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Louis Moreau Gottschalk came back to America in 1853 and set up a series of concerts in the US and Canada. He wowed the crowds with his pianism and his handsome form with its full mustache. In a manner reminiscent with Franz Liszt, women threw their hotel keys onto the stage at the end of the concert.

Louis didn’t like the vanity and egotism of the European musical scene, but he found that America wasn’t that much better. New railroads linked the cities of North America, so traveling was easier, but he once commented, “New Jersey is the poorest place in the world to give concerts, except Central Africa.”

He understood the commercial side of the business quite well. Every piano piece he wrote was arranged by himself for piano 4-hands to take advantage of the home market. He would occasionally write a song or a piece for piano and violin or cello. Later would come pieces for piano and orchestra and two short symphonies.

In 1854, he took off for an extended stay in Cuba, and his piano pieces now took on a Spanish flavor. The first is a Cuban dance.

Gottschalk: ”El Cocoye”

This is one of his best known pieces, a meditation before dying.

”The Last Hope”

This was one of his greatest commercial successes. In addition to arranging it for piano 4-hands, he arranged this piece for brass band, small ensemble and dance orchestra. In 1854, everyone on two continents was dancing to this.

”Tournament Galop”