Sigismond Thalberg

2025-09-14T08:42:49Z

2A02:3030:661:DC16:5C4D:4F63:AD3E:44C0: /* Family */

{{Short description|Austrian composer and pianist (1812–1871)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sigismond Thalberg
| image = File:Sigismond Thalberg 1871.jpg
| caption = From L'Illustration Tome LVII 1871, a weekly illustrated newspaper published in Paris
| birth_date = {{birth date|1812|01|08|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pâquis, [[Switzerland]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1871|04|27|1812|01|08|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Naples]], [[Kingdom of Italy]]
| occupation = {{ubl | Pianist | Composer }}
| works =
}}
'''Sigismond Thalberg'''{{Efn|There are many variants of his name in use. Some authors wrote "Sigismund Fortuné François", whereas others gave only "Sigismund". In Italy, he is usually called "Sigismondo"; and in France, as well as in the English-speaking world, the most commonly used form is "Sigismond". Thalberg himself usually signed as "S. Thalberg", but at his wedding used the form "F.J.S. Thalberg",<ref>Hominick 1991, p. 4</ref> which can be inferred as either "François Joseph Sigismund" or "François Joseph Sigismond" Thalberg. Without pretending to decide which variant is to be regarded as correct, in the present article only the form "Sigismond" will be used.}} (8 January 1812 – 27 April 1871) was an [[Austria]]n [[composer]] and one of the most distinguished [[virtuoso]] [[pianist]]s of the 19th century.

==Family==
Thalberg was born in [[Pâquis]] near [[Geneva]] on 8 January 1812. Thalberg asserted that he was the illegitimate son of [[Moritz, Prince of Dietrichstein]] and Maria Julia Bydeskuty von Ipp, from a [[Hungary|Hungarian]] family of lower nobility. In 1820, Julia married Baron Alexander Ludwig {{Interlanguage link|Karl Abraham Wetzlar von Plankenstern|lt=Wetzlar von Plankenstern|de|Karl Abraham Wetzlar von Plankenstern}} (from an ennobled [[Jews|Jewish]] [[Vienna|Viennese]] family<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thalberg, Sigismund {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thalberg-sigismund |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>). According to Thalberg's [[birth certificate]], he was the son of Joseph Thalberg and Fortunée Stein, both from [[Frankfurt-am-Main]].<ref>Walker 1987, p. 232</ref>

==Early life==
[[File:Sigismond Thalberg.jpeg|thumb|left|upright|Sigismond Thalberg]]Little is known about Thalberg's childhood and early youth. It is possible that his mother had brought him to Vienna at the age of 10 (the same year in which the 10-year-old [[Franz Liszt]] arrived there with his parents). According to Thalberg's own account, he attended the first performance of [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]]'s [[Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)|9th Symphony]] on 7 May 1824, in the [[Theater am Kärntnertor|Kärntnerthortheater]].<ref>Thayer 1908, p. 92</ref>

There is no evidence as to Thalberg's early teachers. Baroness von Wetzlar, his putative mother, who according to [[Constant von Wurzbach|Wurzbach]] was occupied with his education during his childhood and early youth, was a brilliant amateur pianist. It may be therefore that she gave him his first instruction at the piano.

[[Image:Thalberg (by Vigneron).jpeg|thumb|left|upright|Thalberg in 1826]]
In spring 1826, Thalberg studied with [[Ignaz Moscheles]] in [[London]]. Moscheles, according to a letter to [[Felix Mendelssohn]] dated 14 August 1836, had the impression that Thalberg had already reached a level at which no further help would be needed in order to become a great artist.<ref>Mendelssohn 1888, p. 139</ref> Thalberg's first public performance in London was on 17 May 1826.<ref>Hominick 1991, p. 8</ref> In Vienna, 6 April 1827, he played the first movement of [[Johann Nepomuk Hummel|Hummel]]'s [[Piano Concerto No. 3 (Hummel)|Piano Concerto No. 3 in B minor]], later playing the ''Adagio'' and the ''[[Rondo]]'' on 6 May 1827.<ref>[[Otto Erich Deutsch|Deutsch, Otto Erich]]: ''[[iarchive:schubertdiedokum0000deut/mode/2up|Schubert: Die Dokumente seines Lebens]]'', [[Bärenreiter]] Kassel etc. 1964, pp. 421, 430.</ref> After this, Thalberg performed regularly in Vienna. His repertoire was mainly [[Classical music|classical]], including concertos by Hummel, Mozart and Beethoven. He also performed [[chamber music]]. In the year 1827, his [[Opus number|Op]]. 1, a [[Fantasia (music)|fantasy]] and [[Variation (music)|variations]] on melodies from [[Carl Maria von Weber]]'s ''[[Euryanthe]]'', was published by [[Tobias Haslinger]].

In 1830, Thalberg met Mendelssohn and [[Frédéric Chopin]] in Vienna. Their letters show their opinion that Thalberg's main strength was his astonishing technical skills.<ref>Chopin 1816–1831, Vol. 1, p. 243; Mendelssohn 1984, p. 118f

</ref> Further information can be found in the diary of the 10-year-old [[Clara Schumann|Clara Wieck]]. She had heard Thalberg on 14 May 1830 at a concert which he gave in the theatre of [[Leipzig]]. He had played his own ''Piano Concerto'' in F minor, Op. 5 and a fantasy that he had also composed. Two days before, Clara had played the first solo of [[John Field (composer)|John Field]]'s [[Piano Concerto No. 2 (Field)|Piano Concerto No. 2]] to Thalberg, and, together with him, the first movement of Hummel's ''[[Sonata]] for [[Piano four hands|Piano 4-Hands]]'', Op. 51. Her diary, edited by her father [[Friedrich Wieck]], notes Thalberg as "very accomplished". His playing was clear and precise, also being very strong and expressive.<ref>Wieck 1827–1840, p. 56</ref>

