Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 2.djvu/747

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PIANOFORTE MUSIC.
735

expression. Among the most prominent are 'La belle Madeleine,' and the galop, 'L'irresistible.' Johannes Brahms[1] (1833–) has composed a concerto, 3 sonatas, a scherzo, variations on airs by Handel, Schumann, and Paganini, ballads, Hungarian dances (two sets), waltzes, etc., 8 clavierstücke (caprices and intermezzi), and 2 rhapsodies. The interest of these works is not so much in spontaneous charm or graceful expression, as in their solid substance, intellectual character and logical development, which rivet the attention and sustain it to the last. William George Cusins (1833–) is known by his Concerto in A minor, as well as by marches and other pieces. Franz Bendel (1833–1874) wrote a great number of effective and brilliant pieces, among which several have become very popular; his transcriptions of songs by Rubinstein, Chopin, Brahms, and Franz, are most excellent. Alexander Winterberger (1834–), a pupil of Franz Liszt, has composed a fantasia (op. 19), 2 idyls, salon étude, valse-caprice and several other short pieces. Anton Krause (1834–) has produced sterling edutional music—namely, 25 sonatas and sonatinas for 2 and 4 hands, about 30 studies, also 2 books of arpeggio studies. Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–) is the composer of 4 concertos, and many smaller pieces, such as gavottes and mazurkas; also excellent variations for 2 pianos on a theme of Beethoven's, etc. Robert Goldbeck (1835–) has published a great number of pleasing and light pieces. Bernhahd Scholz (1835–) has composed a remarkably well-written collection of pleasing and practical pieces for amusement and instruction. Emil Breslaur (1836–): among this composer's works, his 'Technische Grundlage des Klavierspiels,' op. 27, has created considerable attention. Friedrich August Wilhelm Baumfelder (1836–) has written a great number of light pieces, favourable for instruction. Adolph Jensen (1837–1879) before his too-early death composed highly interesting pieces, among which the Wanderbilder, Lieder, and Tänze (20 pieces) Jagd-Scene, Praeludium and Romanze, Valses, Caprices, Idyllen, Hochzeit-musik' (duet), Ländler aus Berchtesgaden, Wald-Idylle (op. 47), and 'Erinnerungen,' have become well known. Joseph Wieniawski (1837–) has published brilliant valses, fantasias, variations, songs without words, excellent mazurkas (op. 23). Constantin Bürgel (1837–) has composed several sonatas, a suite, Arietta e Gavotta (op. 25), 2 dance-caprices, etc., all of which enjoy a good reputation in Germany. Alexandre César Leopold ('Georges') Bizet (1838–75), left 'Jeux d'enfants' (12 pieces), 'Les Chants du Rhin' (6 do.), many transcriptions and arrangements, and especially 'Le Pianiste-chanteur,' 150 pieces of all schools, transcribed, marked, and figured. Theodore Ritter (1838– [App. p.748 "date of death 1886"]) is the author of a good number of effective and brilliant drawing-room pieces ('Chant du braconnier,' 'Sylphes,' etc.) John Francis Barnett (1838- [App. p.748 "1837"]) has published a considerable number of characteristic, pleasing, and instructive pieces, also a concerto in D minor (op. 25). Joseph Rheinberger (1839–) has composed a great number of pieces for 2 and 4 hands (concerto, fantasias, toccatas, characteristic pieces, etc. ); his op 5, 53 and 'Jagd-Scene' are very popular. Michael von Asantschewsky (1839–) has made himself a name by his op. 4, 3 pieces; op. 6, Passatempo; op. 8, 6 duets; op. 12, 'Festival Polonaise.' Sydney Smith (1839–) has composed a great number of light and pleasing pieces, which in certain circles are very popular. Friedrich Gernsheim (1839–) has composed several highly distinguished works. Hermann Goetz (1840–1876): of this too soon departed composer, we have Genrebilder (op. 13), six sonatinas, one duet sonata, and a grand concerto (op. 18). Peter Tschaikowski (1840–) is known by a grand concerto, an impromptu and scherzo russe, and 8 other original pieces. Ernst Rudorff (1840–) has published Etude (op. 29, no. 1); Concert-étude (do. no. 2); 8 Fantasiestücke and a Fantasie; 6 pieces for 4 hands, and Variations for two PFs. Carl Tausig (1841–1871), who, like Jensen, died too young, wrote 2 études de concert, and transcribed gipsy melodies, valses of Strauss ('Nouvelles Soirées de Vienne'), several movements from Beethoven's quartets, Wagner's 'Walküren Ritt,' etc. Heinrich Hofmann (1842–) has composed a good many pretty and highly effective pieces. His duets 'Italienische Liebes-Novelle' (op. 19), transcriptions of Norwegian, Hungarian, and Russian melodies, have become very popular. Edvard Grieg (1843–) has composed a concerto, a sonata, and several smaller pieces, all elegant, and strongly impressed with the Norwegian character. Alexander Mackenzie, of Edinburgh (1847–), has published a quartet for pianoforte and strings (op. 11), Trois Morceaux (op. 15), and other pieces. Philipp Scharwenka (1847–) has composed excellent solos and duets, and his brother, Xaver Scharwenka (1850–) has written a great number of highly effective, brilliant, and melodious works. Hubert Parry (1848–) has composed 2 sonatas, a duet for 2 pianos, a concerto, etc. Moritz Moszkowski (1854–) born at Breslau, is one of the most talented amongst present composers; his charming duets, five waltzes, Album espagnol, Spanische Tänze (op. 12), and the suite 'From Foreign Countries,' as also his excellent concert studies, minuets, valses, polonaises, have gained great popularity in proportionately short time.

The foregoing list gives but a very incomplete and inadequate idea of the enormous quantity of music written for the piano. Each year produces thousands of pieces; and as every opera, oratorio, cantata, symphony, or quartet, is arranged for two or four hands, some idea may be formed of the magnitude and almost bewildering extent of the pianoforte library. Dance-music too, in its most popular and practical form, is the property of the piano; in fact the number of works written for it far surpasses

  1. See Special Catalogue of Brahms's compositions (Leipzig, Senff), and his biography.