Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller

Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller from a lithograph, c.1840

Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller, generally known as Friedrich Burgmüller (born Regensburg, Germany 4 December 1806 – died 13 February 1874) was a German pianist and composer.[1]

Biography

He was born in Ratisbon (now Regensburg) Germany.[1] Both his father, August, and his brother, Norbert, were musicians. His father was a musical theatre director in Weimar and other Southern German centers.

He moved to Kassel in 1829 to study under Ludwig Spohr and Moritz Hauptmann,[1] There he appeared as a pianist for his first concert, January 14, 1830.[1]

Friedrich moved to Paris in 1832 (at age 26),[1] where he stayed until his death. There, he adopted Parisian music and developed his trademark (light) style of playing. He wrote many pieces of salon music for the piano and published several albums. Burgmüller also went on to compose piano études intended for children.

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Works

Burgmüller composed piano pieces, waltzes, nocturnes, polonaises and two ballets. His piece, the Peasant Pas de Deux was added to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle for its 1841 premiere. This music was originally titled Souvenirs de Ratisbonne.

Ballets
Berceuse
From Études Opus 109, performed on an acoustic piano
Fountain
From Études Opus 109, performed on a digital piano
Pearls
From Études Opus 109, performed on a digital piano
Thunderstorm
From Études Opus 109, performed on a digital piano
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The musical works of Friedrich Burgmüller are listed below. The list is divided into works given an Opus number by the composer and those that were not.

With opus number

  • La Candeur
  • La Chevalresque (The chivalrous)
  • L'Arabesque
  • Ballade
  • Les perles (The Pearls)
  • L'Orage (The Storm)

Without opus number

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Philip J. BoneThe Guitar and Mandolin, biographies of celebrated players and composers for these instruments, London: Schott and Co., 1914.

External links