Henri Gobbi

Henri Gobbi ( or Henrik Aloiz Adalbert Gobby – or Henri Gobbi-Ruggieri), was a 19th-century Hungarian classical composer and piano professor. He was also a student and close friend of Franz Liszt. Many of Henri Gobbi's most important works still remain unpublished to date.

Gobbi had two children with Elisabeth Grimshaw. His daughter Gisela later became the second wife of Dr. Julius Adrian Pollacsek, while Franz Liszt took the sponsorship for his son Franz Xaver. the son of Alois Gobbi-Ruggieri ( – ) and Mary Gobbi-Ruggieri (née Roth, or Rott). His father was also a very talented musician and violin professor in Budapest who had come from an aristocratic Italian-Paduan family. After his marriage to a Viennese woman Mária Rott (Roth), he settled in Hungary. His eldest son, Henri Gobbi showed in childhood an extraordinary musical talent, playing violin at the age of seven and later the piano.

At the age of 18 he had already become part of the then well-known trio Grünwald-Müller-Gobbi, where he played the piano part. He graduated from the Royal Conservatory, having studied with musicians János Nepomuk Dunkl and music theory and harmony classes with Károly Thern. But his financial problems did not disappear in the 1860s, so he still had to give private piano lessons at the beginning of his career in Budapest. When Liszt recognized Gobbi's talent at their first meeting in Budapest, he gave his young pupil all of his attention. His works were acknowledged by other composers such as Johannes Brahms, Carl Tausig, Anton Rubinstein, and Hans von Bülow, whom Gobbi was in friendly relations with when he travelled to Vienna in the mid-1860s. was known as a dutiful, strict but fair professor who enthusiastically supported and encouraged new talent and ideas. When Brahms was still terra incognito in Hungary, several of his works were presented by Henri Gobbi thus making the public aware of his name. He helped the Bach-culture to bloom in Hungary and breathed life into several pieces by Beethoven.

Liszt took Gobbi to his inner circles with little interruption for nearly 17 years, partly in Budapest, Rome and Weimar. Art enthusiasts wanted to know how Franz Liszt would interpret his works. That was also in the time when Henri Gobbi had the opportunity to live in New York City as professor, but he preferred to devote himself to his personal goal of an independent Hungarian musical culture. He died on 22 March 1920, in Budapest.

Selected works

Works for piano

Fantasy Pictures, Opus 17: Alone Begging child Intermezzo Near the monastery Outdoors Returning Home Six-tone Images On the terrace In the cemetery The ruins of Csővár With the big oak In the chestnut forest By the forest Bronnen Six small character pieces, Opus 19: On the promenade Small soldier Night little piece With the fishing In the woods From old times An album sheet, Opus 27: Waltz Nr. 1, Opus 8 Waltz Nr. 2, Opus 8 Waltz Nr. 3, Opus 9 Waltz Nr. 4, Opus 11 Waltz Nr. 5, Opus 12 Waltz Nr. 6, Opus 22 Waltz Nr. 7, Opus 10 Waltz Nr. 8, Opus 22 Nocturne, Opus. 5 Which is my star, Opus. 5 Impromtu, Opus. 5 Kronázási induló-Ábránd, Opus 20 Concert Studies No. 3, Opus 25 Prelude and Toccatina, Opus 28 First Grand Sonata, Opus 13

Four-handed piano works Hungarian Suite No. 1 Hungarian Suite No. 2 Hungarian Suite No. 3 Suite No. 4 Hungarian Hungarian Serenade Hungarian Sketches, Op 23 Hungarian melodies Gyászra ébredés (sad awakening)

Works for violin and piano Serenade No. 1 in F sharp minor, Opus 6 Serenade No. 2 in F major, Opus 6 Serenade No. 3 in D minor, Opus 6 Serenade No. 4 in F sharp minor, Opus 6 Serenade No. 5 in E flat major, Opus 6 Serenade No. 6 in D Major, Opus 6 My Friend A. Sipos, Opus 16, No. 1 Miss Mary Stevens, Opus 16, No. 2 My Friend F. Plotényi, Opus 16, No. 3 My brother Alois, Opus 16, No. 4