Moritz Moszkowski - Piano Concerto Op. 3 (1874)

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Moritz Moszkowski was born in Breslau on 23rd August, 1854, and began his music studies in Dresden, eventually moving to Berlin to continue his education with Kullak and WÃ¼erst. He was an extraordinary pianist who toured extensively throughout Europe. His dÃ©but in Berlin at the age of nineteen was remarkable, prompting Franz Liszt to write admiringly of him. Frederick Kitchener witnessed one of Moszkowski's recitals in England. He reported that "the playing of Moszkowski was beautiful playing; there was no attempt to astonish... a musician, not an acrobat was at the piano". According to Emil Liebling, "considered as a pianist, Moszkowski is hors de concours... Everything was done musically and with the utmost ease". Highly influential as a teacher, Moszkowski taught at the Kullak Conservatory in Berlin and later in Paris. Many Americans flocked to Europe to study with him and illustrious pianists such as Josef Hofmann were among his pupils. For a figure of such professional stature, his personal life in later years was less fortunate. After an unsuccessful marriage to the pianist CÃ©cile Chaminade's sister, Georgette, he moved to Paris with his two children, a daughter, who died shortly after their arrival in Paris, and a son. Through some unfortunate carelessness Moritz Moszkowski lost the copyrights to his compositions during the wars of 1914, and eventually died from a painful throat illness in near poverty in Paris on 4th March, 1925.

Today, Moszkowski is best remembered for a few delightful piano pieces -- the Etudes, Opu, 72, Etineelles (Sparks), Opus 36, No. 6, popularised by Hofmann and Horowitz, and his Spanish Dances, Opus 12, for piano duet. Yet he composed operas, ballets, orchestral suites, songs, concertos, and chamber music, almost all of which remain forgotten. No proper re-assessment of Moszkowski's compositions has taken place nor has anyone written a biography of this once influential teacher, pianist and composer. Most writers on music, indeed, continue to repeat the pejorative term "salon composer" when commenting on his work, an unfortunate state of affairs. Much of Moszkowski's music is written for the piano. These works are generally miniatures, always well-crafted and always very pianistic. His early song cycles show an affinity for the voice and are written in a powerful style that suggests the language of Brahms. The orchestral suites show him to be a brilliant orchestrator, with a strong grasp of polyphony. The operas and ballets show a keen understanding of theatrical music and have been performed allover the world, while the piano and violin concertos are brilliant showpieces, full of delightful melodies. Yet, despite all this musical evidence, Moszkowski is not accorded much attention and is often considered little more than a footnote in musical history.

Moritz Moszkowski

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Moritz (Maurice) Moszkowski (23 August 1854 â€“ 4 March 1925) was a German-Jewish composer, pianist, and teacher of Polish descent on his paternal side.[1][n 1] His brother Alexander Moszkowski was a famous writer and satirist in Berlin.

Ignacy Paderewski said: "After Chopin, Moszkowski best understands how to write for the piano, and his writing embraces the whole gamut of piano technique." Although less known today, Moszkowski was well respected and popular during the late nineteenth century.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moritz_Moszkowski

Thanks for bringing this composer and work to the attention of people. I confess that I tend to like better known works with themes that I recognize, though, and forms that I can latch onto. I don't have much patience for Romantic pieces in which orchestras, especially string sections, make me feel as if I'm floating hither and thither. Not that this doesn't sometimes produce something that pleases me, but usually I don't keep listening.

I tried jumping around and liked the part when the piano came in at 12:38. I may try again when I'm in a receptive mood. (I came to the forum for politics, not the best frame of mind for appreciating musical works that are new to me. :-)

A quick search for Moszkowski on YouTube turned up his "Polonaise in h-moll [B minor]", which is easier for me to appreciate.

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