Index of Pachmann material

Nettheim home page Index of Pachmann material

Revised 27 March 2016

Index of documents (articles, reviews, book excerpts, programs, etc.) on this site by and about the famous pianist
Vladimir de Pachmann (1848-1933)

©Nigel Nettheim (2000, 2015)

ARTICLES, PROGRAMS & REVIEWS
Please click on the year to read the material on-line. Much of this material is quite hard to obtain elsewhere, one reason why I am making it available here; more material is in preparation.
I draw particular attention to the two 1911 Etude articles (October & November), the most inspiring words by a master pianist that I have ever read. For his wife's explanation of his personal idiosyncrasies ("he was, with all his genius, a child") see her 1933 article, partly reproduced in 1935. For an important biographical article, very difficult to obtain before this web publication, see the material by Pallottelli, 1916 and 1933.

1862 Marriage certificate of the (first) marriage of Anna Maria King, the mother of Pachmann's wife Maggie.
1864a Marriage certificate of the parents of Pachmann's wife Maggie.
1864b Birth certificate of Pachmann's wife Maggie.
1882 Review of recital in Paris. [Short review in French.]
1883a "Pachmann, Vladimir de", by David Baptie. (See also his 1889 book.) [Very brief biography.]
1883b "M. Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 10 December.]
1884a "M. Pachmann's Farewell Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 1 March.]
1884b Piano Players in Vienna, by Ludwig Speidel. [Well-written early review.]
1885 "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 12 November.]
1886a "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 3 February.]
1886b Announcements of Recitals and a Concert in the London Weekly Dispatch.
1886c Announcements of a Recital and Concerts in the London Daily News.
1886d Announcements of Concerts in the London News of the World.
1887 "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Announcement and Review in The Times, London, 28 May & 3 June.]
1888a "Mme. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review of recital by Pachmann's wife in The Times, London, 7 February.]
1888b Henselt's "Seven Piano Pieces", edited by Pachmann. [Review in The Musical Times.] New 23 April 2014
1889a [Two Pachmann References], by Francis Hueffer. [Reports Liszt's delight with Pachmann's playing.]
1889b Brief dictionary entries, by David Baptie. (See also his 1883 book.) [Brief entries for Pachmann and his wife.]
1889-93 "Excerpts on Pachmann", by George Bernard Shaw. [Brief remarks, including a mention of Pachmann's wife.]
1890a "M. and Madame de Pachmann's Recital". [Review of recital by Pachmann and his wife in The Times, London, 21 February.]
1890b "Notes on the Stage". [Announcement of NY Chopin recital series by Pachmann.]
1890c "The Pachmann Concert". [Review of NY joint concert by Pachmann and his wife.]
1890d A recital program from Cincinnati, November 15.
1891a "Mme. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review of recital by Pachmann's wife in The Times, London, 18 May.]
1891b "Mme. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review of recital by Pachmann's wife in The Times, London, 9 July.]
1892a "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Weak review of Pachmann's recital on 15 November.]
1892b "Mons. de Pachmann at the Piano". [Sketches with commentary, 26 November.]
1893a "Vladimir de Pachmann", by F. Forster Buffen. [An excellent biography.]
1893b "Marguerite de Pachmann", by F. Forster Buffen. [An excellent biography.]
1893c "Pachmann's Third Recital". [Review in NY Times.]
1894a "Wladimir de Pachmann", by A. Ehrlich. [A very brief appreciation.]
1894b "Mme. de Pachmann", (edited) by D. H. Morrison. [A brief biography of his wife, Maggie Oakey.]
1894c Article in Riemann's Musik-Lexikon. [Brief biographical note.]
1896 Excerpts on Pachmann by Wilhelm Kuhe. [A brief evaluation.]
1898a "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 16 May.]
1898b "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 21 June.]
1898c "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 17 October.]
1898-99 "A History of the Pianoforte and Pianoforte Players", by Oscar Bie. [A brief passing reference to Mazurkas.]
1899a "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 4 February.]
1899b "Two Pianists", by Willa Cather. [A short review.]
1899c "Pachmann Talks Entertainingly", The Worcester Spy. [Interview, emphasising Weber.]
1899d [Concert announcement], The Evening Post, Worcester. [Brief announcement.]
1899e [Concert review], The Worcester Spy [Short review.]
1899f [Concert reference], The Evening Post, Worcester. [Brief reference.]
1899g [Announcement of his departure], The Worcester Spy. [Brief mention of his peculiarities.]
1899h "People Talked About", in Leslie's Weekly. [Paragraph looking to the coming season.]
