From 1943 he became head of the piano master-class at the “Nordische Musikschule” in Bremen, although this was interrupted by the events of the war. In 1939 he married Irene Tatjana Wülfing, who was from Moscow. In 1937 Theopold became a teacher for the piano (main subject) at the “Bayerisches Staatskonservatorium der Musik” in Würzburg. Theopold was awarded several prizes, including the “Grotrian-Steinweg-Preis” in 1928. Theopold gave convincing proof of his splendid pianistic ability in an extremely gripping sonata with a modern idiom by Alban Berg, but predominantly in Schubert’s Wanderer Fantasy, which he played with a polished technique and creative power”. A superior technique, a wonderful singing piano tone, the strength of a Titan, but not at all hard due to the incomparably gentle elasticity of his touch”. In the 1930s, audiences and the press alike raved about Theopold’s extraordinary gifts as a pianist: “This young player has it in him to soon become one of the best players in Germany. As a member of the Chamber Music Association of the State Opera in Berlin (from 1933) he also gave countless chamber music concerts, including ones with his violin partner Gustav Havemann (1882–1960). After completing his piano studies (graduating with “very good”) in 1928, he began an active solo career both at home and abroad (USA, Switzerland, Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the Balkans). Following the successful completion of his schooling at the Gymnasium Leopoldinum in Detmold, he went on to study music and piano (main subject): from 1922–23 at the “Württembergische Hochschule für Musik” in Stuttgart (with Max Pauer, 1866–1945) and then from 1923–1928 at the “Staatliche Akademische Hochschule für Musik” in Berlin-Charlottenburg (with Richard Rössler, 1880–1962, and Waldemar Lütschg, 1877–1948). At the age of 17 he made his debut at the Landestheater in Detmold with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in C major under Friedrich Quast (Herford). Even as a child he often played the organ in the “Marktkirche” and soon began to take piano lessons with Theodor Vehmeier.
Hans-Martin Theopold, was born to a pastor’s family in Detmold on 22 April 1904, the youngest of five children. 54.Ĭompletion of the mazurkas in G minor and F minor. 52 “Grande Polonaise brillante” in A-flat major, Op. 28, in a cyclic succession: compactly-designed short pieces.
Unable to return to Warsaw due to the Polish uprising, he goes to Paris, where he will remain until the end of his life. Premieres in Warsaw of his two piano concerti, Op. 10 and 25 - a new type of virtuosic etude that also makes aesthetic demands. Travels to Vienna, where he gives two concerts of his compositions and improvisations.Įtudes, Opp. “Fantaisie sur des airs nationaux polonaise” in A major, Op. Studies at the Institute of Music in Warsaw. First compositions at age seven, his first public performance at eight. 1810īorn in Żelazowa Wola near Warsaw on March 1.
His music influenced subsequent generations in France (Franck, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Debussy) as well as Smetana, Dvořák, Balakirev, Grieg, Albéniz. His work is concentrated around piano music that enjoys extraordinary popularity and has become an integral part of the concert repertoire.