From Paris to Peoria : how European piano virtuosos brought classical music to the American heartland / R. Allen Lott.
| Author/creator |
Lott, R. Allen, 1956- |
| Format | Book and Print |
| Publication Info | Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003. |
| Description | xviii, 366 pages : illustrations, maps, music ; 25 cm |
| Subject(s) |
Click here for more information about this title
| Contents | The New World beckons -- Part one. Leopold de Meyer (1845-47). The lion stalks America ; De Meyer in the South and Midwest ; The lion tamed -- Part two. Henri Herz (1846-50). A refined Parisian pianist ; With Sivori and Knoop ; French pianos, Italian opera, and California gold -- Part three. Sigismund Thalberg (1856-58). A rival of Liszt ; At the matinees ; Henry Vieuxtemps and a troubled season -- Part four. Anton Rubinstein (1872-73). "The shaggy maestro" ; Wieniawski ; Rubinstein's "magnificent faultiness" ; Joint venture with Theodore Thomas -- Part five. Hans von Bulow (1875-76). Escape to the New World ; "Unfortunately he also talks" ; The Midwest and back -- Appendix I. Itineraries -- Appendix B. Rubinstein's and Bulow's repertoire in America. |
| Abstract | It's difficult to imagine Franz Liszt performing in Peoria, but his contemporary and foremost rival, Sigismund Thalberg, did just that. During the mid-nineteenth century, Americans in more than a hundred cities--from Portland, Maine to Dubuque, Iowa to Mobile, Alabama--were treated to performances by some of Europe's most celebrated pianists. This book deftly chronicles the visits of five of these pianists to the America of Mark Twain. Whether performing in small railroad towns throughout the Midwest or in gold-rush era California, these five charismatic pianists--Leopold de Meyer, Henri Herz, Sigismund Thalberg, Anton Rubinstein, and Hans von Bülow--introduced many Americans to the delights of the concert hall. With humor and insight, the author describes the glamour and the drudgery of the touring life, the transformation of American audiences from boisterous to reverent, and the establishment of the piano recital as a viable artistic and financial enterprise. Lott also explores the creative and sometimes outlandish publicity techniques of managers seeking to capitalize on prosperous but uncharted American markets. The result of extensive archival research, this book is richly illustrated with concert programs, handbills, caricatures, and maps. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 347-355) and index. |
| LCCN | 2001052391 |
| ISBN | 0195148835 (alk. paper) |
Available Items
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions | |
| Music | Closed Stacks - Ask at Circulation Desk | ML397 .L78 2003 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |