A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hartvigson, Frits
HARTVIGSON, Frits, born May 31, 1841, at Grenaae, Jylland, Denmark, received instruction in music and on the piano from his mother, and at Copenhagen from Gade, Gebauer, and Anton Rée. At the age of fourteen he played in concerts in Copenhagen, and made a tour through Norway in 1858, at Christiania being personally complimented by Kjerulf. By assistance from the Danish Government he studied at Berlin from 1859–61 under von Bülow, with whom he played there at a concert Liszt's A major Concerto and Hungarian Fantasia, arranged for two pianos. He next played Rubinstein's 3rd Concerto at the Gewandhaus Concerts in '61, and Schumann's Concerto at Copenhagen under Gade in '63. On the death of his father in the Prusso-Danish war, he came to England and played with great success Mendelssohn's 'Serenade and Allegro giojoso' at the Philharmonic, June 27, '64. From that time until the present Mr. Hartvigson has lived in England, with the exception of two years between 1873 and '75, when he resided at St. Petersburg. He has played at the Musical Union, and introduced there Schumann's Trio in F, April 24, '66. He introduced Liszt's music at the Philharmonic, where he played that composer's 1st Concerto on June 10, '72. At the Crystal Palace he introduced Schubert's Fantasia, op. 15 (arranged by Liszt for piano and orchestra), on Oct. 6, '66: also Rubinstein's 4th Concerto, Nov. 16, '72; and Bronsart's Concerto, Sept. 30, '76. He was officially appointed Pianist to the Princess of Wales in '73, Professor of Music at the Normal College for the Blind at Norwood in '75, and Professor at the Crystal Palace in '87. From '79 until last year, Mr. Hartvigson was prevented from appearing in public, owing to an injury to his left arm. He has, happily, recently recovered its use, and has appeared at Mr. Bache's concert, Feb. 21, '87, playing Liszt's 'Mazeppa' and 'Hungaria,' arranged by the composer for two pianos. He also played at the London Symphony Concerts on Jan. 10, '88 (and subsequently at a Richter concert) Liszt's 'Todtentanz,' which he had introduced to the English public in '78 under Bülow's direction. Mr. Hartvigson has played abroad, at Copenhagen in '72, at Munich (under Bülow), in aid of the Bayreuth building fund, Aug. 24, '72, and in concerts at St. Petersburg, Moscow and in Finland.
His brother, Anton, born Oct. 16, 1845, at Aarhus, Jylland, received instruction in music from his mother, Tausig, and Edmund Neupert. He first played in concerts at Copenhagen, and came to England in '73, where he finally settled in '82, when he was appointed a Professor at the Normal College. He played Beethoven's C minor Concerto at the Aquarium under Sullivan, Feb. 24, '76. With the exception of his yearly recitals he rarely plays in public, but confines his attention to teaching.