Désiré Magnus (né Magnus Deutz; 13 June 1828 – 17 December 1883) was a
Belgian concert pianist, teacher and composer of
salon music
Salon music was a popular music genre in Europe during the 19th century. It was usually written for solo piano in the Romantic music, romantic style, and is often performed by the composer at events known as "Salon (gathering), Salons". Salon compo ...
who published under the pseudonym D. Magnus.
Biography
Magnus was born in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
and studied piano with
Georg Jacob Vollweiler (1770–1847) in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...
and also at the
Brussels Conservatory, receiving the First Prize in 1843.
[''A Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'', second edition (New York: Schirmer), 1905, p. 371.][John Denison Champlin Jr.: ''Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians'', vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899), p. 504.] After several successful concert tours in England, Germany, Russia, Spain and other countries, he settled in Paris, and quickly gained a reputation as pianist, teacher, composer, and music critic.
[
Magnus' performance on the Steinway concert-grand piano at the Exhibition Universelle of 1867 inspired a lithograph by Amédée de Noé.
He died in Paris.
]
Selected works
;Opera
* ''La Tolédane'' (Paris: Salle Taitbout, 1874)
;Chamber music
* ''Les Pleurs de la jeune fille'', Nocturne for violin and piano, Op. 13b (1852); original for piano solo
* ''5ème Nocturne'' for cello and piano (1877); original version for piano solo
* ''Duo sur des motifs de l'opéra "Paul et Virginie" de Victor Massé'' for violin and piano (1877); composed in collaboration with Henri Vieuxtemps
Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps (; 17 February 18206 June 1881) was a Belgian composer and violinist. He occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th c ...
;Vocal
* ''O povero garzon!'' (G. Duprez), Barcarolle vénetienne, Op. 139 (1874)
* ''Sur l'océan'' (Alphonse Labitte) (1878)
* ''C'est le printemps'' (A. Labitte) (1880)
* ''Chanson à boire'' ( Paul Ginisty) (1880)
* ''Judas'', Chant biblique (G. Boyer) (1881)
* ''Quand reviendra la violette'' (R. J. Pain) (1881)
* ''Regrets d'amour'', Valse chantée ( Paul Armand Silvestre) (1884)
;Pedagogical
* ''24 Études mélodiques et de vélocité dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs préparation aux difficultés de doigté et de mécanisme que renferment les œuvres des maîtres du piano, anciens et modernes'', Op. 190 (1876)
* ''Méthode élémentaire de piano'' (1879)
;Piano solo
* ''Bords de l'adour'', Polka No. 4, Op. 4
* ''Un Pensée'', Romance-étude, Op. 5
* ''La Danse du lac bleu'', Caprice, Op. 6
* ''Quadrille über norwegische Melodien'' in C major, Op. 10
