Urspruch

Anton Urspruch, born in Frankfurt, was a pupil of Joachim Raff and later became one of Liszt's favourite students. However, Urspruch's style was more comparable to that of Mendelssohn and Beethoven, and he proclaimed that "you cannot understand modern music if you do not understand Bach". The Cavatine and Arabesque are charming salon pieces, while the Variations form an extensive composition characterized by contrasting moods and constructive ingenuity. The short but emotionally dense Cinq Morceaux form the vanguard and represent the last flowering of pure Romantic piano playing in Europe.