Saturday, October 15, 2022

October 15 - Alexander Dreyschock (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 15th are here: Bernhard Crusell; Gordon Young (2019), Richard Carpenter (2020), and Friedrich Nietzsche (2021)

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Alexander Dreyschock, (15 October 1818 - 1 April 1869) was a Czech pianist and composer, often compared to Liszt for technical prowess. 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Left-Handed Compliments


Dreyschock's left hand was renowned, and his most famous technical stunt was to play the left-hand arpeggios of Chopin's Revolutionary Étude in octaves. – Wikipedia


(1)

Herr Dreyschock brought left hand technique

To a kind of Olympian peak,

He’s embellish a score

Adding octaves galore

With a sassy insouciant cheek.


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J.B. Cramer, an English composer and virtuoso, is reported to have exclaimed, “The man has no left hand! Here are two right hands!” – encyclopedia.com


(2)

Said Cramer on first hearing Dreyschock,

“It's hard to communicate my shock!

His total command

Of the sinister hand

Was a definite poke-in-the-eye shock.”

 

 

 

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