Désiré Magnus was a Belgian

Belgians

Belgians are people originating from the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe.-Etymology:Belgians are a relatively "new" people...

 concert pianist

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

, teacher and composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

 of salon music

Salon music

Salon music was a popular music genre in Europe during the 19th century. It was usually written for solo piano in the romantic style, and often performed by the composer at events known as "Salons". Salon compositions are usually fairly short and often focus on virtuoso pianistic display or...

 who published under the pseudonym D Magnus.

Biography

Magnus studied piano with G. J. Vollweiler (1770–1847) in Heidelberg

Heidelberg

-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...

 and also at the Brussels Conservatory

Royal Conservatory of Brussels

The Royal Conservatory of Brussels is a drama and music college in Brussels, Belgium. An academy for acting and the arts, it has been attended by many of the top actors and actresses in Belgium such as Josse De Pauw, Luk van Mello and Luk De Konink....

, receiving the First Prize in 1843. After several successful concert tours in England, Germany, Russia, Spain and other countries, he settled in Paris, and quickly gained a reputation as pianist, teacher, composer, and musical critic.

Magnus' performance on the Steinway concert-grand piano

Steinway & Sons

Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway , is an American and German manufacturer of handmade pianos, founded 1853 in Manhattan in New York City by German immigrant Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg...

 at the Exhibition Universelle of 1867

Exposition Universelle (1867)

The Exposition Universelle of 1867 was a World Exposition held in Paris, France, in 1867.-Conception:In 1864, Emperor Napoleon III decreed that an international exposition should be held in Paris in 1867. A commission was appointed with Prince Jerome Napoleon as president, under whose direction...

 inspired a lithograph by Amédée de Noé

Amédée de Noé

Charles Amédée de Noé, known as Cham was a French caricaturist and lithographer. Raised by a family who wished him to attend a polytechnic school, he instead attended painting workshops by Nicolas Charlet and Paul Delaroche and began work as a cartoonist, taking on the pseudonym "Cham"...

.

Selected works

Opera

• La Tolédane, Parlour-opera (Paris, Salle Taitbout, 1874)

Chamber music

• 5ème Nocturne for cello and piano (1877, 1878); original version for piano solo
• Duo sur des motifs de l'opéra "Paul et Virginie" de Victor Massé
  Victor Massé
  Victor Massé was a French composer.-Biography:...
  
  for violin and piano (1877); composed in collaboration with Henri Vieuxtemps
  Henri Vieuxtemps
  Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps was a Belgian composer and violinist. He occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th century....
  
  

Pedigogical

• 24 Études mélodiques et de vélocité dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs préparation aux difficultés de doigté et de mécanisme que renferment les œuvres des maîtres du piano, anciens et modernes, Op. 190 (1876)
• Méthode élémentaire de piano (1879)

Piano solo

• 3 Études de concert (1852)
• La danse des ésprits, Caprice, Op. 12 (1851)
• Les pleurs de la jeune fille, Rêverie, Op. 13 (1852)
• Fantaisie brillante sur l'opéra "La nuit de Noël", Op. 16 (1853); paraphrase on La nuit de Noël by Napoléon Henri Reber
  Napoléon Henri Reber
  Napoléon Henri Reber was a French composer.He studied with Anton Reicha and Jean François Lesueur, wrote chamber music, and set to music the new poems of the best French poets...
  
  
• The Gipsy Schottische, Op. 22 (1853)
• The Royal Schottische, Op. 22 (1853)
• Lucie, Schottische, Op. 26 (1853)
• Réminiscences de L'éclair (1859); paraphrase on L'éclair
  L'éclair
  L'éclair is an opéra comique by Fromental Halévy to a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges.L'éclair was premiered by the Paris Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse on 16 December 1835; Jacques Offenbach was a cellist in the orchestra...
  
  by Fromental Halévy
  Fromental Halévy
  Jacques-François-Fromental-Élie Halévy, usually known as Fromental Halévy , was a French composer. He is known today largely for his opera La Juive.-Early career:...
  