1899i Season survey in Harper's Weekly. [Short mention and picture.]
1900a Article by Cornelia Dyas. [A typical interview with Pachmann.]
1900b "Famous Pianists of Today and Yesterday", by Henry C. Lahee. [Includes a brief comparison with Rosenthal.]
1900c "G minor Ballade; Fantasie", by James Huneker. [Brief excerpts from his well-known book on Chopin.]
1900d "Return of De Pachmann". [Review in NY Times.]
1901a "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 7 June.]
1901b "Vladimir de Pachmann". [Brief review in The Sketch, 12 June.]
1901c "M. de Pachmann's Recital". [Review in The Times, London, 25 June.]
1902 "M. de Pachmann's Recitals". [Review in The Times, London, 26 May.]
1903a "How De Pachmann Plays Chopin", by William Armstrong. [Instructive.]
1903b "The Composer Maggie Okey", by Arthur Elson. [A single sentence and a beautiful photograph.]
1903c "Vladimir de Pachmann (A Caramel), by Israfel. [Flowery descriptive writing.]
1904 Review by Richard Aldrich. [New York recital, November 8]
1905 "Pachmann and the Piano" by Arthur Symons. [Enthusiastic poetic description of Pachmann's playing.]
1907a "Pachmann: with a word on Godowsky", by Arthur Symons. [Rather flowery writing; only moderately instructive.]
1907b "The Pianism of de Pachmann". [Instructive; largely reproduced from Armstrong 1903.]
1907c "How to Play Chopin", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [Very instructive. Includes comments on all the Chopin Preludes Op.28.]
1907d A recital program from Chicago.
1907e "The piece I most enjoy playing", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [Brief, of little significance.]
1908a, May A Review of his playing in Toronto, April 9.
1908b Review by Richard Aldrich. [New York recital, November 14]
1909 "Vladimir de Pachmann", by A. S. Garbett (compiler). [A short biography.]
1910a Excerpt on great virtuosos. [Brief paragraph.]
1910b Sketches of Pachmann in performance. [WARNING: LARGE GRAPHICS FILE MAY BE SLOW DOWNLOADING.] [Very effective sketches.]
1911a Article announcing Pachmann's US tour of 1911-1912. [Enthusiastic announcement.]
1911b Excerpts from the book Franz Liszt by James Huneker. [Evaluation of Pachmann's style of playing.]
1911c Baldwin advertisement.
1911d Review by Richard Aldrich. [New York recital, October 20.]
1911e, October "Originality in Piano Playing", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [Fascinating, very instructive.]
1911f, November "Work, the Secret of Pianistic Success", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [Fascinating, very instructive.]
1911g, November "Godowsky Master, Says De Pachmann". [Interview for the New York Times.]
1912a "The Art of de Pachmann", by Arthur Wilson. [Based on a Boston recital; full of significance.]
1912b "Chopin", by Adolph Weissmann. [Brief; Pachmann & Sauer both talked to the audience.]
1912c Preface excerpt, by Ignaz Friedman. [List of pre-eminent Chopin interpreters.]
1912d "Last appearance in New York for all time". [Review in NY Times.]
1912e "Theatrical and Musical Memoirs", by Rudolph Aronson. [Two anecdotes.] New 10 July 2014
1913a "Vladimir de Pachmann, with a Study of his Hands", by G. Mark Wilson. [Not very instructive, but has photos of his hands.]
1913b "Old Fogy on Pachmann", by James Huneker. [Evaluations by a contemporary connoisseur.]
1913c "Kelley on Pachmann", by Edgar Stillman Kelley. [Brief acknowledgement of Pachmann's influence on Kelley.]
1913d "Ganz on Pachmann", by Wilhelm Ganz. [Pachmann's 1882 London debut briefly described.]
1913e "Seeking Originality", by Pachmann. [Reprinted from The Etude, 1911, October & November. Only the Introduction is given here.]
1913f "Reminiscences, Impressions & Anecdotes", by Francesco Berger. [Brief excerpts of little significance.]
1913g A chapter on Pachmann from the book Modern Musicians, by J. Cuthbert Hadden. [Description of Pachmann's manner in recital, and several amusing anecdotes.]
1915 "De Pachmann and Psychology", by John Orth. [Brief.]
1916 "Vladimiro de Pachmann" by F. Pallottelli: Italian original and English translation by W. G. Cook. (See also Pallottelli's 1933 version.) [Very important biography.]
1917 "The Grand Manner Has Vanished from Pianists" by James Gibbons Huneker. [One paragraph appreciation.]
