Karl Tausig

Karl Tausig (sometimes “Carl”; born Karol Tausig; 4 November 184117 July 1871) was a Polish virtuoso pianist, arranger, and composer. He is widely regarded as Franz Liszt’s greatest pupil and one of the greatest pianists of all time. Today, he is mostly remembered for transcriptions for piano, in particular of works by J.S. Bach, as well as his piano exercises. Life Tausig was born in Warsaw to Jewish parents and received his first piano lessons from his father, pianist and composer Aloys Tausig (1820–1885), a student of Sigismond Thalberg. His father introduced him to Franz Liszt in Weimar, where he studied under Liszt for four years. He quickly became one of Liszt’s favorite pupils, traveling with him on concert tours and studying counterpoint, composition, and orchestration in addition to his piano lessons. He even took on one of Liszt’s students, Regina Watson, as his own pupil. At the age of 16, he met Richard Wagner, of whom he became a devoted follower and friend. He made piano arrangements of many of Wagner’s operas. He also introduced Wagner to his friend Peter Cornelius, another Wagner devotee. While he also became a great admirer and friend of the conservative Beethoven