A Remarkable Virtuoso

Saturday 27 February 3.30pm

Credited with being the first pianist to place his instrument sideways so that the audience could admire his profile, the Bohemian Jan Ladislav Dussek was one of the most remarkable of virtuoso pianists in the early days of the piano’s development. He possessed great technical dexterity, and it was said that he could draw a wonderful singing tone from the instrument. His career took him to many parts of Europe, including Hamburg (where he studied with Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach), Paris (where he played for Marie Antoinette), and London (where he performed at the Salomon concerts). His work as a composer is not as highly valued but is most interesting and enjoyable. We celebrate his life and music 250 years after his birth on 12 February 1760.