Friedrich Gernsheim's family arrived in Worms in the 16th century as refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, and his ancestors thrived despite severe constraints on Jews.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Friedrich Gernsheim's musical style was influenced by both conservative figures like Mendelssohn and Moscheles, and more progressive composers like Berlioz and Wagner.
Interpretation
Pianist Jens Barnieck performed these pieces from manuscript copies from the National Library of Israel, which were full of confusing incompletions and competing versions.
Composer Biography
Friedrich Gernsheim was the youngest pupil at the Leipzig Conservatoire at age 13, where his teachers included Ignaz Moscheles, a pupil of Beethoven's former teachers.
Composer Biography
At age 10, Friedrich Gernsheim toured as a pianist and composer in the Rhineland, Switzerland, and Alsace, with critics comparing him to Mozart.
Composer Biography
When Friedrich Gernsheim left the Leipzig Conservatoire at age 16, the administrative director gave him a curl of Felix Mendelssohn's hair as an unprecedented gift.
Composer Biography
As a child, Friedrich Gernsheim displayed perfect pitch, mimicking the horn of a passing postilion on the piano, and composed a march based on a military band he heard.
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