Karol Mikuli


Karol Mikuli, also known as Charles Mikuli, was a Polish pianist, composer, conductor and teacher. His students included Moriz Rosenthal, Raoul Koczalski, Aleksander Michałowski, Ciprian Porumbescu, Jaroslaw Zieliński, Kornelia Parnas and Heinrich Schenker.

Biographical notes

Mikuli was born on October 22, 1821, in Czernowitz, then part of the Austrian Empire to a Romanianized Moldavian-Armenian family. He studied under Frédéric Chopin for piano and Anton Reicha for composition. He toured widely as a concert pianist, becoming Director of the Lviv Conservatory in 1858. He founded his own school there in 1888. He died in Lemberg, then part of Austrian Galicia and is buried in Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv.

Editions

Mikuli is most well known as an editor of works by Chopin. Dover Publications publishes reprints of his 1879 editions of Chopin's piano music, originally published by F. Kistner. He used several verified sources, most of which were written or corrected by Chopin himself. His editions of Chopin's works were first published in America in 1895.
Mikuli also took detailed notes of Chopin's comments made in lessons and interviewed witnesses of Chopin's performances. For many years he was regarded as the primary authority on Chopin and his remarks about Chopin's playing were often quoted by biographers.

Compositions

;Orchestral
  • 48 Airs nationaux roumains for orchestra, also arr. piano.
;Chamber music
  • Polonaise for 3 violins, Op. 7
  • Serenade in A major for clarinet and piano, Op. 22
  • Scherzino in C minor for 3 violins, Op. 25
  • Grand duo in A major for violin and piano, Op. 26
;Piano
  • Prélude et presto agitato, Op. 1
  • 4 Mazurkas, Op. 2
  • Mazurka in F minor, Op. 4
  • 2 Polonaises, Op. 8
  • 48 Airs nationaux roumains in 4 volumes
  • 6 Pièces, Op. 9
  • Mazurka, Op. 10
  • Mazurka in B minor, Op. 11
  • Étude in B major for piano with harmonium, Op. 12
  • 6 Danses allemandes, Op. 13
  • Méditation, Op. 14
  • Andante con Variazioni for piano 4-hands, Op. 15
  • 6 Valses, Op. 18
  • 2 Nocturnes, Op. 19
  • Valse in A major, Op. 20
  • Ballade in B major, Op. 21
  • 12 Variantes harmoniques sur la gamme d'Ut majeure for piano 4-hands, Op. 23 ; published by Kistner
  • 10 Pièces, Op. 24
;Vocal
  • 6 Lieder for voice and piano, Op. 16
  • 6 Lieder for voice and piano, Op. 17
  • 7 Lieder for voice and piano, Op. 27
  • 2 Duette for soprano, tenor and piano, Op. 28
  • Die Reue: „Die Nacht war schwarz“ for baritone and string orchestra, Op. 30
;Choral
  • 7 Lieder for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, Op. 17
  • Paraphrase sur un ancien Chant de Noël polonais for 4 voices, strings and organ, Op. 31
  • 2 Spiritual Songs for male chorus and soli, Op. 32
  • Veni creator for mixed chorus and organ, Op. 33

Recordings