István Thomán (; 4 November 186222 September 1940) was a Hungarian piano virtuoso and

music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do original ...

. He was a notable piano teacher, with students including Béla Bartók,

Ernő Dohnányi Ernő or Erno is a Finnish and Hungarian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: * Ernő Balogh (1897-1989), Hungarian pianist, composer, editor, and educator * Ernő Bánk (1883-1962), Hungarian painter and teacher * Ernő B ...

, Paul de Marky who later taught

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...

in Quebec, Gisela Selden-Goth, and

Georges Cziffra Georges may refer to: Places * Georges River, New South Wales, Australia * Georges Quay (Dublin) *Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania Other uses *Georges (name) * ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas * "Georges" (song), a 19 ...

. His six-volume ''Technique of Piano Playing'' is still in use today.

Early life and education

Thomán was born in Homonna,

Zemplén County Zemplén ( hu, Zemplén, sk, Zemplín, german: Semplin, Semmlin, la, Zemplinum) was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. The northern part of its territory is now situated in eastern Slovakia ( Zemplín region), while ...

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...

(now in

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

) in 1862 to Jewish parents, Dr. David Thomán and Rosa Weisberger. Recognised for his talent, he became a favorite student of Franz Liszt. Liszt appointed him to teach at the Royal Hungarian Academy of Music in Budapest,''Liszt's 125-Year-Old Academy of Music Antecedents, Influences, Traditions Mária Eckhardt Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae,'' T. 42, Fasc. 1/2, Franz Liszt and Advanced Musical Education in Europe: International Conference (2001), page 123 but had to retire suddenly at the age of 45.

Career

Thomán toured with Liszt, was present at his death and was a pallbearer at his funeral. Thomán, along with fellow Liszt student Árpád Szendy, were important in carrying on the Liszt style through their teaching at the Royal Hungarian Academy of Music. As a teacher at the Royal Academy, Thomán took on a 17-year-old

as a student in 1894. In 1903, a 21-year-old Béla Bartók dedicated his ''Study for the Left Hand'' to Thomán. The study is a Sonata performed entirely with one hand. In his Studies on Chopin's Études

Leopold Godowsky Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a Lithuanian-born American virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher. He was one of the most highly regarded performers of his time, known for his theories concernin ...

dedicated Opus 25 No. 11 (A minor) to Thomán. Thomán's daughter, Mária Thomán (1899–1948), became a noted concert violinist and studied with

Jenő Hubay Jenő Hubay, Jenő Hubay von Szalatna, hu, szalatnai Hubay Jenő (; 15 September 185812 March 1937), also known by his German name Eugen Huber (), was a Hungarian violinist, composer and music teacher. Early life Hubay was born into a Ger ...

Franz von Vecsey Franz von Vecsey (born Ferenc Vecsey; 23 March 18935 April 1935) was a Hungarian violinist and composer, who became a well-known virtuoso in Europe through the early 20th century. Early life and career He was born in Budapest and began his vi ...

Carl Flesch Carl Flesch (born Károly Flesch, 9 October 1873 – 14 November 1944) was a Hungarian violinist and teacher. Flesch’s compendium ''Scale System'' is a staple of violin pedagogy. Life and career Flesch was born in Moson (now part of Mosonmagy ...

and

Alma Moodie Alma Mary Templeton Moodie (12 September 18987 March 1943) was an Australian violinist who established an excellent reputation in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. She was regarded as the foremost female violinist during the inter-war years, and s ...

. She gave concerts throughout Europe, both as a soloist and in the accompaniment of philharmonic orchestras and chamber ensembles.

References

1862 births 1940 deaths 19th-century Hungarian people 20th-century Hungarian people Hungarian classical pianists Hungarian male musicians Hungarian Jews Male classical pianists Jewish classical musicians Piano pedagogues Academic staff of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music People from Humenné Pupils of Franz Liszt {{Hungary-classical-musician-stub