  
• La Perle de l'Alhambre (La Perle de l'Exposition), Polka de concert, Op. 30 (1860)
• Les premiers Litas, Grande valse, Op. 42 (1855)
• Steeple-Chase, Grand galop de bravoure, Op. 51 (1859)
• Chanson polonaise, Op. 53 (1857)
• Capriccio alla Mazurka, Op. 56 (1859)
• Souvenir du Piémont, Valse brillante, Op. 58 (1860)
• Herculanum de F. David, Grande fantaisie, Op. 59 (1860)
• Trois pastorales (1860)
• Figaro Polka, Op. 61 (1860)
• Au Gré des flots, Caprice-étude, Op. 62 (1860)
• Die Post, Op. 63
• Marche funèbre, Op. 64 (1860)
• Carnaval napolitain, Op. 65 (1860)
• Un Vœu à la Vièrge, Morceau de genre, Op. 66 (1860)
• Le Rêve d'une mère, Berceuse (1860)
• La Zingara, Polka mazurka (1860)
• Mazurka composée pour le Comte Koucheloff-Besborodko, arrangée pour Piano, Op. 69 (1861)
• 1er Nocturne, Op. 70 (1861)
• Chanson du temps passé, Idylle, Op. 73 (1861)
• L'Adieu du pêcheur, Esquisse musicale, Op. 74 (1861)
• Marche des mandarins, Caprice chinois, Op. 76 (1861)
• 2ème Nocturne, Op. 77 (1861)
• Harmonie des flots, Caprice-mazurka, Op. 77 (1861)
• La Tarabouka, Caprice moresque, Op. 80 (1862)
• Fleurs et dentelles, Caprice, Op. 85 (1865)
• Lalla-Roukh, Opéra comique de Félicien David, Illustrations pour piano, Op. 88 (1864)
• Fête polonaise, Mazurka, Op. 89 (1863)
• Marche des Mandarins, Caprice chinois (1863)
• Impromptu-mazurk, Op. 98 (c.1874)
• José-Maria, opéra-comique de Jules Cohen (c.1866); paraphrase on José-Maria by Jules Cohen
• L'Addio, Valse, Op. 107 (1867)
• Eole, Valse brillante, Op. 109 (1867)
• Morceau de Salon sur la célèbre valse Indiana de Marcailhou, Op. 112 (1867); paraphrase on Indiana, Grande valse by Gatien Marcailhou
• Freyschütz de Weber, Fantaisie romantique, Op. 114 (1868); paraphrase on Der Freischütz
  Der Freischütz
  Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin...
  
  by Carl Maria von Weber
  Carl Maria von Weber
  Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
  
  
• Dans les prés, Caprice, Op. 115 (1867)
• Impromptu-valse, Op. 117 (1867)
• Patrouille, Ronde de nuit, Op. 118 (1869)
• Leopold Marsch, Op. 120 (1869)
• Tzigane-marche, Souvenir de Hongrie, Op. 122 (1868)
• Chanson de l'esclave, Op. 123 (1874)
• Mélancolie, Op. 124 (1869)
• 3ème Nocturne, Op. 125 (1869)
• Le fuseau (Spindellied), Caprice-étude, Op. 127 (1869)
• Grande Sonate en ut mineur, Op. 131 (1868)
• Chanson de l'esclave, Op. 132 (1869)
• Rienzi, opéra de R. Wagner, Fantaisie-militaire, Op. 133 (1869); paraphrase on Rienzi
  Rienzi
  Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Bulwer-Lytton's novel of the same name . The title is commonly shortened to Rienzi...
  
  by Richard Wagner
  Richard Wagner
  Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
  
  
• Carnaval de Lima, Caprice hispano-américain (1870)
• Souvenir de l'Exposition, Fantasia sur deux airs nationaux (1871)
• Souvenir de Marseille, Mazurka de salon (1872)
• Aïda, opéra de G. Verdi, Réminiscences et paraphrase (1873); paraphrase on Aida
  Aida
  Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
  
  by Giuseppe Verdi
  Giuseppe Verdi
  Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
  
  
• La Coupe du Roi de Thulé, opéra de E. Diaz, Réminiscences et paraphrase (1873); paraphrase on La Coupe du Roi de Thulé by Eugène-Émile Diaz de la Peña (1837–1901)
• Chant de jeunes filles, Caprice (1873)
• Barcarole vénetienne, Op. 139 (1874)
• Carneval-Polka, Op. 139 (1874)
• 2ème Sonate in D major, Op. 140 (1874)
• 24 Études de genre dans le style moderne et dans tous les tons, Opp. 161~162 (1874)
• Messe de requiem de G. Verdi, Souvenir, Op. 164 (1874); paraphrase on the Requiem
  Requiem (Verdi)
  The Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi is a musical setting of the Roman Catholic funeral mass for four soloists, double choir and orchestra. It was composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist much admired by Verdi. The first performance in San Marco in Milan on 22 May...
  
  by Guiseppe Verdi
• Menuet du temps passé, Op. 165 (1874)
• Marietta, Caprice de genre, Op. 166 (1874)
• Reflets d'azur, Valse de salon, Op. 167 (1875)
• Hip! Hip! Hurrah!, Galop brillant, Op. 173 (1875)
• À la voile, Barcarolle, Op. 174 (1875)
• Falstaff, Fantaisie-polka, Op. 179 (1876)
• Pensées d'automne, Impromptu, Op. 181 (1875)
• Le Régiment qui passe, Pas redoublé (1875)
• Marietta, Caprice de genre (1875)
• Capricciosa, Grande valse brillante (1875)
• 24 Études de genre dans le style moderne (1875)
• Pensées d'automne, Impromptu (1876)
• Six Sonatinas (1876)
• Souvenir de Prague, Polka, Op. 191 (1876)
• À la Strauss, Polka, Op. 192 (1876)
• Esmek-Meriem (Ton nom, c'est Marie), Chanson arabe (1876)
• Souvenir de Paul et Virginie, opéra de V. Massé, Fantaisie-caprice (1876); paraphrase on Paul et Virginie by Victor Massé
  Victor Massé
  Victor Massé was a French composer.-Biography:...
  
