Adolf von Henselt

Adolf von Henselt (1814-1889) was a renowned German-Russian composer, pianist, and piano pedagogue, celebrated for his virtuosity and poetic compositions. Born in Schwabach, Germany, Henselt quickly rose to fame as a concert pianist, touring alongside contemporaries like Sigismund Thalberg and Franz Liszt. His technical prowess earned him titles such as "gewaltiger Klavierheros" and "gewaltigster Klavierspieler unserer Zeit." Henselt's influence extended to the Russian imperial court, where he served as a piano teacher to the children of the tsar, thanks to the patronage of Tsarina Alexandra Fjodorowna. His trailblazing études are renowned for their technical difficulty and artistic depth, making him one of the greatest virtuosi of the 19th century.