A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Litolff, Henry
LITOLFF, Henry Charles, was born in London Feb. 6, 1818. His father, a French Alsatian soldier taken prisoner by the English in the Peninsular War, had settled in London as a violinist after the declaration of peace, and had married an Englishwoman. In the beginning of the year 1831 Henry Litolff was brought by his father to Moscheles, who on hearing the boy play was so much struck by his unusual talent, that he offered to take him gratis as a pupil; and under his generous care Litolff studied for several years. He made his first appearance (or one of his first) at Covent Garden Theatre July 24, 1832, as 'a pupil of Moscheles, 12 years of age.' In his 17th year a marriage of which the parents disapproved obliged him to leave England and settle for a time in France. For several years after this event Litolff led a wandering life, and during this period he visited Paris, Brussels, Leipzig, Prague, Dresden, Berlin, and Amsterdam, giving in these towns a series of very successful concerts. In 1851 he went to Brunswick, and undertook there the business of the late music-publisher Meyer. In 1860 he transferred this business to his adopted son, Theodor Litolff, and he, in 1861, started the well-known 'Collection Litolff,' as a cheap and accurate edition of classical music, which was among the earliest of the many series of similar size and aim now existing. It opened with the sonatas of Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn (vols. 1–4). Henry Litolff himself went to Paris, where he has since resided.
As a pianist Litolff's rank is high; fire, passion, and brilliancy of execution were combined with thought and taste in his playing. Had it been also correct, it would have reached the highest excellence. In his works, however, there is great inequality; beautiful and poetic ideas are often marred by repetition and a want of order, and knowing what the author's true capacity is, the result is a feeling of disappointment. About 115 of his works, including several operas, have been published. Among the best of them may be reckoned some of his pianoforte pieces, such as the well-known 'Spinnlied,' a few of his overtures and his symphony-concertos, especially nos. 3,[1] 4, and 5; the latter are remarkable for their wealth of original ideas in harmony, melody, and rhythm, and for their beautiful instrumentation. [App. p.704 "Add that his opera 'Les Templiers' was produced at Brussels in January, 1886."]- ↑ Played at the Crystal Palace, by Mr. Oscar Beringer, March 28, 1874.