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Franciszek
Zachara Austrian-Hungarian-American-Polish
pianist and composer
Tarnów, Poland December 10
1898 - Tallahassee, Florida, USA February 2 1966
Six Piano
Pieces for Left Hand Alone (op. 43)
Zachara
got his initial education at the State Gymnasium in Warsaw. He got his
musical training at the Imperial Conservatory in Saratov (Сара́тов) in
1919 and then the Imperial Conservatory in St.
Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг),
(then known as Petrograd) studying piano with Alexander Dubassoff. After
that he served as professor at the Silesian (Śląsk;)
Polish State Conservatory in Katowice
from 1919 to 1928.
During much of his life-time he travelled much as a pianist, giving his his American debut in New York’s Town
Hall on November
18, 1928. He played
extensive programs of works by J.S.
Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart,
Scarlatti-Tausig, Scriabin, Debussy, Liszt, and
a piece of his own. The recital was reviewed enthusiastically by The
New York Times, The New
York Sun, and The New
York Herald-Tribune.
As a composer
Zachara (b Tarnów, Austria-Hungary (now Poland), 10 December 1898; d
Tallahassee, Florida, 2 February 1966) was a Polish-American pianist and
composer who concertized extensively throughout Europe in the years
leading up to 1928. He was a professor of piano at a Polish conservatory
from 1922-1928, and two American colleges from around this time until
his death in 1966. Zachara composed well over 150 works, including many
works for piano solo, a piano concerto, a symphony, several works for
band, and various chamber pieces. The archive of his manuscripts is held
at the Warren D. Allen Music Library at Florida State University. Most
of these manuscripts are originals (or copies) from the composer's own
hand.
Franciszek Zachara was born in Tarnów, Austria-Hungary to parents Ludwig
and Maria (Kaplanska) Zachara on December 10, 1898. He was educated in
the State Gymnasium in Warsaw, and graduated from the Imperial
Conservatory in Saratov (Russian: Сара́тов) in 1919. He then attended
the Imperial Conservatory in St. Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг,
then known as Petrograd), studying piano with Alexander Dubassoff, and
graduated in 1921. From 1922 to 1928 he was professor of piano at the
Silesia State Conservatory in Katowice, Poland.
On November 18, 1928 Zachara gave his American debut in New York’s Town
Hall. He played an extensive program of works by J.S. Bach, Beethoven,
Chopin, Mozart, Scarlatti-Tausig, Scriabin, Debussy, Liszt, and a piece
of his own. The recital was reviewed enthusiastically by The New York
Times, The New York Sun, and The New York Herald-Tribune. After this
performance, he began a year long concert tour of the United States, and
became Professor of Piano (and later Dean of Music) at Brenau College
(now Brenau University) in Gainesville, Georgia (USA), where he remained
until 1946. During this time he married Patty Haralson, took up
marksmanship, and won many medals in this new hobby. He is quoted:
"I began shooting as a sport or hobby after America entered the war, in
1942. At that time I was living in Gainesville, Georgia. … The National
Guard was offering a course in marksmanship to civilians who wished to
take part. I thought that every American man should become proficient
with firearms since we were fighting for our existence; so I registered
for the course" (Florida Wildlife, 37).In 1946, Zachara became a U.S.
citizen, and relocated to New York for a short period. In 1948 he became
Associate Professor of Piano at Florida State University, where composer
and pianist Ernő Dohnányi had also just started teaching. On February
25, 1952, the American premiere of Zachara’s Piano Concerto in E Major
(op. 30) was performed by the State Symphony of Florida, with the
composer as soloist and Dohnányi conducting. Becoming a full professor
in 1955, Zachara continued composing, performing, and teaching at the
School (now College) of Music at Florida State University until he was
hospitalized on January 21, 1966 suffering a heart attack. He died less
than two weeks later, on February 2, in a Tallahassee hospital.
(Tallahassee Democrat, 1966). He was survived by his widow Patty and a
nephew Stanley. They had no children.
Zachara was a member of several organizations, including the Florida
Composers League, the Florida State Music Teachers Association, the
Music Teachers National Association, the Kiwanis Club, the Manhattan
Chess Club, the National Rifle Association, the Tallahassee Rifle and
Pistol Club (president), Pi Kappa Lambda, the International Who's Who in
Music, and the American Association of University Professors.
