Born:
June 22, 1830
Birthplace:
Lancut, Poland
Died:
November 14, 1915 in Dresden, Germany
Also Known As:
Also known as Teodor Leszetycki; he was a pianist, well-respected and influential piano teacher of his time and one of the great pianists of the Romantic period.
Notable Contribution :
He was a brilliant teacher who devised exercises to help his students overcome technical difficulties when playing the piano. It is known as the "Leschetizky Method," which helps develop agility especially on the weakest fingers. Leschetizky however, believed there is no fixed method and he specifically catered to his students' individual needs.
Interesting Facts:
Theodor Leschetizky was taught by Carl Czerny who was in turn the student of Ludwig van Beethoven. Some of his famous students were: Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Artur Schnabel and Ignacy Paderewski. Leschetizky's students are said to have certain similarities when playing the piano, such as their sitting position/posture and tone of playing.
The Leschetizky Method:
This is a term which wasn't coined personally by Teodor Leschetizky, rather, it may have been derived from the works of his assistants and students based on the teachings of Leschetizky. Malwine Bree was Leschetizky's studio assistant who wrote The Groundwork of the Leschetizky Method. This book contains basic exercises to help build skill and agility for pianists.