Scan 7
Musical Courier 1895-12-25: Vol 31 Iss 825, 1895
42 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 8. See the scan on archive.org.
1A Group of Liszt's Pupils.
2By LEONARD LIEBLING.
4Seldom, if ever, has it fallen to the lot of an artist, be he painter, sculptor or musician, to produce from a single generation so many and such great pupils as did Franz Liszt. He could die satisfied in the conviction that the school of piano playing, with its great principles of modern technic, founded and developed by himself, would survive his demise for all time to come. He lived to see his most talented pupils attain an eminence in the musical world never before reached by the offshoots of any other great teacher. His pupils were of never exchanged a word with the "Meister" (master), as he was called.
6The bona fide pupils numbered not more than twelve or fifteen, and though many pseudo pianists and pianistes were allowed to play for Liszt occasionally, his happiest comments and criticisms and his unflagging interest and devotion were reserved for the talented few. To the rest he displayed the same polished politeness, the same affability and cordiality of which the favored ones were recipients, but if he tolerated their presence it was solely because his kind heartedness and generosity made it hard to refuse applicants who were particularly eloquent or suppliant.
8A species of blackmail was practiced upon the great teacher by students of inferior merit. They found that by harping on their poverty or on the fact that they had traveled a great distance to see the Meister, the desired result was brought about. They touched Liszt's heart and his vanity—that vanity which is an indispensable adjunct of greatness—with such speeches.
10Hans von Bülow, the great conductor, was not so easily hoodwinked by these clever foreigners. His presence at cans to obtain Liszt's friendship and his advice. While none of them succeeded in impressing Liszt with a sense of the musical greatness of our country, they certainly caused him to marvel at the quality and quantity of the commodity aforementioned (as having been instrumental in opening the charmed doors to our countrymen) prevalent in the United States.
12It is a curious fact that many of those who deluded themselves into the belief that they were studying with Liszt, became so blinded by the Meister's manner toward them that they imagined themselves the "favorite pupil."
14Judging Liszt's bump of magnanimity and regard for his fellows by the number of "favorite pupils" he was said to possess, I should imagine that he must have been a most interesting study for a phrenologist.
16Last winter Professor Kalauer (an assumed name) published a humorous pamphlet in Berlin containing a chapter on "Liszt's favorite pupil." He speaks thus feelingly of the latter:
18"This is a most curious specimen of man. He has among other remarkable gifts the faculty of appearing in two places at the same time; thus, if he plays at a concert
20LISZT'S FAVORITE PUPILS.
21(Authentic.)
22MORITZ ROSENTHAL. MADAME FRIEDHEIM. LISZT. LISZT'S SECRETARY.
23SAUL LIEBLING. ALEX SILOTI ARTHUR FRIEDHEIM. EMIL SAUER. ALFRED REISENAUER. GOTTSCHALG.
25all nations and races. They carried Liszt's theories to the remotest ends of the musical world.
27They succeeded in revolutionizing then existing pianism to such an extent that instantly all antiquated traditions and styles were thrown to the winds, and the entire musical contingent, with the exception of a few fossilized fanatics, flocked around and became the ardent champions and exponents of the banner of Franz Liszt.
29The number of his pupils did not mount into the hundreds, as is commonly supposed. It is true that some 200 or more eager proselytes lived in Weimar (Liszt's home), practiced the piano four or five hours daily, and betook themselves to Liszt's residence on "lesson days" with great regularity. However, nine-tenths of these hungry thieves of greatness were not pupils of Liszt, and many of them had Liszt's classes was the signal for a hurried stampede of the unworthy, and many a brave pianist who remained behind has rued the unlucky hour when Bülow decided to visit Weimar. He expostulated with the Meister and berated him for allowing such a horde of charlatans to take up his time, and, in many cases, his money.
31Bülow was exceedingly sharp of tongue, and both teacher and pupils had an uncomfortable time of it when Liszt's son-in-law was present at the lessons.
33"I'll wager you don't know who I am," remarked a lady to Bülow at one of Liszt's classes; she had been introduced to him a few days previously.
35"You win the wager," replied Bülow coldly, turning his back upon her.
37Their native inheritance of cheek enabled many Americans to obtain Liszt's friendship and his advice. In order to recognize this freak should they chance to see him, I append a short description of his appearance and his personality:
39"He is a tall, though short, man, apparently between the ages of twenty and fifty. His tender brown eyes are of a steely gray shade, and his pale complexion scarce serves to conceal the fact that he is bronzed and swarthy. His bald head is covered with a magnificent growth of long, silken hair, and his aquiline nose is decidedly Roman. If these marks of identification should fail utterly of their purpose, the observing reader can resort to a negative means of arriving at a conclusion. In other words, let him notice whether the object of his suspicion has one arm; if such be the case, it stands to reason that in New York, he often appears in London, or Berlin, or Vienna on the same evening. In order to recognize this freak should they chance to see him, I append a short description of his appearance and his personality:
41"He is a tall, though short, man, apparently between the ages of twenty and fifty. His tender brown eyes are of a steely gray shade, and his pale complexion scarce serves to conceal the fact that he is bronzed and swarthy. His bald head is covered with a magnificent growth of long, silken hair, and his aquiline nose is decidedly Roman. If these marks of identification should fail utterly of their purpose, the observing reader can resort to a negative means of arriving at a conclusion. In other words, let him notice whether the object of his suspicion has one arm; if such be the case, it stands to reason that
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