fabio Witkowski, Thomas Mastroianni, Gisele Nacif Witkowski, Alexandre Dossin and Jonathan Moyer — will perform, Hotchkiss faculty together with some of the foremost Liszt specialists in the world. Let’s just call it the A-Liszt. The Abbé would be proud. “Hotchkiss Celebrates Franz Liszt” takes place at Elfers Hall at Hotchkiss in Lakeville on Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m., with a prelude concert by students beginning at 6:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call Sarah Lock at 860-435-4423, or go to www.hotchkiss.org/arts. A wonderful introduction to Liszt’s superb piano music can be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com.
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The young GNH squad got valuable experience against a quality opponent in the season opener. In team totals, the Yellowjackets rushed for 208 yards and passed for 54 yards.
Woodland, coming off an undefeated regular season in 2025, took an early lead against GNH and ran up the score. Woodland's quarterback Evan Mastropietro threw two touchdowns and rushed for a third. Justin Pringle also completed a trifecta with a rushing touchdown, reception touchdown and an interception returned for a touchdown for Woodland.
The game was played at Van Why Field in Winsted on a partly cloudy afternoon. It was about 72 degrees at kick-off time.Woodland scored four unanswered touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of play, starting with a 10-yard run by Pringle, then a 59-yard interception return by Pringle, then a 15-yard rush by Colby Marsan and a 60-yard pass from Mastropietro to Ryan Kenney.
GNH got on the board late in the first quarter when Airyn Berube rushed to the right and broke away for a 56-yard dash to the end zone. GNH often used a jumbo package with a full house in the backfield -- a familiar setup for coach Scott Salius and one the team leaned on last season.
Woodland added to its total with a 55-yard QB sneak by Mastropietro to bring the score to 35-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Woodland scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. First, Marsan capped off a long drive with a 2-yard run and then Pringle caught a 15-yard touchdown pass near the end of the half.
The Gilbert School marching band offered a preview of its seasonal routine at halftime, performing a steampunk‑inspired show centered around a large mechanical clock in midfield.
Due to the lopsided 49-7 score, the referees allowed the clock to run in the second half. After a scoreless third quarter, Woodland scored on the first play of the fourth quarter -- a 75-yard run by Daniel Keogh to bring the score to 56-7.
GNH strung together a long drive through the rest of the fourth quarter that brought the Yellowjackets right down to the goal line. As the clock expired, a last‑ditch throw hung over the end zone before the defense rose up for an interception.
Friday night football is coming to Falls Village for GNH's next game, which will be played at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The Yellowjackets are scheduled to host the Granby/Canton co-op team Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m
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