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Heller, Stephen

(Encyclopedia)Heller, Stephen shtĕfˈən [key], 1814–88, French pianist and composer, b. Budapest. Heller toured as a piano virtuoso, ruining his health before settling in Paris in 1838. There he developed close...

Hummel, Johann Nepomuk

(Encyclopedia)Hummel, Johann Nepomuk yōˈhän nāˈpōmo͝ok ho͝omˈəl [key], 1778–1837, Hungarian-born pianist and composer. In piano technique and improvisatory ability Hummel was thought to rival Beethoven....

Kabalevsky, Dmitri

(Encyclopedia)Kabalevsky, Dmitri dəmēˈtrē käˌbəlĕfˈskē [key], 1904–87, Soviet composer. His large output includes the opera Colas Breugnon (1938); The Commedians suite (1940); a Requiem (1963); concerto...

MacDowell, Edward Alexander

(Encyclopedia)MacDowell, Edward Alexander, 1860–1908, American composer, b. New York City. He studied at the conservatories in Paris and Frankfurt and taught (1881–82) at the Darmstadt Conservatory. His work ha...

Dusek, Jan Ladislav

(Encyclopedia)Dusek, Jan Ladislav yän läˈdēsläf do͞oˈshĕk [key], 1760–1812, Czech pianist and composer; pupil of C. P. E. Bach. One of the earliest piano virtuosi, he was famous for his lyrical touch in s...

Alkan, Charles Henri Valentin

(Encyclopedia)Alkan, Charles Henri Valentin shärl äNrēˈ väläNtăNˈ ălkăNˈ [key], 1813–88, French pianist and composer; his original surname was Morhange. He was a pianist of great virtuosity and wrote m...

nocturne

(Encyclopedia)nocturne nŏkˈtûrn [key] [Fr.,=night piece], in music, romantic instrumental piece, free in form and usually reflective or languid in character. John Field wrote the first nocturnes, influencing Cho...

Clementi, Muzio

(Encyclopedia)Clementi, Muzio mo͞oˈtsēō klāmĕnˈtē [key], 1752–1832, Italian composer, pianist, and conductor, b. Rome. He wrote more than 100 keyboard sonatas, which set the definitive form, and he had an...

Schnabel, Artur

(Encyclopedia)Schnabel, Artur ärˈto͝or shnäˈbəl [key], 1882–1951, Austrian-American pianist, b. Lipnik, at that time in Austria. He studied (1891–97) with Leschetizky and began his concert tours in Europe...

Nancarrow, Conlon

(Encyclopedia)Nancarrow, Conlon, 1912–1997, American-Mexican composer, best known for his works for the player piano, b. Texarkana, Ark., studied Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and with Nicolas Slonimsk...