Friedrich Kalkbrenner

19th-Century German Pianist and Composer

Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785–1849) was a prominent pianist, composer, and piano teacher of the early 19th century. Born in Germany and later settling in Paris, he was one of the most famous piano virtuosos of his time. Kalkbrenner was known for his technical proficiency and was considered by some to be the foremost pianist in Paris, if not Europe, during the 1820s and 1830s. He composed a variety of works including piano concertos, chamber music, and solo piano pieces. His compositions were characterized by the brilliant piano technique popular during the Romantic era. Kalkbrenner also had a significant influence as a teacher and wrote a method for piano playing that was widely used. He was briefly associated with Frédéric Chopin; upon Chopin's arrival in Paris, Kalkbrenner proposed to take him on as a student, but Chopin declined the offer. Despite his fame during his lifetime, Kalkbrenner's works are not as frequently performed today, but they remain an important part of the study of Romantic piano music history.