Désiré Magnus

Désiré Magnus (né Magnus Deutz; 13 June 1828 – 17 December 1883) was a Belgian concert pianist, teacher and composer of salon music who published under the pseudonym D. Magnus. Biography Magnus was born in Brussels and studied piano with Georg Jacob Vollweiler (1770–1847) in Heidelberg and also at the Brussels Conservatory, receiving the First Prize in 1843. After several successful concert tours in England, Germany, Russia, Spain and other countries, he settled in Paris, and quickly gained a reputation as pianist, teacher, composer, and music critic. Magnus’ performance on the Steinway concert-grand piano at the Exhibition Universelle of 1867 inspired a lithograph by Amédée de Noé. He died in Paris. Selected works ;Opera * La Tolédane (Paris: Salle Taitbout, 1874) ;Chamber music * Les Pleurs de la jeune fille, Nocturne for violin and piano, Op. 13b (1852); original for piano solo * 5ème Nocturne for cello and piano (1877); original version for piano solo * Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra “Paul et Virginie” de Victor Massé for violin and piano (1877); composed in collaboration with Henri Vieuxtemps ;Vocal * O povero garzon! (G. Duprez), Barcarolle vénetienne, Op. 139 (1874) * Sur l’o