Henry Charles Litolff

Full biography Henry Charles Litolff

Henry Charles Litolff was a prolific British virtuoso pianist, composer and music publisher of the Romantic era. He was born on August 7, 1818, and passed away on August 5, 1891. Litolff was of Anglo-Alsatian parentage and grew up in England. He received his early music education from his father, Martin Litolff, who taught him music in 1830.

Litolff went on to compose numerous works throughout his career, including five Concertos-Symphoniques for piano and orchestra , a violin concerto "Eroica", numerous piano solo pieces , chamber music, and operas. He became known for his virtuosic piano technique and composed some of his most popular works for the instrument. One of his most well-known pieces remains the scherzo of his Concerto symophonique No. 4.

Litolff settled in Paris in 1835, where he became involved in music publishing, and his company soon became one of the largest and most successful in Europe. He also became known for his piano playing and performed throughout Europe to great acclaim.

Despite his successful career as a composer and pianist, Litolff is often regarded as a "one-hit composer" due to his popular scherzo piece. Nonetheless, his contribution to the development of Romantic music remains important, and his legacy as a composer and pianist continues to inspire many.