Henry Litolff

As a pianist Litolff studied with his father in his early years followed by studies with Moscheles. He became familiar with Fetis, Pape and Zimmerman, the latter encouraging Litolff to follow a concert career. This he did quite successfully. Being well-recieved in Leipzig and Dresden he met -- was aided through the maladies of a nervous illness by -- the Bulow family. By 1845 he had performed in Berlin and by '46 had become popular with audiences in Holland. Having made friends with the music publisher, Meyer, Litolff assumed control of Meyer's business upon his death and having married Meyer's former wife. In Brunswick he was able to magnify the musical life of the city with the publishing company and by attracting such composers as Berlioz, Liszt (whom Litolff had a broad influence upon), Bulow and Rubinstein. By '58 he had moved to Paris and concentrated on conducting and composing. The majority of his compositions were piano pieces intended for salons. They were characterized by improvisation, unified emotional themes, ABA forms, and lyric qualities with simple melodies. Litolff's most famous and endearing pieces were his "concertos symphoniques" for piano and orchestra. He was the first composer to employ the use of a triangle and piccolo in a piano concerto. These pieces are in actuality symphonies with a mandated piano part. The themes were, however, carried by the orchestra. Liszt was so impressed with Litolff's innovation that Liszt dedicated his Concerto No. 1 to him. ~ Keith Johnson