[edit] Zachara's music and publications
Image of Zachara from Florida Wildlife (v. 7, April 1954, p. 36). This
photo was likely taken at a performance for Florida or Georgia public
television in the early 1950s. Zachara composed well over 150 works,
including many works for piano solo, a piano concerto, a symphony,
several works for band, and various chamber pieces. Many of these works
were dedicated to his friends and colleagues over the years.
Zachara's music is mostly written in a Romantic vein, and most of his
piano music follows in the footsteps of his countryman, Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849). Zachara was an expert in the music of Chopin, and it is
said that he had all of Chopin's music memorized. He occasionally did
transcriptions of the music of other composers, including Chopin, Liszt,
Strauss, and others. Partial scores of transcriptions exist of Chopin’s
‘Butterfly’ Etude (Op. 25 No. 9) for piano solo, and two-piano versions
of Chopin’s Etude Op. 25 No. 9, and ‘Minute Waltz’ (Op. 64 No. 1).
Zachara had used his own opus numbering system earlier in his career,
extending at least to his piano sonatas (opus numbers 80 and 81) but
this system seems to have been abandoned by the early 1950s. The list of
works below reflects original opus numbers assigned by Zachara. A new
system of assigning notation to all of Zachara’s works, whether
completely or partially existing, is currently being created (2007).
Zachara's works for piano solo largely reflect models used by J.S. Bach
and Chopin. Zachara wrote many preludes, fugues, etudes, and waltzes,
often arranging them in collections of 12, 24, or 48. Though some of
these collections no longer exist in their entirety, it seems Zachara
was aiming to create collections which would give examples in all major
and minor keys. An extensive collection titled New Well-Tempered
Clavicord for the Piano is clearly taken from the Bach model, consisting
of 24 sets of preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys, with an
additional 25th prelude and fugue (on a theme from Dohnányi) added at
the end. Zachara seems to have composed at least three piano sonatas,
but only partial scores exist for these works (opus numbers 75, 80, and
81).
Zachara wrote many chamber works for a variety of instruments. His
best-known chamber piece (and possibly the most successful of all his
works) is the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano No. 1 (op. 72). This work
was published by Leblanc Publications in 1964, and is still available
today (2007), published by Southern Music Company. Aside from the piano
solo music, only one other solo piece exists (Polonaise Brilliante for
Flute Alone); and Zachara only wrote one vocal piece, Help me oh Lord.
Eleven sonatas for solo instrument plus piano survive, as do two of his
three string quartets. Some of the chamber music, such as Valse
Sentimentale and Grande Suite in Blue were scored for both chamber and
band/orchestral settings.
Zachara’s music has been published by at least 8 publishers, including
Gamble Music Co., Theodore Presser Co., Leblanc Publications Inc., Music
Publisher’s Holding Corp., Remick, G. Schirmer, Shattinger Piano & Music
Co., and Southern Music Co. Vinyl recordings of him playing works by
Liszt, Chopin, Delibes- Dohnányi, and Strauss-Zachara were released by
Transphono/Ohio Recording Service.
[edit] Works
Much of Zachara's music is now lost or exists in fragmentary forms. The
list below was selected from the works that exist in their entirety (in
score form).
[edit] Piano solo collections
New Well-Tempered Clavicord for the Piano (25 sets of preludes and
fugues) Six Piano Pieces for Left Hand Alone (op. 43) Three Organ
Chorales Piano Transcription (op. 44) Twelve Master Etudes in Minor Keys
(op. 29) Twelve Master Preludes (op. 19) Twelve Waltzes for Piano (op.
