The Lighter Classics in Music by David Ewen
1870. A prodigy pianist, he attended the Berlin High School for Music,
260 words | Chapter 22
after which he made his American debut in Boston in 1884. Additional
study took place in Paris with Saint-Saëns. Godowsky then launched his
career as a mature concert pianist with performances throughout the
world of music. He achieved international renown not only as a virtuoso
but also as a teacher of the piano, at the Chicago Conservatory and the
Vienna Academy. His concert career ended in 1930 when he was stricken by
a slight paralysis of the hand. As a composer, Godowsky was most famous
for his suites for the piano, the most famous being _Triakontameron_,
_Java_, and _Renaissance_. He also produced a library of remarkable
transcriptions for the piano. He died in New York City on November 21,
1938.
Though Godowsky was a sophisticated composer of highly complex piano
works, he did succeed in producing at least one number that became an
international “hit.” It was the _Alt Wien_ (_Old Vienna_), a
sentimental, nostalgic piece of music on whose title page appears the
following quotation: “Whose yesterdays look backwards with a smile
through tears.” _Alt Wien_ is the eleventh number in _Triakontameron_
(1920), a suite in six volumes described by the composer as “thirty
moods and scenes in triple measure.” The immense popularity of _Alt
Wien_ is proved by its many and varied transcriptions: for salon
orchestra; band; violin and piano (by Heifetz); three-part woman’s
chorus; dance orchestra; marimba and piano; and even a popular song
adapted by David Saperton to lyrics by Stella Ungar.
Edwin Franko Goldman
Edwin Franko Goldman was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 1,
Reading Tips
Use arrow keys to navigate
Press 'N' for next chapter
Press 'P' for previous chapter