* ''La Danse des ésprits'', Caprice, Op. 12 (1851)
* ''3 Études de concert'' (1852)
* ''Les Pleurs de la jeune fille'', Rêverie, Op. 13 (1852); also for violin and piano
* ''Fantaisie brillante sur l'opéra "La nuit de Noël"'', Op. 16 (1853); paraphrase on ''La nuit de Noël'' by Napoléon Henri Reber
* ''2 Romances sans paroles'', Op. 17
* ''Saltarelle'', Op. 18
* ''The Gipsy Schottische'', Op. 22 (1853)
* ''The Royal Schottische'', Op. 22 (1853)
* ''Lucie'', Schottische, Op. 26 (1853)
* ''Réminiscences de L'éclair'' (1859); paraphrase on '' L'éclair'' by Fromental Halévy
* ''La Perle de l'Alhambre'' (La Perle de l'Exposition), Polka de concert, Op. 30 (1860)
* ''Souviens-toi'', Rêverie, Op. 38
* ''Les Premiers Litas'', Grande valse, Op. 42 (1855)
* ''3 Pastorales'', Op. 43
* ''Constantinople'', Marche, Op. 44
* ''Tarantelle'', Op. 45
* ''Bolero de salon'', Op. 46
* ''Steeple-Chase'', Grand galop de bravoure, Op. 51 (1859)
* ''Charmes du souvenir'', Valse de salon, Op. 52
* ''Chanson polonaise'', Op. 53 (1857)
* ''Maître corbeau'', Variations, Op. 54
* ''Capriccio alla mazurka'', Op. 56 (1859)
* ''Reminiscences de l'Éclair'', Op. 57
* ''Souvenir du Piémont'', Valse brillante, Op. 58 (1860)
* '' Herculanum de F. David'', Grande fantaisie, Op. 59 (1860)
* ''Trois pastorales'' (1860)
* ''Figaro polka'', Op. 61 (1860)
* ''Au gré des flots'', Caprice-étude, Op. 62 (1860)
* ''Die Post'', Op. 63
* ''Marche funèbre'', Op. 64 (1860)
* ''Carnaval napolitain'', Op. 65 (1860)
* ''Un Vœu à la Vièrge'', Morceau de genre, Op. 66 (1860)
* ''Le Rêve d'une mère'', Berceuse (1860)
* ''La Zingara'', Polka mazurka (1860)
* ''Mazurka composée pour le Comte Koucheloff-Besborodko'', arrangée pour Piano, Op. 69 (1861)
* ''1er Nocturne'', Op. 70 (1861)
* ''Souvenir du cocher'', Andante religioso, Op. 71
* ''Chanson du temps passé'', Idylle, Op. 73 (1861)
* ''L'Adieu du pêcheur'', Esquisse musicale, Op. 74 (1861)
* ''Marche des mandarins'', Caprice chinois, Op. 76 (1861)
* ''2ème Nocturne'', Op. 77 (1861)
* ''Harmonie des flots'', Caprice-mazurka, Op. 77 (1861)
* ''La Tarabouka'', Caprice moresque, Op. 80 (1862)
* ''Au printemps'', Poésie fugitive, Op. 84
* ''Fleurs et dentelles'', Caprice, Op. 85 (1864)
* ''Sérénade moscovite'', Impromptu
* '' Lalla-Roukh'', Opéra comique de Félicien David
Félicien-César David (13 April 1810 – 29 August 1876) was a French composer.
Biography
Félicien David was born in Cadenet, and began to study music at the age of five under his father, whose death when the boy was six left him an impoverish ...
, Illustrations pour piano, Op. 88 (1864)
* ''Fête polonaise'', Mazurka, Op. 89 (1863)
* ''Chants des sirènes'', Impromptu, Op. 91
* ''Alhambra'', Polka-mazurka, Op. 92
* ''Noce arabe'', Caprice, Op. 93
* ''Les Glanenses'', Op. 96
* ''Chant de guerre'', Op. 97
