Pictures of the bearded Adolf von Henselt show him to appear rather dashing in his youth, but a bit more stern in his later years. Born in Bavaria on May 12,1814, he received financial and personal support from the celebrated King Ludwig I in his youth. His first teacher was a Frau von Fladt with whom he studied at Munich, followed by intensive training under Hummel in Weimar.
Study in Vienna
After his studies at Weimar he went to Vienna, where he trained in theory and composition under Simon Sechter. He began concert tours across Germany in 1836 and 1837 and played in St.Petersburg, Russia, in 1838.
He made a great success in Russia and was feted wherever he went. There he received a court appointment to the Empress and taught piano to the royal princes .Emperor Nicholas assigned him to the position of director of the high school for girls and he was awarded the Wladimir Order of Nobility, along with the title of Councillor of State.
Henselt's Playing Style
Henselt tried to play with an extremely extended hand, and through constant practice he was able to build an amazing keyboard technique. A critic of the time said about him,"Henselt certainly received lessons from Hummel, but can scarcely be recognized as his pupil, for his style of playing was entirely different, being a combination of Hummel and Liszt...as Mendelssohn also informs us, his power consisted in his capacity to stretch long chords, for which purpose he he continually practised arpeggios, playing them prestissimo."
Henselt married Rosalie Vogel in 1837, while residing in Berlin. She was said to have been a most accomplished woman and a great help to him in his work.
Stage Fright
Adolf von Henselt, one of the most celebrated pianists of his time suffered from intensive stage fright, resulting in his permanent withdrawl from the concert stage at the age of thirty-three. Apparently he was so shy that only a handful of friends and relatives heard him play while he resided in Germany.
Gerhard von Amyntor, one of this son's friends, wrote an essay on Henselt for the Neue Blatt, and in it he related a story about Henselt being recognized in a public garden and the military band which was performing there giving him an ovation. He was so shy that he ran out a back entrance with his companions.
This remarkable man had suffered from a heart condition that might well have been the basis for his stage fright, and it was this condition that resulted in his death at his small country estate at Warmbrunn, Germany, on October 10, 1889.
Source
Celebrated Pianists of the Past and Present A.Ehrlich Theodore Presser, 1894
For further reading about pianists see Two Piano Teams of History
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