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Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI University Microfilms International A Beil & Howell information C om pany 300 Nortfi Z eeb Roac. Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 313 761-4700 800 521-0600 Order Number 91S04S0 Sîgîsmimd Thalberg (1812—1871), forgotten piano virtuoso: His career and musical contributions Hominick, Ian Glenn, D.M.A. The Ohio State University, 1991 UMI SOON. Zeeb Rd Ann Arbor, MI 48106 SIGISMUND THALBERG (1812-1871), FORGOTTEN PIANO VIRTUOSO: HIS CAREER AND MUSICAL CONTRIBUTIONS DOCUMENT Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Ian G. Hominick, B.M., M.ivL ***** The Ohio State University 1991 Reading Committee: Approved by Dr. Jerry E. Lowder Dr. Peter Gano ^ ^ 'Adviser Dr. Donald Gren School of Music Copyright by Ian Glenn Hominick 1991 Dedicated to my parents, John and Evelyn Hominick, whose love and support have been a constant inspiration. 11 ACKNOWIJEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all those who helped in the preparation of this document. My sincere gratitude to my advisor. Dr. Jerry Lowder, for his time and guidance in seeing this project through to its completion. Thanks also to Dr. Donald Gren and Dr. Peter Gano for their time and input. I would not have been able to sort out the conflicting information surrounding Thalberg's life without the generous help of Mr. Daniel L. Hitchcock, President of The Sigismund Thalberg Society. His knowledge of the subject helped to put my work into prospective. My many thanks to him for the information he supplied, for his patience, and for his dedication to the Arts. Ultimately, I owe my deepest appreciation to Mr. Earl Wild, without whose instruction, I would not be half the musician I am today. Mr. Wild has been a constant source of inspiration and has given of his time unselfishly to make a better musician of me. Î thank him, most of all, for his contributions to music, and for his guidance and friendship over the past four years. Ill VTTA March 20, 1961 Bom - Sydney, Nova Scotia 1983 B.M., Mount AUison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada 1984-1986 Teaching Assistant, School of Music, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 1986 M.M., Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 1986-1987 Teaching Associate, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska 1987-1991 Teaching Assistant, School of Music, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1990-1991 Adjunct faculty, Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio FIELD OF STODY Major Field: Music IV PERFORMANCES Saturday, February 27, 1988, 8:00 p.m., Weigel Auditorium. School of Music, College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, Graduate Student Recital Series, 1987-88. Supervising Professor: Dr. Rosemary Platt LAN HOMINICK, piano This recital is presented in partial fulfillment for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts. PROGRAM Sonata in C Major, Opus 2, Nr. 3 Beethoven Allegro con brio Adagio Scherzo. Allegro Allegro assai Vallee d'Obermann Liszt (from Anneés de Pelerinage - Suisse) INTERMISSION Die Loreley Liszt-Liszt Widmung Schumann-Liszt Wanderer-Fantasie in C Major, D. 760 Schubert Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo Adagio Presto A llegro Thursday, October 26, 1989, 8:00 p.m., Weigel Auditorium. School of Music, College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, The Ohio State University Symphony Orchestra, 1st Concert, 1989-’90. Supervising Professor: Ms. Sylvia Zaremba. IAN HOMINICK, piano The Ohio State University Symphony Orchestra This performance is presented in partial fulfillment of the degree Doctor of Musical Arts. PROGRAM Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 Beethoven Allegro con brio Largo RONDO: Allegro VI Saturday, May 6, 1989, 8:00 p.m., Weigel Auditorium. School of Music, College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, Graduate Student Recital Series, 1988-89. Supervising professor: Ms. Sylvia Zaremba. IAN HOMINICK, piano This recital is presented in partial fulfillment for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts for Mr. Hominick. PROGRAM Sonata in B-flat major. Op. 22 Beethoven Allegro con brio Adagio con molta espressione M enuetto Rondo Allegretto Sonata, Op. 1 Berg INTERMISSION Waltz in A minor. Op. 34, No. 2 Chopin Waltz in A-flat, Op. 69, No. 1 Waltz in A-flat, Op. 34, No. 1 Waltz in D-flat, Op. 64, No. 1 Sonetto del Petrarca 47 Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca 104 Sonetto del Petrarca 123 Variations Serieuses, Op. 54 Mendelssohn V ll Saturday, March 31, 1990, 8:00 p.m., Weigel Auditorium. School of Music, College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, Graduate Student Recital Series, 1989-90. Supervising Professor: Dr. Jerry Lowder IAN HOMINICK, piano This recital is presented in partial fulfillment for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts. PROGRAM Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue BWV 903 J.S. Bach Sonata in C Minor, Op. 25, No. 1 ("Fairy-Tale") N. Medtner Allegro abbandonamente Andantino con moto Allegro con spirito Sonata, Op. 1 Berg INTERMISSION Nocturne in A-flat, Op. 21 S. Thalberg Sonata in B-flat Minor, Op. 35 Chopin Grave - Doppio movimento Scherzo Marche funèbre Presto v ia TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE DEDICATION................................................................................................ ü ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................................................... üi VITA.......................................................................................................... iv PERFORMANCES.......................................................................................... v LIST OF PLATES........................................................................................... xi LISTOFHGURES..................................................................................... xii INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER L LIFE AND CAREER OF SIGISMUND THALBERG.......................... 3 Childhood and Education.................................................................. 3 Concert Career................................................................................ 8 Retirement from the Concert-stage.......................................... 18 References....................................................................................... 21 n. ROLE OF THE EARLY 19-th CENTURY VIRTUOSO.................. 25 The 19th-Century Recital.............................................................. 25 The Piaitist-Composer..................................................................... 2 7 References......................................................................................... 3 4 IX m. IHALBERG THE PERFORMER ................................................... 3 6 Repertoire........................................................................................... 3 6 Personality and Stage Presence.......................................... .......... 4 2 Technique........................................................................................... 47 Physical Control............................................................................... 4 8 Melody.............................................................................................. 5 0 Sonority............................................................................................ 5 1 The technician...................................................................................... 5 4 Practice and Preparation.................................................................... 5 6 Comparison with Colleagues............................................................. 5 8 References............................................................................................ 60 IV. THE THALBERG-LISZT CONTROVERSY........................................ 6 5 Background........................................................................................ 6 5 The Event............................................................................................ 6 9 The Aftermath.................................................................................... 71 References........................................................................................... 7 7 V. THALBERG’S INFLUENCE.............................................................