In the early 1830s, Thalberg studied [[counterpoint]] under [[Simon Sechter]]. As a result, passages of [[canon (music)|canon]] and [[fugue]] can be found in some of Thalberg's fantasies of this time. An example is his ''Grande fantaisie et variations sur '[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]''', Op. 12, which contains a march-theme and variations (one of them a canon), and a fugue on a lyrical theme. The fantasy was published in 1834 and became very popular; but on publication, it was criticised by some—for example, by [[Robert Schumann]].<ref>''[[Neue Zeitschrift für Musik]]'' 2 (1835), p. 178</ref>

Thalberg successfully changed his composing style, reducing the counterpoint. Several works in his new style, among them the ''2 Airs russes variés'', Op. 17, were even enthusiastically praised by Schumann.<ref>Schumann's review of Thalberg's Op. 17 can be found in the ''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' of 19 August 1836, p. 69</ref>

==Early virtuoso career==
[[File:Sigismond Thalberg (by Grevedon).jpeg|thumb|upright|Thalberg in 1836]]

In November 1835, Thalberg arrived in [[Paris]]. He performed on 16 November 1835 at a private concert of the Austrian [[ambassador]] [[Count]] [[Rudolph Apponyi]]. On 24 January 1836, he took part in a concert of the "Society of the [[Conservatoire de Paris|Paris Conservatoire]] concerts", playing his ''Grande fantaisie'', Op. 22. Thalberg was praised by many of the most prominent artists, among them [[Rossini]] and [[Meyerbeer]].

Chopin didn't share his fellow artists' enthusiasm. After hearing Thalberg play, in Vienna, Chopin wrote:<blockquote>He plays splendidly, but he's not my man. He's younger than I and pleases the ladies—makes ''[[Potpourri (music)|potpourris]]'' on ''[[La muette de Portici|La Muette]]''—produces his ''piano'' and ''forte'' with the pedal, not the hand—takes tenths as I do octaves and wears diamond shirt studs.</blockquote>

His début at the Conservatoire concert was in the ''[[Revue et gazette musicale de Paris|Revue et gazette musicale]]'' of 31 January 1836, enthusiastically reviewed by [[Hector Berlioz]].<ref>p. 38f</ref> [[Le Ménestrel|''Le'' ''Ménestrel'']] of 13 March 1836 wrote:<blockquote>Moscheles, [[Friedrich Kalkbrenner|Kalkbrenner]], Chopin, Liszt and [[Henri Herz|Herz]] are and will always be for me great artists, but Thalberg is the creator of a new art which I do not know how to compare to anything that existed before him . . . Thalberg is not only the premier pianist of the world, he is also an extremely distinguished composer.<ref>Quoted after the translation in Hominick 1991, p. 9</ref></blockquote>On 16 April 1836, Thalberg gave his first solo concert in Paris, and the success was again sensational. According to Apponyi's diary, Thalberg made a profit of 10,000 [[franc]]s (say 5000 bottles of fine Burgundy wine of €12 or US$13 a bottle in 2024 money),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://shannonselin.com/2021/06/currency-exchange-rates-costs-19th-century/https://shannonselin.com/2021/06/currency-exchange-rates-costs-19th-century/ | title=Currency, Exchange Rates & Costs in the 19th Century | date=11 June 2021 }}</ref> a sum that no virtuoso had gained before from a single concert.<ref>Apponyi 1913–1914, Vol. 3, p. 231</ref>

Liszt had heard of Thalberg's successes during the winter 1835–36 in Geneva, in spring 1836 in [[Lyon]], and in Paris. In his letter to [[Marie d'Agoult]] of 29 April 1836, he compared himself to the exiled [[Napoleon]].<ref>Liszt; d'Agoult 1933, Vol. 1, p. 147ff</ref> In a review of 8 January 1837, in the ''Revue et Gazette musicale'', Liszt controversially denigrated Thalberg's compositions.<ref>For contemporary reactions to Liszt's review, see Gooley 2004, p. 52</ref>

After Thalberg returned to Paris in the beginning of February 1837, a rivalry developed between him and Liszt. On 4 February, Thalberg heard Liszt play in concert for the first time in his life. Thalberg was stupefied. While Liszt then gave over a dozen concerts, Thalberg gave only one concert on 12 March 1837 in the Paris Conservatoire, and a further concert on 2 April 1837. In addition, on 31 March 1837, both Liszt and Thalberg played at a benefit concert to raise money for Italian refugees.<ref>Liszt played the first movement of Hummel's Septet and his own ''Niobe'' fantasy; Thalberg played his ''Moïse'' fantasy.</ref>

In May 1837, Thalberg gave a concert in London, following which ''[[Athenaeum (British magazine)|The Athenaeum]]'' gave an enthusiastic review.<ref>20 May 1837, p. 37</ref> Such enthusiasm followed Thalberg throughout the following years. His ''Fantasia on Rossini's '[[Mosè in Egitto|Moses]]''', Op. 33 became one of the most famous concert pieces of the 19th century, and was still praised by Berlioz in his ''[[Mémoires (Berlioz)|Mémoires]]'' (1870). The fantasy was published at end of March 1839; in May 1839, Clara Schumann studied and was delighted by it.<ref>See her letter to Schumann: Schumann, Clara and Robert 1987, Vol. 2, p. 522</ref> In 1848, the fantasy was played by Liszt's daughter Blandine.<ref>See the letter by Anna Liszt (Liszt's mother) to Liszt from 20 June 1848, in: Liszt 2000a, p. 441</ref>

