Alexander Dreyschock

Alexander Dreyschock (October 15, 1818 – April 1, 1869) was a Czech pianist.

Born in Zak in Bohemia, his musical talents were first noticed at age of eight, and at age fifteen he travelled to Prague to study piano and composition with Václav Tomáçek. By the age of twenty, Dreyshock undertook his first professional tour in December 1838, performing in various northern and central towns in Germany.

Subsequent tours saw Alexander visiting Russia (1840–42); Paris (spring 1843); London, Holland, Austria and Hungary (1846); and Denmark and Sweden in 1849. Elsewhere he caused a sensation with prodigious execution of thirds, sixths, and octaves, plus other tricks. When he made his Paris debut in 1843 he included a piece for the left hand alone.

In 1862 Dreyschock become a staff member at the newly-founded St. Petersburg Conservatory at Anton Rubinstein's invitation. He was appointed Court Pianist to the Tsar as well as Director of the Imperial School of Music for the Operatic Stage. He maintained this double post for six years, but his health suffered from the Russian climate. He moved to Italy in 1868 and died in Venice on April 1, 1869 at the age of fifty-one. At the wish of his family he was buried in Prague.

Source: Liner notes to The Romantic Piano Concerto, vol 21[[1]]