1918 Brief mention of a Recital in the London Daily News.
1919a A paragraph on Pachmann from the book Meister des Klaviers, by Walter Niemann. [Brief; fine description.]
1919b Recital announcement. [At Westminster, UK, May 31.]
1919c De Pachmann's Secret. [A brief editorial item from The Etude.]
1919d Pachmann Recital, described by Barbellion. [Description of antics but not of music.]
1919e Set Down in Malice (excerpt) by Gerald Cumberland. [Very enthusiastic general description.]
1920a A recital program from Rome.
1920b "The Virtuoso", by Adolph Weissmann. [Brief, referring to Chopin.]
1920c "Music: An Art and a Language", by Walter Raymond Spalding. [Insignificant mention.]
1921a "Pachmann's Vagaries", by J. D. M. Rorke. [A brief excerpt from Rorke's book.]
1921b Excerpts from "Variations", by James Huneker. [Pachmann in relation to Rosenthal and Godowsky.]
1921c "Chopin, the Poet of the Piano", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [A reproduction, shortened by about a half, of the October 1907 article "How to Play Chopin", which see.]
1922a "My New Method of Piano-Playing", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [Includes some instructive remarks.]
1922b "Steeplejack on Pachmann", by James Huneker. [Anecdotes, and a discussion of Pachmann's playing of Godowky's compositions.]
1922c From "Letters of James Gibbons Huneker". [Of little significance.]
1923a "De Pachmann and Rosenthal Coming Back". [Foretaste, in summer, of the coming season.]
1923b "Dramatic critics hear a pianist". [Eloquent defences of Pachmann's behaviour in recital.]
1923c "Should Piano Playing Undergo a Radical Reform?", interview with Pachmann. [Instructive explanation of his straight wrist method.]
1923d "Confessions of a Musical Critic", by Ernest Newman. [Mere brief incidental references.]
1924a "Enchanted Aisles" article by Alexander Woolcott. [Charmingly defends Pachmann's talking while playing.]
1924b "De Pachmann Preaches Economy of Motion", by Jacob Eisenberg. [Somewhat instructive.]
1924c Farewell American Tour Advertisement. [Includes review excerpts.]
1924d Life and Love, by Deborah Beirne. [Charming and detailed biographical interview.]
1924e A Carnegie Hall recital program, review by Olin Downes, and interview.
1924f Encyclopaedia article, edited by Waldo Selden Pratt. [Brief biography.]
1924g Dictionary article by A. Eaglefield-Hull. [Brief biography.]
1924h Excerpts from Duo-Art Monthly. [Pachmann tried trout-fishing.]
1924i Excerpts on Pachmann and Chopin. [From the book A Musical Odyssey by H. E. Wortham.]
1925a "Vladimir de Pachmann, The Renowned Pianist", by Alice Booth. [Includes a description of Pachmann's "new method".]
1925b "How I keep young", by Vladimir de Pachmann. [Of moderate interest only.]
1925c "Vladimir de Pachmann's 'Farewell' Recital", by Olin Downes. [Review.]
1925d Review of Manchester recital, by Samuel Langford. [Enthusiastic review.]
1925e Review of Queen's Hall recital. [Very enthusiastic review; Pachmann danced a mazurka.]
1926a "A distinctive method of piano playing", by Harriette Brower. [Discusses his Méthode, reviews his US farewell recital.]
1926b "Pachmann, Vladimir de", article in Reeves' Dictionary. [Very brief.]
1926c "Gramophone Notes", in The Strad. [Very brief review.]
1926d "My Invisible Audience", by Pachmann. [Recollections for The Radio Times.]
1926e Anecdotes by Beverley Nichols. [Anecdotes from personal contact.]
1927a "The Grand Old Man Of The Piano", by Stanley Markham. [A wide-ranging interview.]
1927b "Vladimir de Pachmann", by Gdal Saleski. (See also his 1949 version.) [From his book "Famous musicians...". An interesting biography.]
1927c "Wladimir von Pachmann", by A. de Wal. [From his book "de Pianistenwereld". Original in Dutch, here with English translation. A standard biography, very derivative.]
1927d "The Four Loves of My Life" by Vladimir de Pachmann. [From an unidentified English newspaper. Quite revealing of Pachmann's personal life.]
1927e Musical Celebrity concert review. [From an unidentified English newspaper.]
1927f Review of recital at the Albert Hall. [From an unidentified English newspaper.]
1927g Article based on a short interview. [From an unidentified English newspaper.]
1927h Short review by Richard Capell of Albert Hall recital. [From an unidentified English newspaper.]
1927i Brief anecdotes. [From an unidentified English newspaper.]
