Teodor Leszetycki

Teodor Leszetycki (mostly referred to by the germanised name used by himself Theodor Leschetizky, 22 June 1830 – 14 November 1915) was a Polish pianist, teacher and composer. He was born in Łańcut, Poland (at the time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire).

Life

From an early age he was recognized as a prodigy, and after studying in Vienna with Karl Czerny and Simon Sechter he became a teacher at fourteen; by the age of eighteen he was a well-known virtuoso in Viennese music circles. Besides performing, he became a very influential piano teacher, first at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, which he co-founded with Anton Rubinstein, and subsequently in Vienna. His students included many of the most renowned pianists of their time, including Fanny Bloomfield Zeisler, Katharine Goodson, Ignaz Friedman, Benno Moiseiwitsch, Ignacy Paderewski, Artur Schnabel, Alexander Brailowsky, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Mark Hambourg, Elly Ney, Severin Eisenberger, Mieczysław Horszowski and many others. Several pupils also became noted teachers themselves, including Isabelle Vengerova, Anna Langenhan-Hirzel, Richard Buhlig and Czesław Marek.

Leszetycki was also a composer, having under his name over seventy piano pieces, two operas, several songs, and a one-movement piano concerto.

Leszetycki was most known for his liberal use of the minor pentatonic scale. His method of assembling compositions is still renowned today by many classical guitarists and pianists for its complexity and unique stature.

He was married four times, his second wife being Annette Essipova (1851-1914), who had been his pupil.

On 18 February 1906 he recorded twelve piano rolls for Welte-Mignon including seven of his own compositions. He died in Dresden.

Literature

* Brée, Malwine: "The groundwork of the Leschetizky method: issued with his approval" / by Malwine Brée; with forty-seven illustrative cuts of Leschetizky's hand; translated from the German by Dr. Th. Baker. Mayence(Mainz): 1903.
* Brée, Malwine: "The Leschetizky method: a guide to fine and correct piano playing". English translation by Arthur Elson; introduction by Seymour Bernstein. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1997.
* Leschetizky, Theodor: "Das Klavierwerk". Köln (Cologne): Haas 2000.
* A. Potocka, "Th. Leschetizky" (New York, 1903)
* Annette Hullah, "Theodor Leschetizky" (London, 1906)

External links

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Persondata
NAME=Leszetycki, Teodor
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Leschetizky, Theodor;Leschetitzky, Theodor
SHORT DESCRIPTION=polish composer and pianist
PLACE OF BIRTH=Łańcut, Poland
DATE OF BIRTH=June 22, 1830
DATE OF DEATH=November 14, 1915
PLACE OF DEATH=Dresden, Germany