==European tours==
===First steps===
After Thalberg's stay in London in May 1837, he made a first, short tour, giving concerts in several towns in [[Great Britain]], but he became ill and soon returned to Vienna. In spring 1838, he gave concerts in Paris again. A note in the ''Revue et Gazette musicale'' of 4 March 1838<ref>p. 104</ref> shows that Thalberg's fame had in the meantime grown. He was now called "the most famous of our composers". Thalberg left Paris on 18 April 1838, travelling to Vienna, the very same day that Liszt gave there a charity concert for the benefit of the victims of a [[Pest, Hungary#History|flood in Hungary]]. Thalberg invited Liszt for dinner, and the two great pianists dined together on the 28th with Prince Moritz Dietrichstein, who told Liszt that he was delighted to have "[[Castor and Pollux]]" together in his home. During the evening, Thalberg remarked to Liszt with admirable candour: "In comparison with you, I have never enjoyed more than a ''succes d'estime'' in Vienna". They dined again the next day, after Liszt's concert on 29 April 1838. Liszt and Thalberg were both dinner guests of [[Metternich]].<ref>See Liszt's letter to Marie d'Agoult of 30 April 1838, in: Liszt-d'Agoult: ''{{lang|fr|Correspondance I}}'', S.216; also see Liszt's letter to Lambert Massart of 3 June 1838, in: Vier: ''L'artiste – le clerc'', p.45.</ref> During Liszt's stay in Vienna, Thalberg did not perform at all.<ref>See: Liszt's own account in: Legány: ''Unbekannte Presse und Briefe'', p.57.</ref>

In October 1838, Thalberg became acquainted with Schumann. According to Schumann's diary, Thalberg played from memory [[étude]]s by Chopin, [[Joseph Christoph Kessler]], and [[Ferdinand Hiller]]. He also played with great skill and inspiration works by Beethoven, [[Franz Schubert|Schubert]], and [[Dussek]], as well sight-reading Schumann's ''[[Kreisleriana]]'', Op. 16.<ref>See: Schumann: ''Tagebücher II'', p.78f; also see: Schumann: ''Briefwechsel I'', p.274.</ref> On 27 November 1838, Thalberg took part in a charity concert, playing his new ''Fantasia on Rossini's '[[La donna del lago|La Donna del Lago]]''', Op. 40 ("[[The Lady of the Lake (poem)|The Lady of the Lake]]" after [[Walter Scott]]). At one of his own "Farewell concerts" on 1 December 1838, he played three of his ''12 Etudes'', Op. 26; his Op. 33 (''Moses''); and his ''Fantasia on Beethoven's [[Symphony No. 7 (Beethoven)|7th Symphony]]'', Op. 39.<ref>See: Schumann: ''Tagebücher II'', p.490f, n.305.</ref> As a result, in the ''[[Neue Zeitschrift für Musik]]'' of 8 March 1839,<ref>p. 77f</ref> an enthusiastic review by Schumann of the second book (likely Nos. 6–12) of Thalberg's Op. 26 appeared, concluding "He is a God when sitting at the piano."

===First extended tour===
After Thalberg's "Farewell concert" in Vienna, he began his first extended [[Europe]]an tour. On 19 and 21 December 1838, he gave two concerts in [[Dresden]], and he performed twice at the Court. Receiving honours from the King of Saxony, he told him, "Wait until you have heard Liszt!"<ref>See for example Marie d'Agoult's letter to Henri Lehmann of 26 September 1839, in: Joubert: ''{{lang|fr|Correspondance romantique}}'', p.35.</ref> In Leipzig, he gave a concert on 28 December 1838, attended by Mendelssohn, who, on the following day—in a letter to his sister [[Fanny Mendelssohn|Fanny]]—gave an enthusiastic account.<ref>Mendelssohn: ''Briefwechsel mit Fanny'', p.294f.</ref> Mendelssohn became a friend and admirer of Thalberg.

After a second concert in Leipzig on 30 December 1838, Thalberg travelled to [[Berlin]] to give a series of concerts there. Via [[Danzig]], [[Mitau]], and other places, he performed at [[St. Petersburg]], receiving excellent reviews. From St. Petersburg, he went on a steamboat to London where he gave further concerts. He then journeyed to [[Brussels]] to meet his violinist friend [[Charles de Bériot]]. There, he gave several private performances.

After Brussels, Thalberg arrived in the [[Rhineland]], where he gave a series of concerts with Bériot. He returned to London at the beginning of February 1840, and then travelled from London to Paris together with Baroness Wetzlar, his mother, awaiting the arrival of Liszt.

===Interlude===
Thalberg had already announced in December 1838—during his stay in Leipzig—that he would take time off at the end of his tour, and did not perform at any concert during his stay in spring 1840 in Paris.

At this time Mendelssohn, after meeting Liszt, compared him to Thalberg in a letter to his mother:<blockquote>Thalberg, with his composure, and within his more restricted sphere, is more nearly perfect as a real virtuoso; and after all this is the standard by which Liszt must also be judged, for his compositions are inferior to his playing, and, in fact, are calculated solely for virtuosi.<ref>Quoted after the translation in: Hominick: ''Thalberg'', p.73.</ref></blockquote>After the end of the Parisian concert season, Thalberg travelled as tourist in the Rhineland. In the beginning of June 1840, he attended a music festival directed by [[Louis Spohr]] in [[Aachen]]. He got an invitation from the Russian Tsarina and performed at a court-concert in [[Bad Ems]], but this was his only concert during his stay in the Rhineland. According to a note in the ''Revue et Gazette musicale'' of 2 August 1840,<ref>p. 410</ref> Bériot would get married two days later in Elsene ([[Ixelles]]). His bride was a young lady Maria Huber, born in Vienna, from [[Germany]]. She was an orphan and had been adopted by Prince von Dietrichstein, Thalberg's father. It may therefore be presumed that Thalberg wanted to take part in the wedding celebration. During previous visits to the Rhineland, he wanted only to relax. He also taught Bériot's son, the pianist [[Charles-Wilfrid de Bériot]].

