Synopsis

Early in April in the year 1845, 15-year old American pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk performed at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. On the program was Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Chopin happened to be in the audience and congratulated the young American on his performance.

What exactly Chopin said depends on whom you asked. Gottschalk’s first biographer claims it was, “Very good, my child, let me shake your hand,” while his sister insists it was, “I predict you will become the king of pianists!”

In 1845, Parisian society was curious about anything American after experiencing other exotic exports from the New World, including P.T. Barnum’s circus and George Catlin’s paintings of Native American life. Anything American was definitely “hip.”

Four years later, on today’s date in 1849, Gottschalk returned to the Salle Pleyel, this time performing some of his own compositions, including Bamboula, a work named after the a deep-voiced Afro-Caribbean drum. The Parisian audiences had never heard anything like it and gave him a standing ovation. He was born in New Orleans and was exposed from childhood to Cuban and Haitian music and went on to write original works which anticipate both the rhythms and colors of American jazz.

Music Played in Today's Program

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849): Piano Concerto No. 1; Krystian Zimerman, piano; Polish Festival Orchestra; DG 459 684

Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869): Bamboula; Alan Feinberg, piano; Argo 444 457