1928 Excerpts on Pachmann by C. Whitaker-Wilson. [From his book "Schubert". With undocumented remarks on piano technique.]
1929 [Pachmann on Steinway] [From Steinway book, originally an interview for the Worcester Spy, 1899, which see.]
1931 "Pachmann and the 'ladder of loquacity'", by Mark Hambourg. [A single sentence.]
1933a Famous Pianist Dead. [Newspaper announcement.]
1933b Pachmann's Funeral. [Newspaper announcement.]
1933c "The Chopinzee", by Heywood Broun. [Minor remembrances.]
1933d "Pachmann: Great Chopin Exponent", by P. J. Nolan. [An audience member recalls.]
1933e "The death of the musician", by Paul Landormy. [Affecting account of Pachmann's last days.]
1933f Pachmann Dies. [Australian obituary.]
1933g Obituary in Le Courrier Musical. [Fairly standard obituary in French.]
1933h "Pachmann - An Appreciation", by Francesco Berger. [Brief.]
1933i Pachmann obituary. [The Musical Times. Quite brief.]
1933j "Pachmann — An Impression" by Erik Brewerton. [Of little significance.]
1933k Pachmann obituary by Marguerite Stilwell. [The British Musician and Musical News. Nicely written.]
1933l "De Pachmann's Bequest to Piano Art", by Kurt Welling. [Worthwhile.]
1933m "Angel of a Piano", by Charles Tait. [Typical anecdotes; of little significance.]
1933n "Pachmann's Only Pupil". [Maggie Oakey. Largely taken from Musical America, 25 January 1933.]
1933o "The Extraordinary Case of Vladimir de Pachmann", by James Francis Cooke. [Emphasizes Pachmann's dual personality.]
1933p "Greenroom Lessons", by Clarence Lucas. [Limited to pedagogical remarks.]
1933q "Some Reminiscences", by Marguerite de Pachmann-Labori. [Very interesting, referring to many famous musicians.]
1933r Busoni on Pachmann, extracts from E. J. Dent's book. [Three anecdotes.]
1933s "Vladimiro de Pachmann" by F. Pallottelli. (See also the version of 1916.) [Very important biography.]
1933t "My Thirty Years with Vladimir de Pachmann". Unpublished manuscript, c1933. [Original in Italian, also written out by Pallottelli in—just fair—English.]
1934 "Some Secrets of a Past-Master's Technique", by Richard Capell. [Interesting remarks concerning fingering.]
1935a "Pachmann's Sincerity", by Marguerite de Pachmann-Labori. [Contains her explanation of his personal idiosyncrasies: "He was, with all his genius, a child".]
1935b "The Little Doustes", by Edouard Garceau. [From their diaries on meeting Pachmann.]
1937 Compilation entry on Pachmann, by Hubert Whelbourn. [Brief conventional biography.]
1938 Death notice for Adrien de Pachmann. [One paragraph.]
1939a Encyclopaedia entry on Pachmann, by Deems Taylor(?). [One paragraph.]
1939b Vladimir de Pachmann, by "Araebisu". [Detailed evaluation by a knowledgeable Japanese record collector and personality.]
1940 Encyclopaedia entry on Pachmann, by Alexandria Vodarsky-Shiraeff. [One paragraph.]
1941 John A. Warner as a pupil of Pachmann. [Brief reference.]
1942a "Was Pachmann's Wife". [Reprint of "Pachmann's Only Pupil" from 1 April 1933, now with photo.]
1942b Several Pachmann anecdotes. [From Gaisberg's book "The Music Goes Round".]
1943a "Vladimir de Pachmann", by Gladys Burch. [A pleasantly written biography.]
1943b "Notes from my Diary: Vladimir de Pachmann", by F. W. Gaisberg. [Not very revealing, but refers to Pachmann's specially built piano.]
1944 "Queen's Hall 1893-1941", by Robert Elkin. [Includes a brief description of Pachmann's recital manner.]
1947 "Carnegie Hall" film excerpt. [Includes a one-line reference to Pachmann.]
1948a "Deflated", by Helen L. Kaufmann. [A tiny anecdote involving Moszkowski.]
1948b "Vladimir de Pachmann (1948-1933)", by Wilson Lyle. [A centenary remembrance.]
1948c "Three Pachmann Anecdotes", by Harold Bauer. [From Bauer's autobiography.]
1948d "I Am Pachmann", by Frank Moss. [A centenary remembrance, mostly from re-used material.]
1949 "Vladimir de Pachmann", by Gdal Saleski. (See also his 1927 version.) [From his book "Famous musicians...". An interesting biography; revised from the 1927 version.]