In the ''Revue et Gazette musicale'' of 9 May 1841,<ref>p. 261ff</ref> an essay by [[François-Joseph Fétis|Fétis]] appeared—[[Transcendental Études|''Études d'exécution transcendente'']]—in which he praised Liszt for a new composing style which had been stimulated by Thalberg's challenge. In letters to Fétis of 17 May 1841, and to Simon Löwy of 20 May 1841, Liszt agreed with this analysis.<ref>See: Jung, Hans Rudolf: ''Franz Liszt in seinen Briefen'', Berlin 1987, p.78f, and Liszt: ''Briefe I'', p.43.</ref>

===1840–1848===
Thalberg performed in Brussels in fall 1840.<ref>See: ''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' 14 (1841), p.7f.</ref> He then travelled to Frankfurt-am-Main, where he stayed until January 1841. It had been announced that Thalberg would give concerts in Paris again in spring 1841, but he changed his plans. In Frankfurt, he only took part in a charity concert on 15 January 1841, playing his fantasies on ''La Donna del Lago'' and ''[[Les Huguenots]]''.<ref>See the announcement in the ''Frankfurter Ober-Postamts-Zeitung'' 1841, p.108.</ref> He was busily composing new works; his ''Grande fantaisie sur la Sérénade et le Menuet de '[[Don Giovanni|Don Juan]]'<nowiki/>'', Op. 42 and his ''Fantasia on Rossini's '[[Semiramide]]''', Op. 51 date from this time.

In the second half of January 1841, Thalberg travelled from Frankfurt to [[Weimar]], where he performed three times at the Grand Duke's court and also in the Theatre. He then went to Leipzig, where he visited Mendelssohn and Schumann. On 8 February 1841, he gave a solo concert in Leipzig, enthusiastically reviewed by Schumann,<ref>''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' 14 (1841), p. 58</ref> playing his Op. 42 (''Don Juan''); his ''Andante final de '[[Lucia di Lammermoor]]'<nowiki/>'', Op. 44; his ''Theme and Etude'', Op. 45; and his ''Grand Caprice on [[Vincenzo Bellini|Bellini]]'s '[[La sonnambula|La Sonnambula]]''', Op. 46.

Clara Schumann (''née'' Wieck) noted in her diary:<blockquote>On Monday Thalberg visited us and played to the delightment beautiful on my piano. An even more accomplished mechanism than his does not exist, and many of his piano effects must ravish the connoisseurs. He does not fail a single note, his passages can be compared to rows of pearls, his octaves are the most beautiful ones I ever heard.<ref>Translated from: Schumann: ''Tagebücher II'', p.146.</ref></blockquote>Mendelssohn's student [[Charles Edward Horsley|Horsley]] wrote of the meeting of his teacher and Thalberg:<blockquote>We were a trio, and after dinner Mendelssohn asked Thalberg if he had written anything new, whereupon Thalberg sat down to the piano and played his Fantasia from the "Sonnambula" . . . At the close there are several runs of Chromatique Octaves, which at that time had not previously heard, and of which peculiar passages Thalberg was undoubtedly the inventor. Mendelssohn was much struck with the novel effect produced, and greatly admired its ingenuity . . . he told me to be with him the next afternoon at 2 o'clock. When I arrived at his study door I heard him playing to himself, and practising continually this passage which had so struck him the previous day. I waited for at least half an hour listening in wonderment to the facility with which he applied his own thoughts to the cleverness of Thalberg's mechanism, and then went into the room. He laughed and said: 'Listen to this, is it not almost like Thalberg?'<ref>Horsley: ''Reminiscences of Mendelssohn'', p.355.</ref></blockquote>After his stay in Leipzig, Thalberg gave concerts in [[Wrocław|Breslau]] and [[Warsaw]]. He then travelled to Vienna and gave two successful concerts there. In a review in the ''Leipziger Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung'',<ref>43 (1841), p. 753f</ref> Thalberg was described as Liszt's only rival.

In winter 1841–1842, Thalberg gave concerts in Italy, while Liszt, from end of December 1841 until beginning of March 1842, gave a series of concerts in Berlin. Thalberg matched Liszt's successes in Berlin. He then returned via [[Marseille]], [[Toulon]], and [[Dijon]], arriving on 11 April 1842, in Paris. On the next day, he gave his first—and on 21 April, his second—concert. According to an account by Berlioz, Thalberg made a profit of 12,000 francs from his first concert, and one of 13,000 francs from his second. The concerts were reviewed in the ''Revue et Gazette musicale'' by [[Henri-Louis Blanchard|Henri Blanchard]] who—two years before, in his review of Liszt's concert on 20 April 1840—had nominated Thalberg as [[Julius Caesar|Cesar]], [[Augustus|Octavian]] or Napoleon of the piano. In spring 1842, Blanchard reached for new superlatives even surpassing his former ones. In his review of Thalberg's second concert, he wrote that Thalberg would in 100 years have been canonized—and by all coming pianists, be invoked with—the name of Holy Thalberg. According to the account by Berlioz, at the end of Thalberg's second concert, a golden crown was thrown onto the stage.<ref>See: ''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' 16 (1842), p.171f, and ''Revue et Gazette musicale'' 1842, p.181.</ref>

In addition to his own concerts, Thalberg took part in a concert of [[Émile Prudent]]. He then travelled via Brussels to London. Later, in 1842, Thalberg was decorated with the Cross of the French [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>See the note in the ''Revue et Gazette musicale'' of 3 July 1842, p.279.</ref> He travelled to Vienna where he stayed until fall 1842. In the second half of November until 12 December 1842, he made a further tour in Great Britain,<ref>See: ''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' 18 (1843), p.22.</ref> and in January 1843, he returned to Paris. At the end of March 1843, he performed at a private concert of Pierre Erard (nephew of the piano and harp maker [[Sébastien Érard]]), but this was his only concert appearance during that season.<ref>See: Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 18 (1843), p.145f.</ref>=

