Liszt vs Thalberg

[immortalbeloved]

Hey all,
So I am reading a pretty interesting bio on LIszt and the author dedicated a whole chapter on the LIszt vs THalberg piano battle, something I had never read about before.

It seems that general consensus was that it was a tie, with s famous quote saying that THalbert was the first pianist in Paris while Liszt was unique . . . A nothing nothing statement.

I was wondering what others have read about this, if anything. I am quite curious about these pre rap rap battles. I know Beethoven had his few and Mozart too, but it seems this Thalberg/LIszt one was the biggest one.

[pencilart3]

I think that J.S. Bach was going to have one, but when his opponent heard him playing the night before, he left the town by a fast boat immediately!

[rubinsteinmad]

I think that J.S. Bach was going to have one, but when his opponent heard him playing the night before, he left the town by a fast boat immediately!

Maybe his name was WF Bach.


Because Im sure Rameau and Scarlatti would take Bach on, no problem.
Pancrace Royer would BURN Bach technically, but his compositions suck. 

[zpianist]

Maybe his name was WF Bach.


Because Im sure Rameau and Scarlatti would take Bach on, no problem.
Pancrace Royer would BURN Bach technically, but his compositions suck.  

I don't get it ^

I feel like Bach and Handel would've met each other and dueled though.

Anyway, OP, Beethoven did have piano battles with people, but he always crushed his opponents. Why? presumably because his improvisations were always "emotional" and "sincere," while the improvisations of his opponents were always empty and relying on flashy passagework etc.

Mozart & Clementi fought it out (at the keyboard) but the "outcome" was undecided... it was decided that Mozart played with more "taste" though. These duels were exciting but not always a "legit" way of determining who was better