The composer and pianist Alfred Grünfeld
A piano virtuoso of the Viennese late Romantic period
Alfred Grünfeld (1852–1924) was a Jewish-Austrian pianist, composer, and music educator. Although relatively unknown today compared to his Viennese contemporaries such as Johann Strauss and Gustav Mahler, he was one of the most renowned piano virtuosos of his time in the late 19th century. In Vienna, he was a central figure in musical life, both in the classical concert scene and in bourgeois salon life. Grünfeld became known primarily for his piano arrangements of popular melodies, but also wrote his own works. These are rarely heard today.
Origin and education
Alfred Grünfeld was born into a Jewish family in Prague on July 4, 1852. His musical talent was evident at an early age, and he began his studies at the Prague Conservatory. In 1871, he met the young Gustav Mahler: when Mahler was sent to Prague by his father to attend school, he lived with the Grünfelds. The two young artists met regularly in the following years, especially later in Vienna.
Alfred Grünfeld continued his studies at the Neue Akademie der Tonkunst in Berlin, studying piano under Theodor Kullak and composition with Richard Würst.
Career in Vienna
After completing his studies, Grünfeld settled permanently in Vienna, which was considered the cultural center of Europe at the time. There, he enjoyed success not only as a concert pianist but also as a sought-after performer in aristocratic salons. His repertoire included works by Chopin, Liszt, and Johann Strauss Jr., whose waltzes he often performed in his own arrangements.
Grünfeld was appointed Imperial and Royal Court Pianist in 1881 and received numerous other titles and awards. He was considered one of the most popular pianists in the Danube Monarchy.
Compositional work and friendship with Johann Strauss Jr.
Grünfeld's compositional output focused primarily on piano music. He wrote salon pieces such as waltzes, mazurkas, and character pieces, some of which were very popular at the time. Particularly popular was his "Soirée de Vienne," a concert paraphrase of themes by Johann Strauss.
Grünfeld maintained a personal friendship with Johann Strauss Jr., which is also reflected in his arrangements of his works. These paraphrases contributed significantly to his popularity and combined virtuosity with the then highly sought-after repertoire of Viennese dance music.
Early sound recordings
Alfred Grünfeld was one of the first pianists to record his music on sound recordings. The first recordings were made on wax rolls and shellac records as early as 1889. These recordings are now historical documents of late 19th-century performance practice.
End of life and aftermath
Alfred Grünfeld died in Vienna on January 4, 1924. Despite his Jewish origins, he was buried in the Central Cemetery. Despite his popularity at the time, he was increasingly forgotten over the course of the 20th century.
Today, he is considered a representative of a musical tradition that oscillated between virtuosity, salon aesthetics, and entertainment value. His recordings and some of his arrangements have recently received renewed attention, particularly in the context of historical performance practice.
Our new CD, "JEWISH VIENNA," will be released on April 25, 2025. Together with soprano Chen Reiss, we present works by Jewish composers from Vienna at the turn of the 20th and early 20th centuries. It also includes Alfred Grünfeld's "Little Serenade" in an arrangement for chamber orchestra by Nicolas Hersh.
Apple Music: https://bit.ly/4lASoC3
Spotify: https://bit.ly/42jiCS5