Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmermann

Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmermann, (March 1785 - October 29, 1853), often known as Joseph Zimmermann, was a French pianist, composer, and music teacher.

Zimmermann was born in Paris, the son of a piano maker. He attended the Paris Conservatory, studying piano with François Adrien Boieldieu; while a student there, he won first prizes for piano in 1800 and harmony in 1802. He would later study under Luigi Cherubini. Zimmermann became a piano assistant at the Conservatory in 1811 and a full professor there in 1816, serving until 1848; he refused a position as a professor of counterpoint and fugue in 1821. Among his students were Georges Bizet, Charles Gounod, Cesar Franck, Ambroise Thomas, and Charles-Valentin Alkan. He died in Paris.

He wrote two operas, "L'enlèvement" and "Nausicaa". He also composed two piano concertos, one piano sonata, and numerous other works for piano.

ource

*Don Randel, "The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music". Harvard, 1996, p. 1010-1011.