Gottschalk, Louis Moreau

International Music Score Library Project [IMSLP] entry: Louis Moreau Gottschalk

Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869) was born in America (New Orleans), but toured extensively. He played a large part in bringing Creole and other American influences to public attention.

Piece	MP3	Midi	Genre
Souvenir of Porto Rico, Op 31		MIDI	piano salon CD2
	Subtitled Marche des Gibaros and marked Moderato ma con moto. Initially sequenced from the Peters edition of Gottschalk's Creole and Caribbean music, but I later acquired the Schott edition and so was able to compare. The piece was composed in 1857 and is dedicated to Ernest Lubeck [1829-76, a Dutch pianist and composer who gave concerts in America in 1849-54]. Gibaros are the local peasants; who approach, have a rather jazzy good time and then depart. As a march, I've left this in rigid tempo. Tastes may vary! I've also followed the source, and omitted all pedalling; again, tastes may vary. There is a six-bar Ossia at bar 168 , but it's stylistically very boring.
Bamboula, Op 2		MIDI	piano salon CD1
	Subtitled Danse de Negres, Fantaisie, composed 1844, and dedicated to Isabelle II, Queen of Spain. According to Eberhardt Klemm's editorial notes to the Peters Edition, it was LMG's first wild success, possibly based on a stamping negro dance banned in New Orleans in 1843; there is a characteristic off-beat to the stomping, characteristic also to early jazz; the rhythm is that of a cakewalk, but the tune is probably borrowed from a French dance. I have ignored the tempo rubato at bar 151 [in favour of phrasing], otherwise the sequencing is [E&OE] exact from the printed page [though LMG, or his editor, seems to be rather slack about proof-reading; pedalling and emphases are often omitted, for no apparent musical reason, between parallel passages, and some, but not all, note changes seem to be mistakes rather than intentional elegant variation]. I have mostly but not everywhere followed the editorial distribution of notes between hands -- essential to play this piece in real life! Marked Allegro, MM 112, with instructions tres rythme -- marque 1er temps ch. mesure, sempre stacc.
Oyos Criollos, Op. 37		MIDI	piano salon
	Ojos Criollos, or Les Yeux Creoloes (Creole Eyes) is subtitled Danse Cubaine. It's a rather tinkley caprice, to be played brillante, and composed in 1859. Like most salon music, it lies nicely under the hands, so sounds more difficult than it really is. Sequenced from the Dover edition, but checked against a Star Folio version and IMSLP.
Manchega, Etude de Concert, Op. 38		MIDI	piano
	Manchega, Etude de Concert was composed in Seville and written 1853. The manchega apparently became a popular dance -- LMG seems to have been good at capturing the mood for new dances! The Dover Edition says that this piece `calls to mind the sounds of a Mexican mariachi band'. Sequenced primarily in 2009 from the Dover edition, taken from a version published by Wm Hall & Son, 543 Broadway. The main instruction is Molto Animato [very spirited]. the jazzed-up main theme is marked Leggiero, Giocoso [smoothly and playfully]. In the elegante middle section, the bars marked capriccioso and tempo rubato seem to sound very silly if I try to play them that way; in the end, I've ignored those instructions. The triste seems that way anyway .... I haven't listed this piece as salon, because it is quite difficult in places.
Souvenir de la Havane, Op.39		MIDI	piano salon
	Souvenir de la Havane, is a `Grande Caprice de Concert', marked Moderato, Melancolico, written in 1859 and dedicated to Marie Luisa del rio Noguerido y de Sedano, who seems to have been a 13-year-old minor royal in Havana. It takes the form of a Habanera, a popular dance form in Havana at the time. An elegant, carefully-placed theme is followed by several rather repetitive sections, but all is redeemed by the volante [`flying'] accompaniment near the end. I've taken it somewhat faster than I would personally have chosen, but in accordance with the tempo markings in the score. Sequenced mostly in 1997 and 2016 from the Dover edition, which reproduced the 1860 Schott edition.
La Savane, Op. 3		MIDI	piano salon
	La Savane is subtitled Ballade Creole, dedicated to `Sa Majeste Donna Maria, Reine de Portugal', and marked to be played con melancolia. The variations are based on a Creole ballad Lolotte. Sequenced initially in 1999 from a library copy, but then compared with the Dover version; there are significant differences, especially in the dynamics, but also some missing chords. I've reconciled these as best I can.
Danza, Op. 33		MIDI	piano salon
	The main indication is Moderato quasi Andantino, a rather vague instruction which is perhaps best interpreted as `not too fast'. Some sections are labelled brillante, others as avec regret, con grazia, capriccioso, celeste, con delicatezza, dolente, elegante, strepitoso, maliconico, con amore or con abbandono. I've taken some liberties with the capriccioso; otherwise, I've largely ignored these `moods'. No pedalling is marked, but I've put in some fairly heavy pedalling after the fashion of the period. The piece is dedicated to mon vieil ami Edouard Verger (de Saint-Pierre, Martinique), like Gottschalk a travelling virtuoso, dated Puerto Rico, Novembre 1857, and published in Philadelphia, by G. Andre & Cie. Sequenced largely in 2008 from the Dover edition, and revised in 2022.

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Andy Walker, anw [at] cuboid4.me.uk [remove digit to construct address]