Pianist and conductor, born in Dresden, Germany. He studied law, but under the influence of Wagner made himself the musico-political spokesman of the new German School. In 1851 he took pianoforte lessons from Liszt, married Liszt's daughter, Cosima (1857), and became an outstanding conductor. In 1864 he became court pianist and director of the music school at Munich, but resigned when his wife deserted him for Wagner in 1869, and thereafter became an opponent of Wagner and his School.