* ''Impromptu-mazurk'', Op. 98 (c.1874)
* ''Polonaise brilliante'', Op. 99
* ''Moïse'', Final du 3ème acte, Op. 100
* ''Marche russe'', Op. 101
* ''José-Maria, opéra-comique de Jules Cohen'' (c.1866)
* ''Flûte enchantée'', Fantaisie, Op. 105
* ''Abd-el-Kader'', Marche, Op. 106
* ''L'Addio'', Grande valse, Op. 107 (1867)
* ''Carmosine'', Polka-mazurka, Op. 108
* ''Eole'', Valse brillante, Op. 109 (1867)
* ''Der Freischütz'', Fantaisie, Op. 110
* ''Morceau de salon sur la célèbre valse Indiana de Marcailhou'', Op. 112 (1867); paraphrase on ''Indiana, Grande valse'' by Gatien Marcailhou
* ''Freyschütz, de Weber'', Fantaisie romantique, Op. 114 (1868)
* ''Dans les prés'', Caprice, Op. 115 (1867)
* ''Caprice-mazurka'', Op. 116
* ''Impromptu-valse'', Op. 117 (1867)
* ''Patrouille'', Ronde de nuit, Op. 118 (1869)
* ''Dimanche'', Étude-vilanelle, Op. 119
* ''Léopold'', Marsch, Op. 120 (1869)
* ''Berceuse orientale'', Op. 121
* ''Tzigane-marche'', Souvenir de Hongrie, Op. 122 (1868)
* ''Mazurka bohémienne'', Op. 123
* ''Mélancolie'', Op. 124 (1869)
* ''3ème Nocturne'', Op. 125 (1869)
* ''Sperata'', Valse poétique, Op. 126
* ''Le Fuseau'' (Spindellied), Caprice-étude, Op. 127 (1869)
* ''Schnell, galop'', Morceau facile, Op. 128
* ''La Madrilena'', Mazurka brillante, Op. 129
* ''Viennoise'' (Wiener), Mazurka de salon, Op. 130
* ''Grande sonate'' en ut mineur, Op. 131 (1868)
* ''Chanson de l'esclave'', Op. 132 (1869)
* ''Rienzi, opéra de R. Wagner'', Fantaisie-militaire, Op. 133 (1869); paraphrase on '' Rienzi'' by Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
* ''Cosaque'', Polka, Op. 134
* ''Carnaval de Lima'', Caprice Hispano-américain, Op. 136 (1870)
* ''Souvenir de l'exposition'', Fantasia sur deux airs nationaux (1871)
* ''Souvenir de Marseille'', Mazurka de salon (1872)
* ''La Coupe du Roi de Thulé, opéra de E. Diaz'', Réminiscences et paraphrase (1873); paraphrase on ''La Coupe du Roi de Thulé'' by Eugène-Émile Diaz de la Peña (1837–1901)
* ''Marche nuptiale'', Op. 137
* ''Fancy Fair'', Mazurka de salon, Op. 138
* ''Carneval-Polka'', Op. 139 (1874)
* ''2ème Sonate'' in D major, Op. 140 (1874)
* ''Impromptu'', Op. 141
* ''Salut au Hâvre'', Marche solennelle, Op. 142
* ''Aïda, opéra de G. Verdi'', Réminiscences et paraphrase, Op. 144 (1873); paraphrase on ''Aida
''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...
'' by Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
* ''Chant de jeunes filles'', Caprice, Op. 145 (1873)
* ''Fantaisie de salon sur Madame Turlupin'', Op. 155; paraphrase on the opera ''Madame Turlupin'' by Ernest Guiraud
Ernest Guiraud (; 23 June 18376 May 1892) was an American-born French composer and music teacher. He is best known for writing the traditional orchestral recitatives used for Bizet's opera '' Carmen'' and for Offenbach's opera '' Les contes d ...