In March 1843, [[Heinrich Heine]] wrote about Thalberg:<blockquote>His performance is so gentlemanly, so entirely without any forced acting the genius, so entirely without that well-known brashness that makes a poor cover for inner insecurity. Healthy women love him. So do sickly women, even though he does not engage their sympathy by epileptic seizures at the piano, even though he does not play at their overstrung, delicate nerves, even though he neither electrifies them nor galvanizes them.<ref>Quoted after the translation in: Hominick: Thalberg, p.44.</ref></blockquote>In winter 1843–44, Thalberg gave concerts in Italy again. At the end of March 1844, he returned to Paris, where—at the same time—Liszt was also expected. Liszt arrived on April 8 and gave on 16 April a first concert, at which he played his ''Réminiscences de Norma'', S. 394, published shortly before. When composing this fantasy, Liszt had put many Thalbergian effects into it. In his later years, he told [[August Göllerich]], one of his pupils:<ref>Göllerich: ''Liszt'', p.184.</ref><blockquote>As I met Thalberg, I said to him: 'Here I have cribbed everything from you.' 'Yes,' he replied, 'there are Thalberg-passages included which are indeed indecent.'</blockquote>Shortly after Liszt's concert on 11 May 1844, Thalberg left Paris. He travelled to London and gave a concert there on 28 May 1844. At a further concert in London, he played a concerto for three pianos by [[J. S. Bach]] together with Moscheles and Mendelssohn.<ref>An account of the concert can be found in Horsley's ''Remininscences of Mendelssohn''.</ref> He also took part in a concert of [[Julius Benedict]]. In August 1844, Thalberg returned to Paris, where he stayed until 1845. During the winter 1844–45, he gave a piano course for selected students at the Paris Conservatoire.<ref>See the note in the ''Leipziger Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung'' 47 (1845), p.16.</ref> On April 2, 1845, he gave a concert in Paris, playing his ''Fantasia'' on Rossini's ''[[The Barber of Seville|Barber of Seville]]'', Op. 63; his ''Grande fantaisie sur les motifs de '[[Don Pasquale]]''', Op. 67; and his ''Fantasia on [[Daniel Auber|Auber]]'s 'La Muette de Portici'<nowiki/>'', Op. 52—as well as his ''Marche funèbre'', Op. 59 and his ''Barcarolle'', Op. 60.

In spring 1848, in Vienna, Liszt met Thalberg once more. On 3 May 1848, Thalberg gave a benefit concert which Liszt attended. According to an account by his pupil {{Interlanguage link|Johann Nepomuk Dunkl|hu|Dunkl Nepomuk János}}, Liszt was sitting on the stage, carefully listening, and loudly applauding.<ref>See: Dunkl: ''Erinnerungen'', p.19f. Hanslick, in his account of the concert in his ''Geschichte des Concertwesens in Wien'', p.349, omitted Liszt's presence, but it is confirmed in a note in the ''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'' 28 (1848), p.286.</ref> It had been 11 years since he had first heard his rival's playing.

== Concerts in America ==
[[Image:Fotofrancesca2.jpg|thumb|upright|Francesca Lablache, Thalberg's wife]]
On 22 July 1843, Thalberg married Francesca ("Cecchina"), the eldest daughter of [[Luigi Lablache]], first bass at the ''[[Comédie-Italienne|Théâtre des Italiens]]'' in Paris.<ref>Thalberg's wedding date is often reported as 1844. For the correct date see: Hominick: ''Thalberg'', p.11; also see the note in the ''Leipziger Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung'' 45 (1843), p.608, and Marie d'Agoult's letter to Henri Lehmann of 21 August 1843, in: Joubert: ''{{lang|fr|Correspondance romantique}}'', p.184.</ref> Thalberg went with his wife to Italy where they stayed for the winter 1843–44.

In 1855, after Thalberg's operas ''Florinda'', Op. 71 and ''Cristina di Svezia'' had failed, he realized his ambition to give concerts in [[Americas|America]]. From July to December 1855, he performed with overwhelming success in [[Rio de Janeiro]] and [[Buenos Aires]]. He returned to Europe, but—after a stay of several months in Paris—went on the steamboat ''Africa'' to [[North America]], where he arrived on 3 October 1856, in [[New York City|New York]]. After Thalberg's debut there on 10 November 1856, a performance marathon ensued, during which he spent eight months giving concerts five or six days a week. Occasionally, he gave two or even three concerts a day. On Sundays, concerts were generally only allowed if they presented "sacred music", but several times Thalberg performed anyhow, playing pieces like his Op. 33 (''Moses''), based on a prayer from Rossini's opera, or his Huguenots-fantasy{{Which|date=May 2023}} with the chorale "[[Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott]]" as main subject. His ''Andante'', Op. 32 and his Op. 59 (''Marche funèbre'') were also allowed.

