Sigismond Thalberg

Sigismond Thalberg ws born at Geneva, January 7, 1812. As a pianist he belonged to the Viennese School, which he represented with exceptional authority and success. His instruction was received from Sechter, Czerny and Hummel. It was in 1828 that he commenced his professional career by concerts at Vienna which brought him considerable attention, and by the publication of his Opus 1. Melanges sur des themes d'Euryanthe. In 1834 he was made court pianist, and in 1835 commenced his concert tours, which proved a continual triumph and gained for him high eminence as a pianist. In 1855 he gave a series of concerts in Brazil, visiting the United States the following year. In 1858 he settled at Naples, where he made his permanent home. His wife was a daughter of the famous singer, Lablache. He died at Naples, April 27, 1871.

Thalberg's published compositions reached Opus, number 83, to which should be added a number of pieces without Opus, including a pianoforte school. Many of his compositions are to be classed as fantasies upon themes from operas, outside of which the most notable works are a concerto, concert studies, several caprices and nocturnes, a scherzo, a ballade and a sonata. Although not destitute of merit, the compositions of Thalberg had but a temporary vogue; intended, first of all, to display the virtuosity of the executant, they necessarily had to suit the style of his time.

As to his playing, the following, by a contemporary, A. Marmontel is not without interest:

"Always the same ideal execution; unctuous sonorousness in the singing passages, transparent limpidity in the runs, breadth, power, delicacy. There is lacking, however, a little of the unexpected, of animation, of communicated passion. In hearing this great virtuoso, so good a model to take, one is struck with true admiration; but the heart does not beat as when one hears Chopin or Liszt." His contributions to piano music show several valuable features, for Thalberg believed in the imperative necessity of pleasing his public by something new, some surprising effect. He uses the strong fingers to give out a melody in the most striking manner, which melody he surrounds with a bewildering array of arpeggios or passage work; he divides passages between the two hands; he makes the piano resound throughout its whole length, creating the impression, as one writer says, "that the two hands are doing the work of three or four." Schumann said of him, "Thalberg sheds the lustre of his performance on whatever he may play, Beethoven or Dussek, Chopin or Hummel. He writes melody in the Italian style. He knows wonderfully how to dress his melodies, and a great deal might be said about the difference between real composition and conglomeration in this new fashioned style."

Thalberg was an aristocrat in birth, feeling and appearance. While playing he never moved a muscle beyond his elbow; his body remained in one position, and whatever the difficulties of the piece, he was, or at any rate, he appeared unmoved, calm, master of the keyboard, and, which is more difficult, of himself. This was a great contrast to his rival, Liszt.