Ernő Dohnányi's Career in his Vienna Years (1901-1905)

Abstract

The study analyses the young Ernő Dohnányi's career as a pianist, his reception, repertory, and the performances of his compositions in Austria, Hungary, Germany, and England. By the first decade of the 20th century, Dohnányi had won almost universal recognition with critics and musicians alike, but his art was truly appreciated not so much by the sensationalist public as by a significantly narrower circle of musically literate listeners. After his first tours, Dohnányi did not enter any such biographical stage which we could term his “virtuoso years”, but his “Vienna years” (1901-1905) belong to the next stage of his development. His concert life resembled that of a “classic” performer, who still gives recitals fairly regularly, while also composing symphonic pieces and conducting them himself. He retained his artistic and personal freedom through resisting the travelling virtuoso lifestyle offered by impresarios. The author gives a selection from press reports of Dohnányi's career in the Viennese years.