A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/D'Albert, Charles

by George Grove

D'ALBERT, Charles Louis Napoleon, son of François Benoit d' Albert, was born at Menstetten, near Altona, Hamburg, Feb. 25, 1809. His father was a captain of cavalry in the French army. On his death in 1816 the mother and son emigrated to England. She was a good musician, and her son's first musical education—in Mozart and Beethoven—was due to her. He then had lessons in the piano from Kalkbrenner, and in composition from Dr. Wesley, and afterwards learnt dancing at the King's Theatre, London, and the Conservatoire, Paris. On his return to England he became ballet-master at the King's Theatre, and at Covent Garden. He soon relinquished these posts, and devoted himself to teaching dancing and composing dance-music, in which he was very successful, and achieved a wide reputation. He ultimately settled at Newcastle-on-Tyne, married there in 1863, and for many years was a resident in the North of England and in Scotland. He published 'Ball-room Etiquette,' Newcastle, 1835; and a large number of dances, beginning with the 'Bridal Polka,' 1845; all of these were very great favourites, especially the 'Sweetheart's Waltz,' 'Sultan's Polka,' and 'Edinburgh Quadrille.' In the latter years of his life he removed to London, where he died May 26, 1886.

His son, Eugène Francis Charles, was born at Glasgow, April 10, 1864. His genius for music showed itself from a very early age, and he was carefully taught by his father. In 1876 he was elected Newcastle scholar in the National Training School, London, where he learnt the piano from Mr. Pauer, and harmony and composition from Dr. Stainer, Mr. Prout, and Sir Arthur Sullivan. Here his progress in piano playing, counterpoint, and composition, was rapid and brilliant, and he also occupied himself much in the study of languages. In 1881 he was elected Mendelssohn Scholar, which gave him a year abroad. An overture of his was performed at a student's concert at St. James's Hall on June 23, 1879. He played a PF. Concerto of his own in A at the Richter concert, Oct. 24, 1881, also Rubinstein's Concerto in D minor, May 3, 1882. In Nov. 1881, at the instance of Richter, he went to Vienna, and very shortly afterwards played the first movement of his own Concerto at the Philharmonic Concert there. He then became a pupil of Liszt's, who called him 'the young Tausig,' in allusion to his extraordinary technique. An Overture of his, styled 'Hyperion,' was played at a Richter concert, June 8, 1885, and a Symphony in F (op. 4) at the same on May 24, 1886. Both these pieces are full of nobility and beauty, though the work of a young composer. A string quartet of his was played at Vienna last winter, and a Dramatic Overture at the Tonkünstlerfest at Cologne, in 1887, and he is understood to be engaged on great works.

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