“Wunderkinder” – Musical Prodigies in European Concert Life between 1791 and 1860 Yvonne Amthor Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Music October 2012 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. The copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2012 The University of Leeds and Yvonne Amthor Acknowledgements This thesis would not have been possible without the kind support and assistance of many people whose contributions I gratefully acknowledge. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Professor Brown, whose guidance and advice has been invaluable throughout the course of my research. I am also indebted to many of my former colleagues at the Brotherton Library, in particular at Special Collections, who understood my research needs well and who have been a constant source of motivation and encouragement. The librarians and archivists at the British Library, the archive of the Musikverein Wien, the Stadt- und Landesbibliothek Wien and the Nationalbibliothek Österreich, the Gundelsheim Museum and the Robert-Schumann- Haus Zwickau all gave helpful information and assistance. I am very grateful for the financial support made available by the Brotherton Library Scholarship Fund and the Foundation Grant from the FfWG. Special thanks to Walter Eichhorn, who has kindly provided access to his private collection of family papers, to the Johnston Family, who have offered most caring support and friendship over the years, to Aneta Popiel-Gilbert who assisted with translations, and to my dear friend Dr Tom Rankin, who encouraged me to start this research project and who has supported it by inviting and welcoming me to Vienna on several occasions. 1 However, the deepest gratitude I owe to my family and my partner Darryl, who have been most patient and understanding, especially during the process of writing up. 2 Abstract The phenomenon of musical prodigies has created wide-spread fascination in academic and non-academic discourse. Mythical connotations and the overpowering Wunderkind-image of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart have influenced studies on the subject in a historical context, while theories of extreme giftedness, musical ability, precocity, and cognitive development have contributed to an alternative perspective within the field of developmental psychology in music. Taking a historical approach to the investigation, this thesis argues that the death of Mozart and his subsequent emergence as the archetype of the phenomenon influenced understanding of it. Exploring notions relating to terminology and definitions demonstrates that an understanding of the phenomenon reaches beyond the boundaries of a definition. Despite having a comparatively standard prodigy childhood, the legacy Mozart left outshines the prominence and achievements of many other prodigies of the nineteenth century, despite their significant individual success, a creative output, and the demonstration of ‘exemplary’ qualities. This thesis presents a new approach to the study of musical prodigies – an examination of data concerning over 370 musical prodigies, who emerged into European concert life between 1791 and 1860. It will provide a better understanding of specific characteristics and patterns many prodigies share in their family background and musical education, by analysing topics of gender images and restrictions, instrumental choices, sibling performances, short-term musical instruction, musical training within family units, with master teachers and at music-educational institutions. Two case 3 studies, examining the music-educational paths of Carl Filtsch and Camilla Urso (one receiving his training from master teachers and the other mainly at a conservatory) not only demonstrate representative biographical accounts and features relating to the relevant educational paths, but also lead to a comparison of benefits and disadvantages of different options of musical training in nineteenth-century Europe. The findings of this research suggest that the importance of a predominantly musical family background, offering a stimulating environment, easier access to musical education and instruments, as well as a network of support within and attached to the music profession, are more important to the emergence of a ‘prodigy’ than supposedly ‘extraordinary’ abilities. Musical training in various patterns takes on a more central role in the life of prodigies than previously recognised. 4 Contents Acknowledgments 1 Abstract 3 Contents 5 List of tables 8 Notes on the text 9 Abbreviations 11 Part 1 – Introducing the phenomenon 12 1. Understanding the phenomenon 12 2. Mozart – as model and as historiographical problem 50 2.1. The use of the English term ‘prodigy’ in the second half of the eighteenth century 50 2.2. Promoting Mozart in London 55 2.3. Setting standards - The legacy of Mozart and other prodigies relevant for the period 1791 to 1860 76 Part 2 – A study of data on musical prodigies 102 3. Instrument choices 103 4. Solo and siblings’ performances 117 5. The challenge of tracing data 123 6. The family background of prodigies 139 5 7. The musical education of prodigies 146 Part 3 – The musical education of musical prodigies in case studies 166 8. Studying with master teachers: a case study of the musical education of Carl Filtsch 166 9. Studying at the conservatory: a case study of the musical education of the violinist Camilla Urso 193 10. A comparison between two alternatives of musical training – the benefits and disadvantages of studying with master teachers and at conservatories 217 Conclusions 244 Appendix 1: Table of musical prodigies included in this study – performance period dating from 1791 to 1860 250 Appendix 2: Excerpt from a letter written by the father of Carl Filtsch to a family friend [Friedrich Müller, a lawyer], dated 17th August 1836] 292 Bibliography 299 1. Manuscripts and archival sources 299 2. Encyclopaedias, dictionaries, lexica and handbooks (print) 299 3. Encyclopaedias, dictionaries, lexica and handbooks (online) 302 4. Biographies and monographs 303 5. Diaries, memoirs and letters (print) 305 6. Articles, chapters and reviews 307 7. Theses 312 6 8. Other sources (print) 313 9. Other sources (online) 318 10. Music periodicals and newspapers 318 7 List of tables Table 1: Instruments played by musical prodigies – overall count (p. 104) Table 2: Number of instruments played by individual prodigies (p. 108) Table 3: Instrumental choices including composition (p. 109) Table 4: Proportions of solo and siblings performances (p. 117) Table 5: The family background of musical prodigies (p. 140) Table 6: Musicians - parental background of musical prodigies (p. 141) Table 7: Overview of listed professions for (Nmus-/ Amus-) fathers of musical prodigies (p. 143) Table 8: Specified and non-specified data for the category of musical education (p. 156) Table 9: Family members involved in the musical training of prodigies – overall count (p. 157) Table 10: Family members involved in the musical training of prodigies – detailed list (p. 159) Table 11: Musical prodigies attending a music-educational institution (p. 164) Table 12: Timetable of C. F. E. Horneman, student at Leipzig Conservatory 1858 – 1860, n.d. (p. 226) 8 Notes on the text All quotations are given in English in the main text. If a quotation is a translation from a foreign language, the original version is available in a footnote. In the case of multilingual editions, the English version is used, unless no such language edition exists or significant differences in the translation exist. All translations in this thesis are the author’s unless stated otherwise. In the case of foreign-language citations used in footnotes, the English language version is cited first, followed by the original in square brackets []. All quotations retain original spelling and punctuation. At times less significant passages in quotations are omitted; those passages appear in the format [...]. The dates of Russian-born musicians are given according to the New Style, i.e. Gregorian calendar. The author has made all attempts to establish the relevant key data of musicians, teachers and other significant persons included in this thesis. In several cases the dates of persons referred to have been omitted as they can easily be obtained from widely available and acknowledged sources such as music dictionaries, databases and online publications. Some of the tables contain more than one set of percentage data. Corresponding percentage data is displayed in the following format: the main set of proportions is listed in the relevant columns, behind the actual number of participants or representatives. All sub-percentage data sets are listed in square brackets [xx%] in a 9 line below, either corresponding to a relevant data group (in rows), or according to gender (in columns). The category the sub-percentage data set is linked to contains the overall percentage of [100%], and thus indicates the correlation. Appendix 1 contains a separate section of notes and abbreviations at the beginning of the table. 10 Abbreviations Encyclopaedias: Grove The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2001 edition) MGG Die Musik in Gegenwart und Geschichte: allgemeine Enzyklopädie der Musik Periodicals: AMZ Allgemeine