Grünfeld, Alfred |
| PIANIST, COMPOSER (AUSTRIAN EMPIRE) |
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BORN 4 Jul 1852, Praha - DIED 4 Jan 1924, Wien GRAVE LOCATION Wien: Zentralfriedhof, Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, Simmering (Gruppe 32 C, nummer 02) |
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Alfred Grünfeld was the son of the Jewish leather merchant Moritz Grünfeld and his wife Regina Pick. His musical talent became clear at an early age and his first teacher was Julius Theodor Hoeger. He gave his first public concert on 12 April 1865 in Prague. At the Conservatory in Prague he studied under Josef Krejcí and Bedrich Smetana and he studied at the Neue Akademie der Tonkunst in Berlin as well. In 1871 the young Gustav Mahler boarded with his family in Prague. Mahler witnessed a wild love scene between Alfred and a servant which shocked and disgusted him. In 1873 he settled in Vienna, where his lived with his sister. He became a popular pianist in the high society salons of Vienna. He often played with the Arnold Rosé Quartet and the Hellmesberger Quartet. He also undertook concert tours with his brother, the cellist Heinrich Grünfeld (1855-1931). In 1897 he was appointed professor at the Conservatory in Vienna. He made many recordings between 1899 and 1915. As a composer he wrote around 100 piano pieces. His "Kleine Serenade" was written in 1888. He wrote his operetta "Der Lebemann" for Alexander Girardi and it premiered in Vienna in 1903. He was a close friend of Johann Strauss and Strauss dedicated "Frühlingsstimmen Waltz" to him. He often played it as the encore to his concerts. He died in 1924 in Vienna. Related persons • has a connection with Girardi, Alexander • was a friend of Strauss, Johann (The Younger) |
| Images |
 The grave of Alfred Grünfeld at the Zentralfriedhof, Vienna. Picture by Androom (23 Aug 2009) |
Sources • Budig, Robert S. et al, Ehrengräber am Wiener Zentralfriedhof, Compress Verlag Wien, Wien • Alfred Grünfeld - Wikipedia |