52) Twenty-Four Etudes in All Keys Two Mazurkas
[edit] Piano solo individual works
Americana for Piano Solo
Barcarolle (op. 9)
Berceuse for Piano Solo
Boogie Woogie Etude
Burlesque
Capriccio in E-flat Major (op. 39)
Capriccio in F-sharp Major (op. 5)
Dutch Dance
Gavotte in B Minor
Gavotte in D Major
Grand Valse Chromatique
Indian Sacrifice
Menuet in A Minor
Menuet in Classic Style
The Music Box
The Music Box: Cracoviene Polish Natinoale Dans
Poeme (op. 12)
Rondo for Piano Solo
Sans Souci
Scherzo in E Minor (op. 29)
Second Rhapsody by Liszt
Slavic Dance
The Star Spangled Banner (arrangement)
Suite in Classic Style (op. 7)
Twelve Variations on the Theme “America”
Twelve Variations on the Theme “Happy Birthday” for Piano and Orchestra
Waltz in G Major [No. 1]
[edit] Chamber works
Americana for Two Pianos or Four Hands
Double Concerto for Two Clarinets and Strings
Fantasia for Trumpet and Piano (op. 32)
Five Fugues for Woodwind Trio
Fugue in Six Voices (flute, oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons)
Grande Suite in Blue for Clarinet and Piano
Help me oh Lord (voice and piano)
Humoresque (clarinet and piano)
March for Two Pianos (op. 1)
Meditation (cello and piano)
Pastorale and Fugue for Woodwind Trio
Perpetual Motion (two pianos, or piano four hands)
Piano Concerto in E Major (op. 30) (Two-Piano Version)
Polonaise Brilliante for Flute Alone
Rondo Brillante for Strings
Rondo Brillante for Woodwind Trio and Strings or Piano
Serenade for Violin and Piano
Six Pieces for Cello and Piano
Sonata Expaniole for Woodwind Trio
Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (op. 46)
Sonata for Cello and Piano (op. 13/40/73) – various versions
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano No. 1 (op. 72)
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano No. 2
Sonata for Horn and Piano
Sonata for Oboe and Piano (op. 55)
Sonata for Oboe and Piano (op. 77)
Sonata for Trombone and Piano (op. 18)
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (op. 22/42)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (op. 71)
String Quartet in D Major
String Quartet in G Major (op. 31/38)
Ten Master Pieces for Discriminating Woodwind Performers (various w.w.
trios, or two clarinets and piano)
Three Organ Chorales
Toccata for Two Clarinets and Piano
Triple Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Strings
Twenty-Four Variations on the Theme “Happy Birthday” for Two-Pianos
Two Organ Chorales for Woodwind Trio
Valse Sentimentale (cello and piano)
Valse Triste (clarinet and piano)
Variations and Fugue for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon
Variations on a Nursery Rhyme for Woodwind Trio
[edit] Band/orchestral works
Concerto Grosso No. 1 (Horn Solo)
Concerto Grosso No. 2 (Trumpet Solo)
Concerto Grosso No. 3 (Cello Solo)
Concerto Grosso No. 4 (Violin Solo)
Concerto Grosso No. 5 (Oboe Solo)
Concerto Grosso No. 6 (Trombone Solo)
Grande Suite in Blue for Clarinet Solo and Symphonic Band
March Carnaval (symphonic band)
March No. 1 (symphonic band)
March No. 2 (symphonic band)
March No. 3 (symphonic band)
March No. 4 (symphonic band)
Mediation for Symphonic Band
Piano Concerto in E Major (op. 30)
Rhapsody for Trumpet and Symphonic Band
Romanza Espaniole (symphonic band)
Rondo Brillante for Solo Clarinet and Symphonic Band
Symphonic Waltz No. 2 (orchestra)
Symphony No. 1 (op. 60)
Twenty-Four Variations on the Theme “Happy Birthday” for Piano and
Orchestra
Valse Sentimentale for Symphonic Band
Valse Symphonique (symphonic band)
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Géza Zichy
Hungarian Count, pianist and composer
Sztára Castle, Hungary (now
Slovakia),
22.07.1849
- Budapest, 14.01.1924
As a boy of fourteen Zichy had
lost his right arm in a hunting accident - that's what comes out of
letting young boys play with fire arms and hunting other than girls. But never the less
he courageously decided to go on with his piano playing developing
- after a method of his own - a great skill of playing with one hand. In
fact he became the first known pianist to make a career with only one arm.
The
great critic Eduard Hanslick - not always a
generous man - called Zichy: the greatest marvel of modern times on the piano. Zichy has attained a perfection astonishing with five fingers. He is able to imitate the play of
ten.
Zichy became a close friend and pupil (for five years) of Franz Liszt
(piano) and also studied
with Robert Volkmann
(composition). 
Robert Volkmann
From 1880 he toured all over
Europe giving concerts mostly of his own works, and everywhere acknowledged as a
great virtuoso.
