Buonamici, Giuseppe

1846-

Distinguished contemporary Italian pianist and writer. He was born at Florence, and studied the piano under his uncle Giuseppe Ceccherini. In 1868 he entered the Munich Conservatory, where he had for teachers von Billow and Rheinberger. After two years of study, he was appointed professor of advanced piano-playing at the Conservatory. In 1873 he went back to Florence, and here carried on his work as piano-professor. He was conductor of the "Cherubini," the Florentine choral society, and in Florence founded a distinguished trio-party. He is the author of some chamber-music, but has won special distinction with his editions of selections from great composers. He has published a set of studies on special difficulties in Beethoven; an edition of Beethoven's sonatas; fifty etudes from Bertini, this work being preparatory to Bülow's edition of Cramer's studies; has edited Bach's lesser preludes and fugues; and is the author of The Art of Scale Study. The playing of Buonamici is highly artistic, and his interpretations of Beethoven of rare beauty.