Born:
May 8, 1829
Birthplace:
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Died:
December 18, 1869 in Tijuca, Brazil
Also Known As:
American composer and virtuoso pianist.
Type of Compositions:
He wrote piano pieces, vocal works and orchestral pieces.
Influence:
Gottschalk was considered a child prodigy and could play several instruments. In 1842, Gottschalk traveled to Paris to further his studies; among his teachers were Karl Hallé, Pierre Malenden and Camille-Marie Stamaty. He would later travel throughout the United States, Canada and other countries on concert tours that were mostly successful. Gottschalk pioneered the use of Creole and Latin American songs and dance themes in his compositions.
Musical Work:
His notable works include Grande Tarantelle, La Bamboula and Le Bananier. His Notes of a Pianist was published posthumously in 1881 and is back in print since 2006 from Princeton University Press.
Interesting Facts:
Gottschalk performed for Louis-Hector Berlioz and Frederic Chopin. Chopin is said to have predicted that Gottschalk would become "one of the foremost pianists of the century." (Source: Louis Moreau Gottschalk Web site)
Music Sample:
Listen to Louis Moreau Gottschalk's Grand Tarantella with Nadia Weintraub on the piano courtesy of YouTube.
More Information:
For more information, visit the Louis Moreau Gottschalk Web site.