Henselt, Adolf von 05/12/1814 - 10/10/1880

Adolf Henselt (1814-1880), Bavarian pianist and composer, studied with Johann Nepomuk Hummel in Weimar and with Simon Sechter in Vienna before beginning his career as a virtuoso pianist. He concertized in many of the greater cities of Germany, Austria, and Russia. In 1838 he went to St. Petersburg, where he was called on to be the chamber virtuoso of the Empress. He gave piano lessons to the czar's children and directed the "Imperial Russian Women's Seminars." Even in the succeeding years he practiced up to ten hours daily. Although he suffered from inhibiting stage fright, he was still one of the greatest pianists of his time. He was famous above all for his legato and for the span of his hands, which he increased through etudes composed himself. Among his compositions one finds the Konzertetüden Op. 2 (among them, as Nr. 6 the étude in F# minor, "Si oiseau j'étais"), op. 5 and op. 13, a beautiful piano concerto in F minor op. 16, and many shorter, very accessible pieces for piano.