Thalberg's first American season ended with a concert on 29 July 1857 in [[Saratoga Springs, New York|Saratoga Springs]]. On 15 September 1857, he gave another concert in New York, starting his second season. With very few intermissions, he was busy until his last concert on 12 June 1858, in [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]]. By then, he had visited nearly 80 cities and given more than 320 regular concerts in the [[United States]], and 20 concerts in [[Canada]]. In addition, he gave at least 20 free concerts for many thousands of schoolchildren. Thalberg also gave a series of solo matinées in New York and in [[Boston]] at which he played own works as well as chamber music. From 1857, the violinist [[Henri Vieuxtemps]] toured with Thalberg. They played works by Beethoven and duos composed by Thalberg.
[[File:Sigismund Thalberg (H Hering c 1860).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Thalberg c. 1860]]Thalberg's financial success on these tours was immense. He got an average of about $500 per concert and probably made more than $150,000 during his two seasons—the equivalent today of about $3 million.<ref>See: Lott: ''From Paris to Peoria'', p.159.</ref> A large part of his appeal on these tours was his unpretentious and unassuming personality; he did not resort to advertising gimmicks or cheap crowd-pleasing tricks—instead, he offered superbly polished renditions of his own compositions, which had already been well known in America. Upon rising from the piano after such performances, he was always the same quiet, respectable, self-possessed, middle-aged gentleman that he was at the dinner table of his hotel.<ref>See: Hominick: ''Thalberg'', p.45</ref> He played works by Beethoven, among them the sonatas Nos. [[Piano Sonata No. 12 (Beethoven)|12]] ("Funeral March") and [[Piano Sonata No. 14 (Beethoven)|14]] ("Moonlight"), as well as the first movements of the [[Piano Concerto No. 3 (Beethoven)|Third]] and [[Piano Concerto No. 5 (Beethoven)|Fifth Piano Concertos]]. His cadenza to Beethoven's third concerto was admired. He also played works by J. S. Bach, Chopin, Hummel, Mendelssohn, and several other composers.<ref>A repertoire list can be found in: Hominick: ''Thalberg'', p.38f.</ref> The ''New-York Musical Review and Gazette'' of July 24, 1858, wrote:<blockquote>Thalberg . . . quite unexpectedly closed what has been a most brilliant career—completely successful, musically, giving to the talented and genial artist abundance of both fame and money. There is probably not another virtuoso, whether with instrument or voice (Liszt alone excepted), who could have excited a moiety of the enthusiasm, or gathered a fragment of the dollars, which Thalberg has excited and gathered.<ref>Quoted after: Lott: ''From Paris to Peoria'', p.159.</ref></blockquote>The unexpected close referred to the announcement in June 1858 in [[Chicago]] that Thalberg would make only one of three scheduled appearances before immediately returning to Europe. In fact, Thalberg did not even perform at ''that'' concert, but very hastily left instead. His wife, Francesca, had arrived from Europe following reports that Thalberg had an extra-marital liaison.<ref>On 16 April 1858, in New York, Elena D'Angri had given birth to a child who was suspected to be Thalberg's daughter. The girl was called Zaré Thalberg. On 10 April 1875, in the [[Royal Opera House|Royal Italian Opera]] in London, 'Zaré Thalberg' made a successful debut as Zerline in Mozart's "Don Giovanni".See the note in the ''Allgemeine Zeitung Augsburg'' 1875, p.1788. It has been suggested however that this girl's real name was Ethel Western and she had been born in England. See: Lott: ''From Paris to Peoria'', p.158.</ref> This caused further confusion when the opera singer [[Zare Thalberg]] debuted at [[Covent Garden]] in 1875. She had been one of his students, but she was misidentified as his daughter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theirvingsociety.org.uk/the-thalbery-mystery-by-alex-bisset/|title=The Thalbery Mystery by Alex Bisset|date=2002-06-01|website=The Irving Society|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-08}}</ref>

== Later years ==
The reason as to why Francesca had left for America and returned, with her husband, to Europe is unknown. The death of Thalberg's father-in-law, Lablache, on 23 January 1858, could be one reason. A further possibility is that there may have been consideration of legitimizing Thalberg to enable him to succeed his natural father, Prince [[Franz Joseph, Prince of Dietrichstein|Franz Joseph von Dietrichstein]].<ref>See: Protzies: ''Studien zur Biographie Franz Liszts'', p.181 and n.1020.</ref>

There are unsubstantiated reports that, after his return to Europe, Thalberg settled in [[Posillipo]], near Naples, in a [[villa]] that had belonged to Lablache. The reality is that he dwelled at Viale Calascione, 5 in the Pizzofalcone section of Naples, not far from the elite [[Nunziatella Military School]]. Thalberg's residence at Viale Calascione, 5 is confirmed both by a plaque on the building and by a monument to him in the courtyard.
[[File:Thalbergplaq.jpg|thumb|"Sigismond Thalberg lived in this house and died there on April 27, 1871, paid for by immortal triumphs."]]
For the following four years, Thalberg lived there in silence. In spring 1862, he gave concerts in Paris and London once again, and was as successful as ever. After a last tour in [[Brazil]] in 1863,<ref>The tour in Brazil is confirmed in the article "Thalberg" by Fétis. However, according to Hominick: ''Thalberg'', p.17f, it seems to be doubtful, whether the tour actually took place.</ref> he put an end to his career. He considered taking up a position as a piano professor at the conservatory in Naples{{Which|date=March 2023}}, but he did not have the prerequisite of having an Italian nationality. One year later, he received an offer from the same conservatory, but he refused. The claim of Italian pianist and music teacher {{Interlanguage link|Vincenzo Vitale|it|4=de|WD=}} that Thalberg published instructive editions of J. S. Bach's "[[The Well-Tempered Clavier|Well-Tempered Clavier]]" and [[Muzio Clementi]]'s "Gradus ad Parnassum"<ref>See: Vitale: ''Thalberg in Posillipo''.</ref> has been recently disputed by Italian pianist and [[Musicology|musicologist]] {{Interlanguage link|Chiara Bertoglio|it}}.<ref>See: Bertoglio, Chiara (2012). ''Instructive Editions and Piano Performance Practice: A Case Study''. Saarbrücken: Lambert Academic Publishing. {{ISBN|978-3-8473-2151-4}}</ref> When Thalberg died on 27 April 1871, he left behind a collection of several hundred [[Autograph (manuscript)|autographs]] by famous composers, among them J. S. Bach, [[George Frideric Handel|Handel]], [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], [[Joseph Haydn|Haydn]], Beethoven, Schubert, and others; even Liszt. The collection was sold after Thalberg's death.<ref>See the article "Thalberg" in Wurzbach's ''Biographisches Lexikon'', p.128ff.</ref> He is buried at Naples' [[Cemetery of Poggioreale, Naples|Poggioreale cemetery]].

