ANTON de KONTSKI- a student of Beethoven, Polish pianist, conductor

Description

ORIGINAL, not a copy or reproduction; signature cut from Anton de KONTSKI , "the Chavalier, Boston, Mass., 27 (month?) 1884. 3-1/2 x 4-1/2."
Reverse: Anton de Kontski (1817-1899) Polish pianist, composer, "Nobleman."
He was also known as Antoni Katski and Antoine de KONSKI,"Chevalier."
Anton was one of 5 children, all musical. His sister Eugenia (b. 1816) was a singer; brother Stanislaw (b. 1820), a pianist;
Apollinary (1825-1879) a virtuoso violinist, composer and teacher who debuted at five at the St. Petersburg court, studied with Paganini, toured Warsaw where in 1860 he founded the Music Institute; and brother Karol (1815-1867), violinist and composer, member of the orchestra of the Opera Comique. He was a student of John Field in Moscow and a child prodigy. He was also something of a showman; he advertised himself as the only living prodigy to play one piece at each concert with his hands under a folded blanket placed on the keyboard. In 1896 when de Kontski was visiting pianist with the Wellington Zealand, the conductor Alfred Hill resigned in protest at this trick he considered charlatanry. Two years before his death in 1899 he embarked on a world tour stretching two years.
Kontski settled in USA in 1883 becoming an American citizen and resided in Buffalo, NY. His piece entitled, "Polish Patrol: was published in Los Angeles in 1895 by the Bartlett Music Co. with a portrait of the composer on the cover and popular in 1879's in California. His composition, "Awakening of the Lion," also became popular.