Franz Liszt and Sigismond Thalberg’s piano “duel” as perceived by their contemporaries: A study based on nineteenth-century French periodicals

Abstract

The article examines various aspects of the rivalry between two of the greatest pianists of the first half of the 19th century, Franz Liszt and Sigismond Thalberg. The virtuosos’ conflict was triggered by Liszt’s notorious article directed against Thalberg and his admirers. Many of Liszt’s own followers, who were disappointed by his actions, also sided with Thalberg. Parisian reviewers enthusiastically compared the pianists’ artistic qualities, often to Liszt’s disadvantage. The piano “duel” between the two virtuosos became the central event of the 1837 Parisian concert season, attracting the close attention of the European aristocracy, the creative elite, and the press. Both pianists were declared winners, as documented in numerous contemporary accounts. Every review published before and after the “duel” contrasted Liszt’s passionate, impetuous, and electrifying performance with the lyrical cantabile style of Thalberg’s playing. At the same time, their artistic talent and technical perfection were unanimously acknowledged to be equal. However, 20th-century musical historiography reinterpreted this episode in Liszt’s favour, for many years displacing Thalberg from the focus of musicological discourse and thereby distorting the understanding of a crucial stage in the development of piano art in Western Europe and Russia. The digital availability of numerous historical sources (newspapers, journals, eyewitness letters) allowed for a more detailed examination of the artistic individuality of both virtuosos, leading to the conclusion that Thalberg’s pianism was closer to the aesthetic ideals of his era and significantly influenced the further development of piano performance.

Keywords: Franz Liszt, Sigismond Thalberg, piano art, Parisian audience, performance style, criticism, the press

For citation: Gulaya, T. N., & Zhestkova, O. V. Franz Liszt and Sigismond Thalberg’s piano “duel” as perceived by their contemporaries: A study based on nineteenth-century French periodicals. Contemporary Musicology, 10(2), 45–84. https://doi.org/10.56620/2587-9731-2026-2-045-084