Music-study in Germany : the classic memoir of the romantic era / Amy Fay ; with a new introduction by Francis Dillon.
| Author/creator | Fay, Amy |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | New York : Dover Publications, 1991, ©1965. |
| Description | xiv, 352 pages ; 21 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | In Tausig's conservatory. Chapter I. A German interior in Berlin ; A German party ; Joachim ; Tausig's conservatory -- Chapter II. Clara Schumann and Joachim ; The American minister's ; The museum ; The conservatory ; Opera ; Tausig ; Christmas -- Chapter III. Tausig and Rubinstein ; Tausig's pupils ; The Bancrofts ; A German radical -- Chapter IV. Opera and oratorio in Berlin ; A typical American ; Prussian rudeness ; Conservatory changes ; Easter -- Chapter V. The Thier-Garten ; A military review ; Charlottenburg ; Tausig ; Berlin in summer ; Potsdam and Babelsberg -- Chapter VI. The war ; German meals ; Women and men ; Tausig's teaching ; Tausig abandons his conservatory ; Dresden ; Kullak -- With Kullak. Chapter VII. Moving ; German houses and dinners ; The war ; Capture of Napoleon ; Kullak's and Tausig's teaching ; Joachim ; Wagner ; Tausig's playing ; German etiquette -- Chapter VIII. Concerts ; Joachim again ; The siege of Paris ; Peace declared ; Ovation to Wagner in Berlin -- Chapter IX. Difficulties of the piano ; Triumphal entry of the troops ; Paris -- Chapter X. A Rhine journey ; Frankfort ; Mainz ; Sail down the Rhine ; Cologne ; Bonn ; The seven mountains ; Worms ; Spire ; Heidelberg ; Tausig's death -- Chapter XI. Eisenach ; Gotha ; Erfurt ; Andernach ; Weimar ; Tausig -- Chapter XII. Dinner-party and reception at Mr. Bancroft's ; Auction at Tausig's house ; A German Christmas ; The Joachims -- Chapter XIII. Visit to Dresden ; The Wiecks ; Von Bulow ; A child prodigy ; Grantzow, the dancer -- Chapter XIV. A rising organist ; Kullak ; Von Bulow's playing ; A princely funeral Wilhelmj's concert ; A court beauty -- Chapter XV. The Boston fire ; Aggravations of music study ; Kullak ; Sherwood ; Hoch Schule ; Natalie Janotha ; A brilliant American -- Chapter XVI. A German professor ; Sherwood ; The baroness von S. Von Bulow ; A German party ; Joachim ; The baroness at home -- With Liszt. Chapter XVII. Arrives in Weimar ; Liszt at the theatre ; At a party ; At his own house -- Chapter XVIII. Liszt's drawing-room ; An artist's walking party ; Liszt's teaching -- Chapter XIX. Liszt's expression in playing ; Liszt on conservatories ; Ordeal of Liszt's lessons ; Liszt's kindness -- Chapter XX. Liszt's compositions ; His playing and teaching of Beethoven ; His "effects" in piano-playing ; Excursion to Jena ; A new music master -- Chapter XXI. Liszt's playing ; Tausig ; Excursion to Sonderhausen -- Chapter XXII. Farewell to Liszt! ; German conservatories and their methods ; Berlin again ; Liszt and Joachim -- Chapter XXIII. Kullak as a teacher ; The four great virtuosi, Clara Schumann, Rubinstein, Von Bulow and Tausig -- With Deppe. Chapter XXIV. Gives up Kullak for Deppe ; Deppe's method in touch and in scale-playing ; Fraulein Steiniger ; Pedal study -- Chapter XXV. Chord-playing ; Deppe no mere "pedagogue" ; Sherwood ; Mozart's concertos ; Practicing slowly ; The opera ball -- Chapter XXVI. A set of Beethoven variations ; Fannie Warburg ; Deppe's inventions ; His room ; His afternoon coffee ; Pyrmont -- Chapter XXVII. The Brussels Conservatoire ; Steiniger ; Excursion to Kleinberg ; Giving a concert ; Fraulein Timm -- Chapter XXVIII. Music in Hamburg ; Studying chamber music ; Absence of religion in Germany ; South Americans ; Deppe once more ; A concert debut ; Postscript. |
| Abstract | In this series of letters written between November 1869 and May 1875, a young American pianist, Amy Fay, recounts the thrilling experience of studying piano with such great teachers as Liszt, Tausig, and Kullak. Printed 21 times in America, published also in London, and translated into French and German, this book has clearly established its wide appeal to music students. The author describes the customs and mores, the place of interest, and the people she encountered during her stay in Germany, then the music capital of the world. In a vivid style and with youthful exuberance, she imparts to the reader her impressions of performances by Anton Rubinstein, Clara Schumann, Tausig, Liszt, the great violinist Joachim, Wagner (as conductor), and other notables of music history. Her account of a reception and concert in honor of Wagner is especially fascinating. But the sections of this entirely engaging work that are of primary importance to music students, particularly to students and teachers of the piano, are the author's detailed accounts of the teaching methods of the great piano virtuosi. Interesting pictures of lessons of Tausig's conservatory, of Kullak's teaching techniques, and, above all, a unique portrait of Liszt the man, the teacher, and the performer emerge from these letters. So valued are Amy Fay's impressions of Liszt, in fact, that these sections alone are regarded as a miniature classic. For this Dover edition, Professor Frances Dillon of the Mannes College of Music contributed an informative introduction. Because of her position as a student working closely with Liszt, Tausig, Kullak, and Deppe, Amy Fay was able to reveal many little-known facets of their work and their teaching techniques. Her obvious enthusiasm and serious attitude towards her study make this a work of great liveliness and rare insight. Not only students of the piano, but all musicologists will find her comments and descriptions invaluable. And the general reader should enjoy the many anecdotes and personal glimpses of these famous names in music. |
| General note | Originally published: Chicago : A.C. McClurg, 1880. |
| LCCN | 92117868 |
| ISBN | 0486265625 |