(3-handed) Sigismund Thalberg [1812-1871]

[Scion7]

A flash-player/virtuoso, and stage-rival to Franz Liszt, who had a bit of a fume with him in the press of the day.
"The rivalry came to an end with a concert the two pianists gave jointly for the Princess de Belgiojoso; this symbolic reconciliation was sealed by their agreeing to cooperate with other famous virtuosos in composing one variation each for Hexaméron, as a tribute to the princess (the other composers were Pixis, Herz, Czerny and Chopin)."
He was a student of Hummel.
After conquering Europe with many tours, and even residing in America for a few years, he eventually settled in Italy, gave up composing, and became a wine merchant.
There is some question about his parentage: "he was said to be the illegitimate son of Count Moritz Dietrichstein and the Baroness von Wetzlar, but his birth certificate states that his parents were Joseph Thalberg and Fortunée Stein, both of Frankfurt. Although the certificate describes them as 'mariés', the wording rather suggests that each was married to someone else. It seems possible that Dietrichstein induced Joseph Thalberg to assume paternity and that the mother was a baroness in disguise; but the circumstances remain mysterious."
A great deal of rubbish has been written about his value as a composer - even the New Grove entry has a couple of crazed POV statements that were amazingly not stopped by the editorial board there - hopefully that will get corrected in the new version.    He was admired by Schumann and Mendelssohn, men who hardly gave false praise to others - so take that into account as you explore his music.  Enjoyable, with the added technical fireworks, more than worthy of gaining some reserved time on the turntable, cassette player, 8-track, or CD.



-some of his compositions-

Piano Concerto in f, Op.5

Duo concertant, on themes from Semiramide, for Violin & Piano, Op.54
Piano Trio in A, Op.69

piano music:
Grande sonata, Op.56
Fantasia on themes from "Moïse," Op 33 (Rossini) 
Grand fantaisia and variations on themes from "Norma," for piano, Op.12 
Grand fantaisie et Variations Sur des Motifs de I Capuletti, for piano, Op.10 
Fantaisia on themes from "Beatrice di Tenda," for piano, Op.49 
Fantaisia on themes from "La Straniera," for piano, Op.9 
Grande caprice on La Sonnambula, for piano, Op.46 
Grand fantaisie de concert sur l'opéra La Traviata de Verdi, for piano, Op.78 
Grand fantaisie de concert sur l'opéra Il Trovatore de Verdi, for piano, Op.77 
Souvenir de Ballo in maschera de Verdi, for piano, Op.81 
Souvenir de Rigoletto de Verdi, for piano, Op.82 
Fantaisie sur l'opéra L'Assedio di Corinto de Rossini, for piano, Op.3 
Fantasy on Casta Diva (From Bellini's Opera Norma), for piano, Op.70 
Souvenirs de Beethoven, Grand Fantaisie on Symphony No.7, for piano, Op.39
Nocturne for piano in E, Op.28 
Canzonette Italienne, for piano, Op.36, No.5 
Un Soupir, mélodie variée, for piano 
Fantasia and Variations on Rossini's "Semiramide," for piano, Op 51 
Fantasia and Variations on Rossini's "La Donna del Lago," for piano, Op 40 bis 
Fantasia and Variations on Rosini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," for piano, Op 63 
Fantasia on La fille du Regiment, Op 68 
Fantasia on Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" for piano, Op 67 
Fantasia on Lucrezia Borgia, Op 50 
Fantasia on Lucie de Lammermoor, Op 44 
Tarentelle, Op.65
Fantasia on L'Elisir d'Amore, Op 66 
Les Soirées de Pausilippe: Hommage to Rossini, 24 pensées musicales for piano, Op 75
Fantasia on Meyerbeer's 'Les Huguenots' for piano, Op.20 
Transcription for piano of 'A te, o cara' from Bellini's I puritani

various lieder - Op.8, 11, 13, 23–5, 29–30

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[Scion7]

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There are a number of good LPs out there worth searching out, if you can handle vinyl.

[Scion7]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxM9zoTaQRE

[lordlance]

Wow no posts by anyone except the author. I enjoy flashy romantic music hence my love for Liszt. What are people's top 3 thalberg pieces?