Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

France

Birth

:

September 2, 1863 in Budapest, Hungary

Death

:

February 20, 1958 in Paris, France

Period

:

Classical

 

 

Romantic

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Isidor Philipp was a French pianist, composer, and pedagogue who was born on September 2, 1863, in Budapest, Hungary. He was the son of a French mother and a Hungarian father, and his family moved to Paris when he was just a child. Philipp showed an early aptitude for music, and he began studying piano with his mother at the age of four. By the time he was eight years old, he was already performing in public concerts. Philipp continued his musical education at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied piano with Georges Mathias and composition with Jules Massenet. He won the first prize in piano performance at the conservatory in 1883, and he went on to become a successful concert pianist, performing throughout Europe and the United States. In addition to his performing career, Philipp was also a prolific composer. He wrote music for piano, chamber ensembles, and orchestra, and his works were well-received by audiences and critics alike. Some of his most notable compositions include his Piano Concerto in E-flat major, his Piano Sonata in B minor, and his Suite for Piano and Orchestra. However, it was as a pedagogue that Philipp made his most lasting contribution to the world of music. He was a highly respected piano teacher, and he taught at the Paris Conservatory from 1893 to 1934. He also taught at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France, and he gave masterclasses throughout Europe and the United States. Philipp's teaching methods were highly influential, and he was known for his emphasis on technique and his insistence on a thorough understanding of the music being played. He believed that a pianist should be able to play any piece of music with ease and fluency, and he developed a series of exercises and studies to help his students achieve this goal. One of Philipp's most famous students was the pianist and composer George Gershwin. Gershwin studied with Philipp in Paris in the early 1920s, and he credited Philipp with teaching him the technique and discipline that he needed to become a successful musician. Philipp's legacy as a teacher is perhaps best represented by his series of piano studies, which are still widely used by pianists today. The studies, which were published in four volumes between 1898 and 1905, cover a wide range of technical and musical challenges, and they are considered essential for any serious piano student. In addition to his teaching and composing, Philipp was also a respected musicologist and editor. He edited the complete piano works of Chopin, and he wrote several books on piano technique and interpretation. Isidor Philipp died on February 20, 1958, in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the age of 94. He left behind a rich legacy as a performer, composer, and teacher, and his influence can still be felt in the world of classical music today.

More....