== Composer ==
{{see also|List of compositions by Sigismond Thalberg}}
In the 1830s and the 1840s, Thalberg's style was a major force in European piano playing.<ref>See: Suttoni: ''Piano and Opera'', p.207.</ref> He was greatly in fashion and was imitated by others.<ref>See: Hanslick: ''Geschichte des Konzertwesens in Wien''.</ref> In 1852, [[Wilhelm von Lenz]] wrote:<blockquote>The piano playing of the present day, to tell the truth, consists only of Thalberg simple, Thalberg amended, and Thalberg exaggerated; scratch what is written for the piano, and you will find Thalberg.<ref>Quoted after: Suttoni: ''Piano and Opera'', p.207, where the date is erroneously given as 1854.</ref></blockquote>Ten years later, on 13 June 1862, a London correspondent of the ''Revue et gazette musicale<ref>p. 195</ref>'' wrote:<blockquote>Thalberg was indeed imitated like no other; his manner was parodied, exaggerated, turned upside down, tortured, and it may have happened to all of us to curse more than once this Thalbergian school which brought us this avalanche of notes, these arpeggios up and down, with, or more often than not without the slightest song in the middle. The apostles have altered the word of the master. But when we return to the source, we are reconciled with him and we prostrate ourselves again, as twenty years ago, as in the time of youth and enthusiasm.<ref>Quoted in: ''Dwight's Journal of Music'' XXI, August 16, 1862, p.153.</ref></blockquote>[[Image:ThalbergMoise.jpg|thumb|Excerpt from Thalberg's Op. 33 (''Moses''), showcasing the "three-hand" effect|413x413px]]
In the late 19th century, Thalberg's fame had come to depend on his association with a single piano technique: the "[[three-hand effect]]". [[Carl Friedrich Weitzmann]], in his ''Geschichte des Klavierspiels'' (1879), wrote:<blockquote>His bravura pieces, fantasies on melodies from Rossini's ''Mosè'' and ''La donna del lago'', on motifs from Bellini's ''Norma'' and on [[Russian folk music|Russian folk-songs]], became extraordinarily popular through his own, brilliant execution; however, they treat their subjects always in one and the same way, [namely] . . . to let the tones of a melody be played in the medium octave of the keyboard now by the thumb of the right, now of the left hand, while the rest of the fingers are executing arpeggios filling the whole range of the keyboard.<ref>Translated after: Weitzmann: ''Geschichte des Klavierspiels'', p.138.</ref></blockquote>

== Discography ==
* ''Grand Concerto pour le piano avec Accompagnement de l’Orchestre'', f-minor, op. 5. ([[Francesco Nicolosi]], Razumowsky Symphony Orchestra, [[Andrew Mogrelia|A. Mogrelia]], [[Naxos (company)|NAXOS]] 8.553701)
* ''12 Etudes'' op. 26, Fantasie op. 33, Fantasie op. 40 ([[Stefan Irmer]], [[Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm|MDG]] 2009)
* ''Fantasies on Operas by Bellini'' opp. 12, 10, 49, 9 (Nicolosi, NAXOS 8.555498)
* ''Fantasies on Operas by Verdi, Rossini and Bellini'' opp. 3, 70, 77, 78, 81, 82 (Nicolosi, MARCO POLO 8.223367)
* ''Fantasies on Operas by [[Gaetano Donizetti|Donizetti]]'' opp. 68, 67, 50, 44, 66 (Nicolosi, MARCO POLO 8.223365)
* ''Fantasies on Operas by Rossini'' opp. 51, 40, 63, 33 (Nicolosi, NAXOS 8.555501)
* ''Soirees de Pausilippe'' opp. 75 (Nicolosi, MARCO POLO 8.223807)
* ''Lacrimosa, Fantasie on Don Giovanni'' ([[Cyprien Katsaris]], {{Interlanguage link|Klavier Music Productions|lt=Klavier|nl}}, SONY SK 52551)
* ''Apotheose & Fantasies on French Operas'' ([[Mark Viner]], Piano Classics, PCL10178)
* ''Opera Fantasies'' (Viner, Piano Classics, PCL0092)

