Erich Wolfgang Korngold, an Austrian composer, was considered one of the greatest composing child prodigies in history.
Composer Biography
Korngold's keyboard style was highly personal and fully formed from the start, despite him having hardly any formal instruction on the instrument.
Composition History
The 'Vier kleine Karikaturen für Kinder' were declined for publication by Schott for fear of causing offence to the composers being caricatured.
Composition History
The opera 'Die tote Stadt' (The Dead City), from which the 'Grosse Fantasie' is arranged, was Korngold's greatest international success, composed between 1916 and 1920.
Historical Context
In the 1920s, operatic pot-pourris for piano were essential for promoting new works, as most middle-class homes owned an upright piano.
Compositional Technique
The 'Vier kleine Karikaturen für Kinder' (Four little caricatures for children) are satirical miniatures in the style of four famous modern composers: Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Bartók, and Hindemith.
Composition History
Korngold's father, the formidable critic Dr. Julius Korngold, often vetoed the publication of his son's works, including the 'Don Quixote' pieces and the 'Four little happy waltzes'.
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