Maximilian Joseph Leidesdorf
Fantasy on Themes from the Opera “Il Pirata” by Bellini for Horn (or Flute) and Piano
Maximilian Joseph Leidesdorf, born on July 5th, 1787 in Vienna, died on September 27th, 1840 in Florence, was the son of the wholesale merchant Joseph Leidesdorf. He studied with Albrechtsberger, Salieri and E.A. Förster. He also studied piano and guitar and published his op. 1 in Vienna in 1803, where he lived as a respected pianist and teacher of piano and guitar. Together with Ignaz Sauer he founded a music publishing house in 1822 and became its sole owner as of May 9th, 1827; his rights passed to Diabelli by about 1835. In 1827 he moved to Florence, where he was appointed court and chamber virtuoso by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. There he also served as a professor at the conservatory and remained until his death.
Leidesdorf was friends with Schubert and Beethoven and published numerous compositions by Schubert for the first time. As a publisher, Leidesdorf was »good-natured but not very energetic« (Schubert) and apparently often struggled with financial difficulties. Leidesdorf was the typical »fashionable composer« of the 19th century. Contemporary reviews praise the easy accessibility of his compositions, schooled in classical form and melody. He also earned recognition as a pianist and teacher and was an important predecessor of Karl Czerny.
The present composition is based on themes from Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Il Pirata”, which premiered at La Scala in Milan on October 27th, 1827.
This composition was dedicated to the well-known horn virtuoso Giovanni Puzzi (1792–1876), who was active at the Italian theatre in London and, through his playing, inspired numerous composers to write works for horn. This work was first published by the Paris publisher Lemoine under plate number 1400. Alternatively, a flute may be used in place of the horn. The virtuosic piano part can be compared to Carl Czerny’s fantasies on Schubert melodies, also written for the same instrumentation.
