Louis Plaidy (28 November 1810 – 3 March 1874) was a celebrated German piano pedagogue and

compiler In computing, a compiler is a computer program that translates computer code written in one programming language (the ''source'' language) into another language (the ''target'' language). The name "compiler" is primarily used for programs tha ...

of books of technical music studies.

Life

Born in

Hubertusburg Hubertusburg is a Rococo palace in Saxony, Germany. It was built from 1721 onwards at the behest of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, and after his death served as a residence of his son Augustus III. The 'Saxon Versailles ...

, Saxony, Plaidy initially focused on the violin, and toured as a concert violinist, but he later studied the piano, particularly the technical aspects of playing. Plaidy was renowned for his ability to impart technical skills to his students. In 1843, Felix Mendelssohn invited Plaidy to join the faculty of the

Leipzig Conservatory The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig) is a public university in Leipzig (Saxony, Germany). Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn ...

to teach the piano. The Conservatory attracted many international students, including the original directors of the

Oberlin Conservatory The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a private music conservatory in Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. It was founded in 1865 and is the second oldest conservatory and oldest continually operating conservatory in the United States. It is one of ...

(founded in 1867 in Ohio, US), who went on to use Plaidy's piano methods. Plaidy was

Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the foremost Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of ...

's first piano teacher at the Conservatory, although Grieg found Plaidy's style of teaching uninspiring. Plaidy remained at the Conservatory until 1865, when he went on to teach piano students privately. Plaidy published a book on piano pedagogy, , which was highly thought of and is still used today, and a pamphlet, , said to be of little worth. He died in

Grimma Grimma ( hsb, Grima) is a town in Saxony, Central Germany, on the left bank of the Mulde, southeast of Leipzig. Founded in 1170, it is part of the Leipzig district. Location The town is in northern Saxony, southeast of Leipzig and south o ...

, Saxony, aged 63.

Notable students

Plaidy's notable students included: * Dudley Buck, American composer. *

Hans von Bülow Freiherr Hans Guido von Bülow (8 January 1830 – 12 February 1894) was a German conductor, virtuoso pianist, and composer of the Romantic era. As one of the most distinguished conductors of the 19th century, his activity was critical for es ...

, German conductor, virtuoso pianist, and composer. *

Frederic Hymen Cowen Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen (29 January 1852 – 6 October 1935), was an English composer, conductor and pianist. Early years and musical education Cowen was born Hymen Frederick Cohen at 90 Duke Street, Kingston, Jamaica, the fifth and last c ...

, British composer. *

Gustave Gagnon Gustave Adolphe Mathurin Gagnon (6 November 1842 – 19 November 1930) was a Canadian organist, composer, and music educator. Family background and education Born in Louiseville, Gagnon was from a prominent family of musicians in Québe ...

, Canadian organist and composer. *

Frederick Grant Gleason Frederick Grant Gleason (born 17 December 1848 in Middletown, Connecticut - died Chicago, 6 December 1903) was an American composer, and director of the Chicago Conservatory from 1900 to 1903. Gleason's father was a banker. Like many other wel ...

, American composer and director of the Chicago Conservatory. *

, Norwegian composer and pianist. *

Leoš Janáček Leoš Janáček (, baptised Leo Eugen Janáček; 3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928) was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist, and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and other Slavic musics, including Eastern European f ...

, Czech composer. *

Michael Maybrick Michael Maybrick (31 January 1841 – 26 August 1913) was an English composer and singer, best known under his pseudonym Stephen Adams as the composer of " The Holy City", one of the most popular religious songs in English. Early life Maybri ...

, English singer and composer. * James Cutler Dunn Parker, American organist, educator and composer. *

Oscar Paul Oscar Paul (8 April 183618 April 1898) was a German musicologist and a music writer, critic, and teacher. Biography Oscar Paul was born in Freiwaldau in Silesia (now Gozdnica in the Województwo lubuskie of the Poland). He studied at Görlitz ...

Julius Röntgen Julius Engelbert Röntgen (9 May 1855 – 13 September 1932) was a German-Dutch composer of classical music. He was a friend of Liszt, Brahms and Grieg. Life Julius Röntgen was born in Leipzig, Germany, to a family of musicians. His father, ...

, German-Dutch composer. *

Ernst Rudorff Ernst Friedrich Karl Rudorff (January 18, 1840 – December 31, 1916) was a German composer and music teacher, also a founder of nature protection movement. Biography Born in Berlin, Rudorff studied piano under Woldemar Bargiel from 1852 to 1857 ...

, German composer. *

Samuel Sanford Samuel Simons Sanford (15 March 18496 January 1910) was an American pianist and educator. Early life He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Education He studied piano in New York with William Mason (son of Lowell Mason and student of Franz Lis ...

* Gustav Schreck, German composer. * Arthur Sullivan, English composer.

Works

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plaidy, Louis 1810 births 1874 deaths 19th-century classical pianists 19th-century German musicians German classical pianists German music educators Male classical pianists University of Music and Theatre Leipzig faculty 19th-century male musicians