As a pianist, Rosenthal was unparalleled: his legato touch came from Chopin through his pupil Mikuli; his awareness of composition was developed by Liszt; his Brahms interpretation shaped by the composer himself; and his ingeniously crafted piano-paraphrases memorialized his friendship with Johann Strauss II. Yet Rosenthal's pianistic abilities were married to a rare intellectual erudition -- a knowledge of literature, history, philology, science, philosophy, and society that few pianists have ever matched, let alone surpassed. In these striking pieces, we see every facet of Rosenthal: memoirist, social critic, pedagogue, and virtuoso. He could write with gravity and pathos, yet his famous and sometimes devastating wit is legendary. This volume combines Rosenthal's writings with critical assessments of the pianist by such contemporaries as Eduard Hanslick, Edward Prime-Stevenson, and Hugo Wolf. It is rounded out with an illuminating preface by Charles Rosen, perhaps Rosenthal's most renowned pupil; a discography and concertography; and a CD featuring never-before-released Rosenthal recordings.
Author(s): Mark Mitchell, Allan Evans
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 208
Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 10
Acknowledgments......Page 16
Moriz Rosenthal: A Chronology......Page 18
Introduction......Page 24
1.Autobiography......Page 40
2.Review of a Concert by M. R .in Vienna......Page 63
3.Letter to Lilli Lehmann......Page 65
4.Review of a Concert by M. R. ni Manchester......Page 67
5.Rosenthaliana......Page 68
6.The Diémer Competition, Paris [1903]......Page 72
7.The Bane of Virtuosity (excerpt)......Page 74
8.From Music, The Mystery and the Reality......Page 76
9.On Liszt’s Don Juan Fantasie......Page 77
10.A Stroll with Ferruccio Busoni......Page 79
11.Mahleriana......Page 81
12.Czar Alexander II......Page 84
13.Review of a Concert by M. R.......Page 86
14.Letter to the Editor......Page 87
15. As Others See Us: H. C. C.’s Response to M. R.’s Letter tothe Editor......Page 89
16. The Korngold Scandal......Page 92
17. From Franz Liszt......Page 95
18. The Old and the New School of Piano Playing......Page 97
19. Review of a Concert by M. R.......Page 101
20. Letter to Herbert Hughes......Page 108
21. Moriz Rosenthal–Emil Sauer: and Modern Pianism......Page 113
22. Schumann’s Carnaval......Page 116
23. Anton Rubinstein’s Concert in Pressburg......Page 120
24. My Memories of Johannes Brahms......Page 127
25. Brahmsiana......Page 130
26. Brahms and Johann Strauss II......Page 140
27. Review of a Concert by M. R.......Page 142
28. Letter to the Editor......Page 144
29. Review of a Concert by M. R.......Page 147
30. From Aphorisms......Page 148
31. On the Question of Applause......Page 150
Appendix A. Rosenthal as Humorist......Page 152
Appendix B. Annotated Concertography......Page 156
Appendix C. Discography......Page 172
Notes......Page 180
Index......Page 200
