Carl Filch
AustriaBiography of Karl Filtsch
Karl Filtsch was an Austrian pianist and composer. From the age of three, Filtsch began studying piano with his father, a Lutheran priest, in the heavily German-populated part of Transylvania. In 1837, the talented young boy was sent to Vienna to study music, where he worked with Friedrich Weik. In 1841, Karl Filtsch performed his first concert at the Vienna Music Society, followed by tours in Hungary and Transylvania. In December 1842, Filtsch moved to Paris, where he became the favorite and best student of Frédéric Chopin. Around the same time, Ferenc Liszt also praised him. Throughout 1843, the young musician performed concerts in Paris, London, Brussels, Germany, and Austria. The planned tour also included cities such as St. Petersburg, Prague, Zurich, and Naples. However, Filtsch's European tours were interrupted by the tuberculosis he was diagnosed with. In early 1844, doctors sent him to Venice for treatment through sea bathing. In the summer of 1844, Filtsch traveled to Vienna and Transylvania for his final concerts, then returned to Venice and passed away, two weeks before his 15th birthday. He was buried in the famous San Michele cemetery in Venice.
Filtsch began experimenting with composition, partly stemming from his improvisational tendencies during concerts. However, he wrote very little, and some of his works were lost. Nine compositions by Filtsch have been preserved, including the piece "Lebewohl von Venedig" (Farewell from Venice), which he wrote in Venice. The music of Karl Filtsch was recorded by pianist Leonhard Westermayr.
Since 1995, the city of Sibiu in Romania, Filtsch's hometown, has hosted an annual piano competition in his honor. Filtsch's works are included in the competition's mandatory repertoire, and participants are also allowed to perform their own compositions.
