The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Tausig, Karl

TAUSIG, Karl, German pianist: b Warsaw, 4 Nov. 1841; d. Leipzig, 17 July 1871. First he was under his father's tuition, then studied under Bocklet, Thalberg and Liszt in Vienna. He made art tours, then lived in Dresden and later (1861-62) in Vienna. From 1866 he was royal court pianist at Berlin and led, till 1870, an academy of pianoforte playing. As a virtuoso he was equally interpreter of classic as of modern piano-music, but as composer he produced few works. Noteworthy of his productions is his edition of Clementis' ‘Gradus ad Parnassum.’ His piano score of Wagner's ‘Meistersinger’ became very popular. His ‘Technischen Studien’ was polished by H. Ehrlich. Consult Weitzmann, ‘Der letzte der Virtuosen’ (Berlin 1868).