* ''1er Nocturne'', Op. 159
* ''Giovinetta'', Mazurka, Op. 160
* ''24 Études de genre dans le style moderne et dans tous les tons'', Opp. 161–162 (1874)
* ''Messe de requiem de G. Verdi'', Souvenir, Op. 164 (1874)
* ''Menuet du temps passé'', Op. 165 (1874)
* ''Marietta'', Caprice de genre, Op. 166 (1874)
* ''Reflets d'azur'', Valse de salon, Op. 167 (1875)
* ''Régiment qui passe'', Op. 171
* ''Capricciosa'', Op. 172
* ''Hip! Hip! Hurrah!'', Galop brilliant, Op. 173 (1875)
* ''À la voile'', Barcarolle, Op. 174 (1875)
* ''Page d'album'', Impromptu, Op. 175
* ''Carmencita'', Op. 178
* ''Falstaff'', Fantaisie-polka, Op. 179 (1876)
* ''Pensées d'automne'', Impromptu, Op. 181 (1875)
* ''Le Régiment qui passe'', Pas redoublé (1875)
* ''Marietta'', Caprice de genre (1875)
* ''Capricciosa'', Grande valse brillante (1875)
* ''24 Études de genre dans le style moderne'' (1875)
* ''Pensées d'automne'', Impromptu (1876)
* ''Six Sonatinas'' (1876)
* ''Souvenir de Prague'', Polka, Op. 191 (1876)
* ''À la Strauss'', Polka, Op. 192 (1876)
* ''Esmek-Meriem'' (Ton nom, c'est Marie), Chanson arabe (1876)
* ''Souvenir de Paul et Virginie, opéra de V. Massé'', Fantaisie-caprice, Op. 200 (1876)
* ''5ème Nocturne'' (1877)
* ''En rêvant'', Valse-caprice (1877)
* ''Au bal'', Impromptu-mazurk, Op. 201 (1877)
* ''En rêvant'', Valse-caprice, Op. 202 (1877)
* ''Mazurk'', Op. 203 (1878)
* ''Polonaise brillante'', Op. 205 (1877)
* ''Véloce'', Caprice-étude, Op. 206
* ''24 Petite sonatines, très faciles dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs'', Op. 231
* ''À tire d'aile'', Caprice, Op. 235 (1878)
* ''À toute volée'', Galop brilliant, Op. 236 (1878)
* ''Marche bohémienne'', Op. 238 (1878)
* ''Le Hamac'', Chanson orientale, Op. 239
* ''24 Pièces caractéristiques'', Op. 240 (1877)
* ''Chanson de mai'', Op. 243 (1878)
* ''Welcome au Prince de Galles'', Valse brillante, Op. 244 (1878)
* ''Mazurk-Styrienne'', Op. 250 (1880)
* ''Vienne'', Ésquisse-valse (1878)
* ''Welcome au Prince de Galles'', Valse brillante (1878)
* ''L'Étoile du nord, opéra-comique de G. Meyerbeer'', Fantaisie de concert, Op. 275 (1878)
* ''À la mémoire de Beethoven'', Hymne funèbre, Op. 302 (1879)
* ''Grande valse brillante'', Op. 303 (1879)
* ''Aubade'', Op. 305 (1879)
* ''Souvenir de Fatinitza, opéra comique de F. de Suppé'', Fantaisie (1879)
* ''Souvenirs de Jean de Nivelle, de Delibes'', Fantaisie de salon, Op. 308 (1880)
* ''Chanson mauresque'', Op. 312
* ''Hongroise-polka'' (1881)
* ''Les Contes d'Hoffmann, opéra fantastique de J. Offenbach'', Barcarolle (1881)
* ''Dors bébé'', Berceuse, Op. 316 (1882)
* ''Claire fontaine'', Caprice, Op. 317 (1882)
* ''Baiser de fleur'', Grande valse de concert, Op. 318 (1883)
* ''6ème Nocturne'' (1883)
* ''Marche des mousquetaires''
Sources
* Theodore Baker: ''A Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'', 2nd edition (New York: Schirmer), 1905, p. 371
* John Denison Champlin, Jr.: ''Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians'', volume 2 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899), p. 504
* Janet M. Green: ''The American History and Encyclopedia of Music: Musical Biographies'', volume 2, edited by William Lines Hubbard (New York: Irving Squire, 1910), p. 10
* Ernst Pauer: ''A Dictionary of Pianists and Composers for the Pianoforte'' (London and New York: Novello, Ewer & Co., 1895), p. 75.
References
External links
''Harp Week'' Cartoon of the Day ''“Sudden Mania to Become Pianists …”'', August 10, 1867
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnus, Desire
1828 births
1883 deaths
19th-century Belgian male musicians
19th-century Belgian classical composers
19th-century classical pianists
Belgian classical pianists
Belgian male classical composers
Composers for piano
Belgian male classical pianists
Musicians from Brussels
Belgian Romantic composers
Royal Conservatory of Brussels alumni