Hans Von Bülow: A Life and TimesHans von Bülow is a key figure in 19th century music whose career path was as broad as it was successful. Music history's first virtuoso orchestral conductor, Bülow created the model for the profession-both in musical brilliance and in domineering personality-which still holds forth today. He was an eminent and renowned concert pianist, a respected (and often feared) teacher and music critic, an influential editor of works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Beethoven, and a composer in a variety of musical genres. As a student and son-in-law of Franz Liszt, and estranged friend of Richard Wagner (for whom his wife Cosima famously left him), Bülow is intricately connected with the canonical greats of the period. Yet despite his critical and lasting importance for orchestral music, Bülow's life and significant achievements have yet to be heralded in biographical form. In Hans von Bülow: A Life and Times, Alan Walker, the acclaimed author of numerous award-winning books on the era's iconic composers, provides the first full-length English biography of this remarkable musical figure. Walker traces Bülow's life in illuminating and engaging detail, from the first piano lessons of his boyhood days, to his first American tour, to his last days as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. Unearthing Bülow's extensive and previously unavailable correspondence and writings, Walker conveys amusing and informative anecdotes about this unique musical legend- from his sardonic and clever personality to his meticulous devotion to his work-and reveals enlightening insights on the still-contested sensibilities of musical-compositional style and "idea" at play in the vibrant musical world of which Bülow was a part. |
Contents
On the Slopes of Parnassus 18301869 | 29 |
Ascending the Peak 18701880 | 161 |
Vistas from the Summit 18801894 | 275 |
Bülows Autopsy Report | 465 |
Complete Catalogue of Bülows Compositions Transcriptions and Editions | 469 |
Bülows Titles and Honours | 483 |
| 485 | |
| 493 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
already America appeared arrived artistic audience became become Beethoven began Berlin Brahms brought Bülow called composer concert conducted conductor continued Cosima critic dated daughter death described Dresden earlier early fact February final four gave German give given Hall Hamburg hand Hans invited issue Italy January June king knew later learned leave Leipzig letter Liszt lived Ludwig major March Marie marks marriage matter Meiningen memory minor months Munich musicians never November observed October offered once opera orchestra performance Philharmonic pianist piano piece played players position present published pupil received recitals rehearsals remained returned Royal Sonata Strauss Symphony taken tells Theatre things told took tour turned Wagner wanted weeks Weimar wife wrote York young