  
• 5ème Nocturne (1877)
• En rêvant, Valse-caprice (1877)
• Au bal, Impromptu-mazurk, Op. 201 (1877)
• En rêvant, Valse-caprice, Op. 202 (1877)
• Mazurk, Op. 203 (1878)
• Polonaise brillante, Op. 205 (1877)
• À tire d'aile, Caprice, Op. 235 (1878)
• À toute volée, Galop brillant, Op. 236 (1878)
• Marche bohémienne, Op. 238 (1878)
• 24 Pièces caractéristiques, Op. 240 (1877)
• Chanson de mai, Op. 243 (1878)
• Welcome, Valse brillante, Op. 244 (1878)
• À Tire d'Aile, Caprice (1878)
• Polonaise brillante (1878)
• Vingt quatre pièces caractéristiques (1878)
• Vienne, Ésquisse-valse (1878)
• Welcome au Prince de Galles, Valse brillante (1878)
• L'étoile du nord, opéra-comique de G. Meyerbeer, Fantaisie de concert (1878); paraphrase on L'étoile du nord
  L'étoile du nord
  L'étoile du nord is an opéra comique in three acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The French-language libretto was by Eugène Scribe....
  
  by Giacomo Meyerbeer
  Giacomo Meyerbeer
  Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
  
  
• À la mémoire de Beethoven, Hymne funèbre, Op. 302 (1879)
• Grande valse brillante, Op. 303 (1879)
• Aubade, Op. 305 (1879)
• Souvenir de Fatinitza, opéra comique de F. de Suppé, Fantaisie (1879); paraphrase on Fatinitza by Franz von Suppé
  Franz von Suppé
  Franz von Suppé or Francesco Suppé Demelli was an Austrian composer of light operas who was born in what is now Croatia during the time his father was working in this outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
  
  
• Souvenirs de Jean de Nivelle, de Delibes, Fantaisie de salon, Op. 308 (1880); paraphrase on Jean de Nivelle
  Jean de Nivelle (opera)
  Jean de Nivelle is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. It premiered on 6 March 1880 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, with the French tenor, Jean-Alexandre Talazac in the title role...
  
  by Léo Delibes
  Léo Delibes
  Clément Philibert Léo Delibes was a French composer of ballets, operas, and other works for the stage...
  
  
• Aubade (1880)
• Grande valse brillante (1880)
• Mazurk-Styrienne (1880)
• Hongroise-polka (1881)
• Les Contes d'Hoffmann, opéra fantastique de J. Offenbach, Barcarolle (1881); paraphrase on The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach
  Jacques Offenbach
  Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
  
  
• Dors bébé, Berceuse, Op. 316 (1882)
• Claire Fontaine, Caprice, Op. 317 (1882)
• Baiser de Fleur, Grande valse de concert (1883)
• 6ème Nocturne (1883)
• Regrets d'amour, Valse (1884)
• Marche des mousquetaires

Vocal

• O Povero Garzon, Barcarola veneziana (1874); French words by G. Duprez
• Sur l'océan (1878); words by Alphonse Labitte
• C'est le printemps (1880); words by Alphonse Labitte
• Chanson à boire (1880); words by P. Ginisty
• Judas, Chant biblique (1881); words by G. Boyer
• Quand reviendra la violette (1881); words by R. J. Pain
• Regrets d'amour, Valse chantée (1884); words by Paul Armand Silvestre
  Paul Armand Silvestre
  Paul-Armand Silvestre , French poet and conteur, was born in Paris.He studied at the École polytechnique with the intention of entering the army, but in 1870 he entered the department of finance. He had a successful official career, was decorated with the Legion of Honour in 1886, and in 1892 was...
  
  

Sources

• Baker, Theodore
  Theodore Baker
  Theodore Baker was an American musicologist.Born in New York, Baker studied business but turned to music as a career, becoming an organist in Concord, Massachusetts. In 1874 he moved to Germany and obtained his doctorate at Leipzig in 1882...
  
  . A Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 2nd edition. New York: Schirmer Books, 1905, page 371.
• Champlin, Jr., John Denison. Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians, Volume II. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899, page 504.
• Green, Janet M. The American History and Encyclopedia of Music: Musical Biographies, Volume II. Edited by William Lines Hubbard. New York: Irving Squire, 1910, page 10.
• Pauer, Ernst. A Dictionary of Pianists and Composers for the Pianoforte. London and New York: Novello, Ewer & Co., 1895, page 75.

External links

• Harp Week Cartoon of the Day “Sudden Mania to Become Pianists …”, August 10, 1867