Arabella Goddard facts for kids
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Arabella Goddard (born January 12, 1836 – died April 6, 1922) was a famous English pianist. She was born and died in France. Her parents, Thomas and Arabella Goddard, were English people living in Saint-Servan, France. Arabella was always proud of her French background.
Contents
Early Life and Amazing Talent
When Arabella was six years old, she went to Paris to study piano with a teacher named Friedrich Kalkbrenner. She was a true child prodigy, which means she was incredibly talented at a very young age. She even played music for the French royal family, and for famous composers like Frédéric Chopin and George Sand. Later, she also performed for Queen Victoria in England.
In 1848, her family faced money problems because of a revolution in France. They had to move back to England. There, Arabella continued her piano lessons with other great teachers, Lucy Anderson and Sigismond Thalberg.
Becoming a Star Pianist
Arabella first played in public in 1850. This was at a big concert at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. Her teacher Thalberg then sent her to study with James William Davison. He was a very important music critic for The Times newspaper.
On April 14, 1853, Arabella made her official debut. She played Beethoven's difficult "Hammerklavier" Sonata. This was the first time this piece had ever been played in England! She then spent two years, 1854 and 1855, performing in Germany and Italy. People in Germany loved her playing.
Arabella was one of the first pianists to play her solo concerts from memory. This was a big deal back then! However, when she played with an orchestra, she still used the music score.
Famous Concerts and Awards
After her travels, Arabella returned to England. She gave many concerts at places like the Crystal Palace and with the Royal Philharmonic Society. In 1857 and 1858, she performed all of Beethoven's later piano sonatas in London. Many people had never heard these pieces before.
In 1859, she married her teacher, J. W. Davison. She was 23, and he was 46. In 1871, Arabella was one of the first people to receive the Gold Medal from the Royal Philharmonic Society. This was a very special award for musicians.
A Grand World Tour
From 1873 to 1876, Arabella went on a huge concert tour around the world. She traveled to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and many cities in Asia like Shanghai and Singapore.
In America, some critics thought her playing of romantic music wasn't as good as her classical music. This might have been because her husband, Davison, preferred older composers. During her tour, in June 1874, her ship was in a wreck while sailing from Java to Australia. She had to spend a night in a small boat in heavy rain!
Later Life and Legacy
The famous writer George Bernard Shaw was very impressed by Arabella's skill. He said she could play even the most complex pieces. She stopped performing in 1880.
In 1883, Arabella became a teacher at the Royal College of Music. This was the very first year the college was open.
Several composers wrote music especially for her. For example, William Sterndale Bennett dedicated his Piano Sonata in A-flat to her. Arabella also wrote a few piano pieces herself, including a set of six waltzes.
Arabella Goddard passed away in France on April 6, 1922, when she was 86 years old.
Images for kids
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Arabella Goddard
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Goddard circa 1860
