Classical Pianist Carlyle Petersilea
Boston-Born Concert Artist Pupil of Ignaz Moscheles
May 16, 2009
Boston, Massachusetts was the scene of the birth, on January 14, 1844, of Carlyle Petersilea, who was destined to become one of America's finest concert pianists. His first teacher was his father, a noted teacher and inventor of the Petersilea Method of Music Teaching. Young Carlyle's progress was so swift that he gave his first public recital at the age of twelve, and he also began to teach at that time.
In 1856 he was heard by the great pianist Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871), who believed that Carlyle had a great future ahead of him.
Petersilea and Leipzig Studies
Petersilea travelled to Leipzig, Germany, when he was eighteen, to study at the conservatory where Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870) usually chose him to play on the more important occasions. He graduated with the highest honors ever achieved by a previous student.
Return to Boston
While at Leipzig, Carlyle suffered a severe case of typhoid fever, and he was advised by his doctor to return to America. He received a warm welcome upon his return, and within a short time was engaged as soloist in a Henselt Concerto. He also frequently appeared under the direction of conductor Charles Koppitz, and on the Harvard University Symphony Concert series.
Schumann Soirees
Petersilea was instrumental in introducing works by the German composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856) to enthusiastic Boston audiences. He engaged only the finest available artists to appear on these programs and the series was a great success. He also presented performances of Beethoven Piano Sonatas, usually four on each program, something that had never been done before in Boston.
Petersilea's Piano Technique
It was said by many that he was an accomplished sight reader, and that he had an astonishing memory from an early age. His technique was described as 'faultless' and his palette of colors was inspiring. He was obviously quite an accomplished artist and it is unfortunate that we do not have any recordings available of his playing.
Move to California
Petersilea continued to teach, however, burdened by overwork he moved to California where he and his wife built a home at Tropico, near Los Angeles, in 1892. It was there that he died of a stroke in June of 1903. He was the inventor of a mute keyboard for practising, and was also one of the guiding lights behind the founding of the New England Conservatory of Music.
Petersilea Academy of Music, Language and Elocution
Carlyle formed this institute in 1861, in Boston, and remained with it until his move to California in 1892. He was the author of books on spiritualism: Mary Anne Carew and other books such as Mark Chester:A Tale of Southern California, 1901.
Source
New York Times article, June 4, 1903
Celebrated Pianists of the Past and Present by A.Ehrlich Theodore Presser 1894
For further reading about pianists see /classicalmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/two_forgotten_pianists_brull_and_brassin
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