== Notes and references ==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* Article "Thalberg" in ''The New Musical Grove''.
* Article "Thalberg" in: ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart''.
* Article "Thalberg" in: [[François-Joseph Fétis|Fétis, François-Joseph]]: ''Biographie universelle des musiciens''.
* Articles "Dietrichstein" and "Thalberg" in: [[Constantin von Wurzbach|Wurzbach, Constantin von]]: ''[[Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich|Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Österreich]]'', [https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Biographisches_Lexikon_des_Kaiserthums_Oesterreich Vols. 3 and 44], Vienna 1858 and 1882.
* ''{{lang|fr|Correspondance de Frédéric Chopin, * L'aube 1816–1831; ** L'ascension 1831–1840; *** La gloire 1840–1849}}''; Recueillie, révisée, annotée et traduite par Bronislas Éduard Sydow en collaboration avec Suzanne et Denise Chainaye, Paris 1953–1960.
* Apponyi, Rodolphe: ''Vingt-cinq ans a Paris (1826–1850), Journal du Comte Rodolphe Apponyi, Attaché de l'ambassade d'Autriche a Paris'', Publié par Ernest Daudet, * (1826–1830), Cinquième édition; ** (1831–1834); *** (1835–1843), Paris 1913–1914.
* Belance-Zank, Isabelle: ''The "Three-Hand" Texture: Origins and Use'', in: ''Journal of the American Liszt-Society'' 38, 1995, p. 99–121.
* Bertoglio, Chiara: ''Instructive Editions and Piano Performance Practice: A Case Study''. Saarbrücken: Lambert Academic Publishing. {{ISBN|978-3-8473-2151-4}}
* [[Hans von Bülow|Bülow, Hans von]]: ''Briefe'', ed. Marie von Bülow, II. Band, zweite Auflage, Leipzig 1899.
* d'Agoult, Marie (Daniel Stern): ''Mémoires, Souvenirs et Journaux I/II'', Présentation et Notes de Charles F. Dupêchez, Mercure de France 1990.
* Dunkl, Johann Nepomuk: ''Aus den Erinnerungen eines Musikers'', Wien 1876.
* Göllerich, August: ''Franz Liszt'', Berlin 1908.
* Gooley, Dana Andrew: ''The Virtuoso Liszt'', Cambridge University Press 2004.
* Hanslick, Eduard: ''Geschichte des Concertwesens in Wien'', Wien 1869.
* Hominick, Ian Glenn: ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20140112234034/https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ap:10:0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:osu1148492325 Sigismund Thalberg (1812–1871), Forgotten Piano Virtuoso: His Career and Musical Contributions]'', Ohio State Univ. 1991, DMA Diss.
* Horsley, Charles Edward: ''Reminiscences of Mendelssohn'', in: ''Dwight's Journal of Music'' XXXII (1871/72), No. 19-21.
* Joubert, Solange: ''{{lang|fr|Une correspondance romantique, Madame d'Agoult, Liszt, Lehmann}}'', Paris 1947.
* Kohlenegg, L. R. v. (Poly Henrion): "Unter berühmten Menschen, Eine Mutter im Kampf und drei Genies im Bette," in: ''Ueber Land und Meer'', 25 (1871), p. 18f.
* Legány, Desö: ''Franz Liszt, Unbekannte Presse und Briefe aus Wien, 1822–1886'', Wien Graz 1984.
* Legouvé, Ernest: ''Liszt et Thalberg, une lettre de Liszt'', in: ''Le Ménestrel'' of May 11, 1890, p. 145ff.
* Liszt, Franz: ''Briefe'', Vol. VIII, ed. La Mara, Leipzig 1905.
* Liszt, Franz: ''Briefwechsel mit seiner Mutter'', ed. Klara Hamburger, Eisenstadt 2000a.
* Liszt, Franz: ''Sämtliche Schriften'', ed. [[Detlef Altenburg]], Vol. 1: ''Frühe Schriften'', ed. Rainer Kleinertz, commented with collaboration of [[Serge Gut]], Wiesbaden 2000b.
* Liszt, Franz, and d'Agoult, Marie: ''{{lang|fr|Correspondance}}'', ed. Daniel Ollivier, Vol. 1: 1833–1840, Paris 1933, Vol. II: 1840–1864, Paris 1934.
* Lott, R. Allen: ''From Paris to Peoria, How European Piano Virtuosos brought Classical Music to the American Heartland'', Oxford 2003.
* Mendelssohn, Fanny and Felix: ''Briefwechsel 1821 bis 1846'', ed. Eva Weisweiler, Berlin 1997.
* Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix: ''Briefe'', ed. [[Rudolf Elvers]], Frankfurt 1984.
* Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix: ''Briefe an Ignaz und Charlotte Moscheles'', ed. Felix Moscheles, Leipzig 1888.
* Mühsam, Gerd: ''Sigismund Thalberg als Klavierkomponist'', Wien 1937, Phil. Diss.
* Ollivier, Daniel: ''Autour de Mme d'Agoult et de Liszt'', Paris 1941.
* Protzies, Günther: ''Studien zur Biographie Franz Liszts und zu ausgewählten seiner Klavierwerke in der Zeit der Jahre 1828–1846'', Bochum 2004, Phil. Diss.
* Schumann, Clara und Robert: ''Briefwechsel, Kritische Gesamtausgabe'', ed. [[Eva Weissweiler]], Vol. I, 1832–1838, Vol. II, 1839, Basel Frankfurt a. M. 1984, 1987.
* Schumann, Robert: ''Tagebücher'', Vol. I, ed. [[Georg Eismann]], Vol. II ed. [[Gerd Nauhaus]], Leipzig 1971, 1987.
* Suttoni, Charles: ''Piano and Opera: A Study of the Piano Fantasias Written on Opera Themes in the Romantic Era'', New York 1973.
* [[Alexander Wheelock Thayer|Thayer, Alexander Wheelock]]: ''[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HkMaAAAAYAAJ/mode/1up?view=theater Ludwig van Beethovens Leben]'', auf Grund der hinterlassenen Vorarbeiten und Materialien weitergeführt von [[Hermann Deiters]], edited by Hugo Riemann, Fünfter Band, Leipzig 1908.
* Vier, Jaques: ''L'artiste – le clerc: Documents inédits'', Paris 1950.
* Vitale, Vincenzo: "Sigismondo Thalberg in Posillipo," in: ''Nouve rivista musicale italiana'' 6, 1972, p. 503–511.
* Walker, Alan: ''Franz Liszt'', Volume 1, ''The Virtuoso Years 1811–1847'', Revised Edition, New York 1987.
* Wieck, Clara: ''Jugendtagebücher 1827–1840'', ed. [[Gerd Nauhaus]] and [[Nancy B. Reich]], Wiesbaden etc. Breitkopf & Härtel.

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Sigismund Thalberg|Sigismond Thalberg}}
* [http://www.centrothalberg.it Sigismund Thalberg International Study Centre]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050118142732/http://www.centrothalberg.it/biografiathalberginglese.htm Biography]
* {{IMSLP|id=Thalberg, Sigismond}}
* [http://kreusch-sheet-music.net/eng/?page=search&komp=Thalberg&show_box=true&search=true www.kreusch-sheet-music.net] — Free Scores by Sigismond Thalberg
* {{Cite ADB|37|643|644|Thalberg, Sigismund|Robert Eitner|ADB:Thalberg, Sigismund}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Thalberg, Sigismond}}
* [http://mariateresaramos.blogia.com/2009/040602-marcha-de-thalberg-1-.php First part of a recording of Thalberg's marche funebre]
* [http://mariateresaramos.blogia.com/2009/040603-marcha-de-thalberg-y-2-.php Second part of a recording of Thalberg's marche funebre]

{{Romanticism}}
{{Romantic music}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thalberg, Sigismond}}
[[Category:1812 births]]
[[Category:1871 deaths]]
[[Category:Composers from the Austrian Empire]]
[[Category:19th-century Austrian classical composers]]
[[Category:19th-century Austrian classical pianists]]
[[Category:19th-century Austrian male musicians]]
[[Category:Romantic composers]]
[[Category:Chamber virtuosi of the Emperor of Austria]]
[[Category:Composers for piano]]
[[Category:Honorary members of the Royal Philharmonic Society]]
[[Category:Musicians from Geneva]]
[[Category:Pupils of Carl Czerny]]

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Sigismond Thalberg