But Zichy had also studied law and in this capacity he was president at
the National Conservatory in Budapest from 1875 to 1918 And from 1890
to 1894 he was appointed intendant at the Royal Hungarian Opera in
Budapest, where Gustav Mahler was musical director. Many pages have been
written of their professional - or rather unprofessional - relationship which
finally lead to Mahler's resignation
of the musical directorship there.
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Sztára
Caste where Zichy was born |
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His compositions were mostly designed for his own left-hand playing
and were called mediocre by Wittgenstein and they are not heard any more.
A further development and maturity led him to compose a cantata Dolores, a
ballet Gemma and some operas, which were successful in Hungary,
Czechoslovakia and Germany. Beside some poems, he published an
autobiography in three volumes which became very "popular"
(especially right after WW I - for obvious reasons) due
to the fact that in it he gives many pieces of good advise to those who
like him were forced to live with the handicap of having only
one arm. The
Zichy family.
Count Géza Zichy
at the height of his career
as pianist and administrator
Concert für
Pianoforte (linke Hand) mit Begleitung des Orchesters (Piano Concerto
in E flat major) 1895 (Gutmann,
Wien)
Zichy composed the work for himself and it seems to be the first piano concerto
for the left hand alone with orchestra.
Idyll
Katholikus
Magyar
Sonata
1887 (Rather, Leipzig 1886)
4 Etudes: 1.
Etude de concert, 2. Capriccio, 3. Allegretto gracioso, 4. Wiener Spass
c.1885 (Universal)
6 Etudes: 1.
Serenade, 2. Allegro vivace, 3. Valse d'Adele, 4. Etude, 5. Rhapsodie
Hongroise, 6. Erlkönig (transcription of Schubert's song)
(c. 1885) (Heugel)
Franz Liszt wrote a preface to this collection but also made a
two-hand transcription of Valse d'Adele - see
Appendix.
2 Morceaux: 1.
Serenade, 2. Divertimento 1886
(Durand) Fantasie
über Motive aus R. Wagner's Tannhäuser
c.1883 (Adolf Fürstner) Chaconne
(from Bach's solo partita nr.2 for solo violin BWV 1004)
c.1883 (Rather) Polonaise
in A major (Transcription of Chopin's op. 40 nr. 1)
c.1883 (Rossavolgyi)
Liebestraum
Nr. 3
(Transcription of
Liszt's composition) (before
1887) (Neuma, Budapest)
Rákóczy
(March)
(before 1887) Sérénade
(1886)
(Harmonia, Budapest) There
are 200 works that are attributed to him, but many of these have been lost
. One of these works, Viennese Prank is published in R.
Lewenthal's Piano Music for One Hand.
Now - he did not learn his lesson as a young
boy. Do not play with firearms - it may cost you dearly - and an arm.
Well - it did indeed - but to our advantage. He became the first
travelling virtuoso with the left arm.
Erlkönig,
Rákóczy and Liebestraum
Nr. 3 are available on CD
played by Alexander Varro: Kreuzberg Records; kr.100062
The
composer-pianist Artur Cimirro (link
www.arturcimirro.com.br)
recorded all the still
available Zichy's piano solo works (mostly for the left hand)
Geza Zichy's Complete Compositions
http://www.acteprealable.com/albums/new_ap0371.html
Geza Zichy's Complete
Transcriptions
http://www.acteprealable.com/albums/new_ap0372.html
Géza Zichy's cousin Mihály
Zichy (Zala, 1827 - St. Petersburg,1906) became a well known painter,
and graphic artist. He was a significant representative of Hungarian
romantic painting. During his law studies in Pest from 1842, he attended
Jakab Marastoni's school as well. In Vienna he was Waldmüller's pupil in
1844 and on Waldmüller's recommendation, he became an art teacher in St.
Petersburg. He swore allegiance to freedom by painting the portrait of
Lajos Batthány, the first Hungarian prime minister, in 1849. From 1850
onwards, he worked as a retoucher, but he also did pencil drawings, water
colours and portraits in oil. The series on the Gatsina hunting ordered by
the Russian tsar raised him to a court artist. He founded a society to
support painters in need. He travelled around Europe in 1871, and settled
down in Paris in 1874. He left Paris in 1881 and returned to St.
Petersburg where he died.
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Mihály Zichy |
His works are allegoric,
biblical and - well - a lot depict a healthy and well known side of human
life, which - according to Woody Allan - has come to stay. But I will
leave it to you to investigate these pictures. Try Erotic 19th century art
- Zichy.
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