Undated "Remarks on the Interpretation of the Works of Chopin", by Lionel de Pachmann. [From a previously unpublished manuscript. The contents are disappointing.] New 16 December 2014
1951 Remarks on Pachmann, by Peter Dawson. [Several anecdotes; Dawson seems not to have realised that Pachmann was "acting" in them.]
1954 Excerpt on Pachmann, by Hubert Foss & Noel Goodwin. [Briefly quotes a review of a concerto.]
1956a A Pachmann Recital, by Samuel Chotzinoff. [A brief description from an autobiography.]
1956b Excerpts on Pachmann's Tone, by Cecil Whitaker-Wilson. [Brief comments.]
1956c Vignette on Pachmann, by Theodora Sturkow-Ryder Snite. [Slight but charming anecdote.] New 15 June 2015
1957 Chopin and Pianists, by Neville Cardus. [Brief description.]
1958 Excerpt on Pachmann by Irving Kolodin. [An anecdote.]
1958-1962 Excerpts on Pachmann, from Jan Holcman's collected essays. [Includes analysis of the playing of ornaments.]
1960 An excerpt by Marguerite Long. [Insignificant anecdotes.]
19?? "Vladimir de Pachmann", by Irving Kolodin. [A brief record annotation.]
19?? "Vladimir de Pachmann", by Alfred Frankenstein. [A brief record annotation; includes a humorous anecdote.]
1961a "The Fairy-tale Career of Maggie Oakey", Sydney Daily Mirror. [Content removed because of its gross inaccuracy. See instead the Buffen article of 1893 available elsewhere on this site.]
1961b "Beecham on Pachmann", by Neville Cardus. [An amusing anecdote.]
1961c "de Pachmann: Vladimir, Marguerite & Léonide", by Fasquelle editors. [Encyclopaedia entry.]
1962 "A Memory of de Pachmann", by Victor Seroff. [Very unreliable; some anecdotes.]
1964a Excerpts from Journey Towards Music by Victor Gollancz. [Brief and not very significant.]
1964b Dictionary entry by Hanspeter Bennwitz. [Standard biography, one short paragraph.]
1964c LP cover annotation by Jean Cuisenier. [One paragraph.]
1965a Record cover note, by Abram Chasins. [Three sentences.]
1965b "Pachmann", by Imre Kun. [Hungarian article describes Pachmann's visit to Budapest in 1928, and prints the program he played.]
1967 "Keyboard Musicians of the World", by Percy M. Young. [Commonplace remarks.]
1969 "More Than a Clown", by Edward Blickstein. [Good evaluation and explanation.]
1974 "We tree. . . !", by Lionel Tertis. [Brief anecdote.]
1976a "Gold Medal Anecdote", by Marian C. McKenna. [An amusing anecdote.]
1976b Excerpts on Pachmann, by Louis Kentner. [Brief mentions.]
1976c Pianists, by Neville Cardus. [Brief description and anecdote.]
1979 Visiting Cards of Pianists, by F. C. Schang. [Brief biography & anecdotes.]
1982a "Arrau on Pachmann", by Joseph Horowitz. [Brief recalling of Pachmann playing Chopin's 4th Scherzo.]
1982b "Pachmann's Waistcoat", by Adam Zamoyski. [Passing mention of Pachmann's talking to the audience.]
1992a "De Pachmann's Piano Fingerings", by Nigel Nettheim. [Article in Clavier magazine (and see list of my publications).] New 27 March 2016
1992b "Pachmann, Vladimir de", from Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. [A fairly standard biography in one paragraph.]
1992c Excerpt on Pachmann by A. D. Hope. [A typical interesting anecdote.]
1996 Excerpts on Pachmann from the book Franz Liszt by Alan Walker. [Three items related to Liszt.]
1999 Passing mention of Pachmann by Jan Ekier in a conference discussion. [Brief mention.]
2001a (link OK 2-Oct-2010) "Vladimir de Pachmann", by Nigel Nettheim. Article in The Revised New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
2001b "A Musical Microscope Applied to the Piano Playing of Vladimir de Pachmann", by Nigel Nettheim. [So far published only on this web site], 23 August 2001. [Details of performance nuances; comparison with other artists.]
2003a Preliminary book review of "Vladimir de Pachmann: A Piano Virtuoso's Life and Art" by Mark Mitchell.
2003b Book review of "Vladimir de Pachmann: A Piano Virtuoso's Life and Art" by Mark Mitchell.
2008 "Pachmann at Age Twelve" by Nigel Nettheim. [Identifies a piece Pachmann played as a boy.]