Arabesque - Johann Friedrich Burgmüller - Piano

Published 2022-11-08

Arabesque
Op. 100, No. 2
Johann Friedrich Burgmüller
Piano
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From Wikipedia (dated 11/8/2022):
Johann Friedrich Franz Burgmüller, generally known as Friedrich Burgmüller (4 December 1806 – 13 February 1874) was a German pianist and composer during the Romantic period. He is perhaps best known for his three collections of children's etudes (or "teaching pieces") for the piano, particularly his Op. 100 "25 Études faciles et progressives" (25 Easy and Progressive Studies) for early intermediate students. The other two collections, for more advanced students, were Op. 105 and 109.

Friedrich Burgmüller was born in Ratisbon (at that time part of the Principality of Regensburg, Confederation of the Rhine). His father Friedrich August Burgmüller and his younger brother Norbert Burgmüller were also composers. His mother was pianist and singer Therese von Zandt.

He moved to Kassel in 1829 to study with Ludwig Spohr and Moritz Hauptmann. There he appeared as a pianist for his first concert, January 14, 1830.

Burgmüller moved to Paris in 1832 (at age 26), where he stayed until his death. Norbert Burgmüller, his brother, made plans to join him in Paris, in 1835. However, he drowned in a spa in Aachen during an epileptic seizure a year later. In Paris, Burgmüller adopted Parisian music and developed his trademark (light) style of playing. He wrote many pieces of salon music for the piano and published several albums. Burgmüller also went on to compose piano études intended for children. He died in Paris on February 13, 1874.

Burgmüller composed piano pieces, waltzes, nocturnes, polonaises and two ballets. His Peasant Pas de Deux was added to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle for its 1841 premiere. This music was originally titled Souvenirs de Ratisbonne.

Ballets
~La Péri
~Lady Harriet

With opus numbers
~6 Mélodies gracieuses de Bellini, Op. 26
~Souvenir de Bellini, Op. 27
~Souvenir de Schönbrunn, Op. 32
~La Cachucha, Op. 36
~Murmures du Rhone, Op. 66
~Corbeille de roses, Op. 68
~Fleurs mélodiques, Op. 82
~Fantaisie brillante sur "Ernani" de Verdi, Op. 92
~Blaue Äuglein, Op. 93
~Les Étincelles, Op. 97
~25 Études faciles et progressives, Op. 100
~12 Études, Op. 105
~18 Études, Op. 109

Without opus numbers
~L'Ange consolateur
~Ay Chiquita
~3 Nocturnes, for cello and guitar
~Le Pardon de Ploërmel
~La Péri
~Souvenirs de Londres
~Ballade
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The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foliate ornament, used in the Islamic world, typically using leaves, derived from stylised half-palmettes, which were combined with spiralling stems". It usually consists of a single design which can be 'tiled' or seamlessly repeated as many times as desired. Within the very wide range of Eurasian decorative art that includes motifs matching this basic definition, the term "arabesque" is used consistently as a technical term by art historians to describe only elements of the decoration found in two phases: Islamic art from about the 9th century onwards, and European decorative art from the Renaissance onwards. Interlace and scroll decoration are terms used for most other types of similar patterns.

Arabesques are a fundamental element of Islamic art but they develop what was already a long tradition by the coming of Islam. The past and current usage of the term in respect of European art is confused and inconsistent. Some Western arabesques derive from Islamic art, but others are closely based on ancient Roman decorations. In the West they are essentially found in the decorative arts, but because of the generally non-figurative nature of Islamic art, arabesque decoration is there often a very prominent element in the most significant works, and plays a large part in the decoration of architecture.
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