10 Facts About Karl Klindworth

Karl Klindworth was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, violinist and music publisher.

Karl Klindworth was one of Franz Liszt's pupils and later one of his closest disciples and friends, being on friendly terms with composer Richard Wagner, of whom he was an admirer.

Karl Klindworth was highly praised by fellow musicians, including Wagner himself and Edward Dannreuther.

Karl Klindworth was the paternal nephew of diplomat and intelligence agent Georg Klindworth and clockmaker Karl Friedrich Felix Klindworth.

In 1854, Karl Klindworth went to London, where he remained for fourteen years, studying, teaching and occasionally appearing in public.

From London Karl Klindworth went to Moscow in 1868, following Nikolai Rubinstein's invitation to take up the position of professor of pianoforte at the Moscow Conservatory, where he first met Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as professor of harmony.

Karl Klindworth then became conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1882, in association with Joseph Joachim and Franz Wullner, being the conductor of the Berlin Wagner Society.

Karl Klindworth remained in Berlin until 1893, when he retired to Potsdam, practicing as a teacher.

Karl Klindworth earned his great reputation as an editor of musical works, having re-orchestrated Chopin's second piano concerto, adopted and raised Winifred Williams to be a perfect "Wagnerite" and made the orchestration of the first movement of Alkan's solo piano concerto, the eighth of the composer's etudes in all the minor keys, though others have since orchestrated all three movements.

Karl Klindworth died in 1916 in Stolpe, near Oranienburg, aged 85.