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Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg

1821 – 1873

Swiss pianist and composer

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About Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg

Lived 1821 – 1873 (aged 51). Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg was a Swiss composer, pianist and teacher.

Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg (Charles Lysberg) (1 February 1821 15 February 1873 ) was a Swiss pianist and composer.

Biography He was born in Geneva and received his early music education there. In 1835 he went to Paris, where he studied under Frédéric Chopin and met Franz Liszt. The latter was particularly supportive and helped publish Bovy-Lysberg's Les Suissesses, Op. 1, a set of waltzes for piano. By mid-1840s Bovy-Lysberg was becoming a well-known teacher and performer in Paris, but after the French Revolution of 1848 he had to leave for his home town. He got married in 1848 and settled in his wife's castle in Dardagny, near Geneva. He stayed there for the rest of his life, frequently giving recitals in Geneva and the neighbouring towns, organizing concerts and publishing his music. He also taught at the Geneva Conservatory in 1848–9 and 1870–3. He composed more than 150 pieces, most of them short works for piano, very popular in Geneva salons of his time, but almost completely unknown today. A street in Geneva is named after him, rue Bovy-Lysberg.

Selected works Piano Op. 1. Les Suissesses. 5 Valses brillantes. Op. 3. 4 Romances (I. A Marie. II. Rêve. III. Espoir. IV. Souvenir) Op. 4. Le Lac de Brientz. Quadrille Op. 6. Les Amaranthes. 4 Valses brillantes. Op. 8. Les Roses d'automne. Valses brillantes. Op. 9. La Reine des Prés. Valse brillante. Op. 10. Trois nocturnes Op. 11. Fantaisie Op. 14. Six Etudes de Salon Op. 15. 4 Romances Op. 16. Fantaisie sur: Guillaume Tell de Rossini Op. 17. Rose des Alpes. Valse brillante. Op. 18. 6 Caprices Op. 20. Etude pour la Maine gauche seule. Op. 21. Fantaisie brillante sur la cavatine fav. de La Niobe de Pacini Op. 23. Divertissement brillante. Op. 25. Deuxieme barcarolle Op. 26. La Napolitana. Etude de Légèreté. Op. 27. 3 Romances sans paroles (I. Regrets. II. Invocation. III. Aveu) Op. 28. Terpsichore. Caprice. Op. 29. Deux Nocturnes Op. 30. 3 Romances sans paroles (I. Près d'une chapelle. II. Soir d'Automne. III. Rayon de Bonheur) Op. 31. Sérénade. Op. 32. Tarantelle. Op. 33. Carillon. Impromptu. Op. 34. La Fontaine. Idylle. Op. 35. Bohémienne. Caprice. Op. 36. 2 Rêveries (I. Le Crépuscule. II. L'Aube) Op. 37. Le Tornoi. Poème musical. Op. 38. Romanesca Op. 39. Réveil des Oiseaux. Idylle. Op. 40. Le Hamac. Berceuse. Op. 41. Fantaisie sur des Airs suisses Op. 42. Danse arménienne. Op. 43. Menuet dans le style ancien. Op. 44. Caprice silésien. Op. 45. Fantaisie. Galop. Op. 46. Pensées de Mai. 2 Romances sans paroles. Op. 47. Un Rêve d'enfant. Mélodie. Op. 48. Valse brillante. Op. 49. Fantaisie brillante sur Le Fanchonnette de Clapisson Op. 50. Allegro de concert Op. 51. La Baladine. Caprice Op. 52. Fantaisie alpestre Op. 53. Valse brillante. Op. 54. Chant d'Appenzell. Bluette brillante. Op. 55. Chant du Nautonnier. Barcarolle. Op. 56. Océan. Méditation. Op. 57. L'Amazone. Caprice. Op. 58. L'Angelus du Matin Op. 59. Le Tic-tac du moulin Op. 60. Menuet Op. 61. Reflets intimes. 3 Mélodies. (I. Céleste quiétude. II. Mes Rêves chéris. III. Au Printemps.) Op. 62. Idylle Op. 63. Giovinetta. Impromptu-Galop. Op. 64. La Moldavienne. Fantaisie. Op. 66. La Bayadère. Caprice du genre. Op. 67. Berceuse Op. 68. La Ballerina. Caprice de genre Op. 74. La Coucaratcha. Fantaisie Op. 77. L'écharpe blanche. Valse de salon. (publ. by P. Jürgenson, ca1871) Op. 78. Ressouvenir. Ballade Op. 79. Morceau de Concert sur Don Juan de Mozart, pour 2 Pianos Op. 82. Boléro Op. 83. Airs savoisiens, variés Op. 86. La Rêveuse Op. 89. Souvenir de Don Juan Op. 89. Le départ du hameau. Mélodie Op. 94. Sur l'onde. Op. 99. Fantaisie surl'opera Faust Op. 106. Polonaise Op. 107. La Chasse Op. 111. Pensierosa. Valse sentimentale Op. 117. Quatrième valse de salon Op. 122. Chanson du gondolier Op. 124. Expansion nr1 Op. 126. La balancelle. Caprice imitatif nr1 Op. 130. Valse styrienne. a 4 mains Op. 135. La captive Op. 140. Andante Op. 145. En songeant a Chopin Op. 148. Esquisse musicale Op. 149. Deux idylles Op. 153. Confidence Op. 155. Vielle histoire Le chant du rouet Au bord du lac. Marche des bersaglieri Marche des chevaliers-gardes. a 4 mains

Stage La fille du carillonneur, comic opera (first performance 1854) Les Alpes, cantata (1860)

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Charles Bovy-Lysberg

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Frequently asked questions

Who was Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg?

Swiss pianist and composer (1821-1873)

When was Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg born?

Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg was born on 1 May 1821 in Geneva.

When did Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg die?

Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg died on 14 February 1873 in Geneva.

What was Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg's occupation?

Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg was a composer, pianist and teacher.

What nationality was Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg?

Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg was Swiss.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg

· Wikidata: Q5082329

· DBpedia: Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg

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APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg. https://biography.guide/charles-samuel-bovy-lysberg/

MLA: "Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/charles-samuel-bovy-lysberg/.

Chicago: "Charles Samuel Bovy-Lysberg." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/charles-samuel-bovy-lysberg/.

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