Zeisler, Fanny Bloomfield

1866-

 

Born in Austria, but was brought to America by her parents when less than two years old. Her parents settled in Chicago, where she still lives. Her musical talent began to develop very early. She first studied with Bernard Ziehn of Chicago, and then with Carl Wolfsohn. She went to Europe in 1878, where she studied in Vienna for five years with Leschetiszky. In Vienna she played several times, receiving the highest praise from the critics there. In 1883 she returned to America and for ten years appeared most successfully throughout the United States as a concert pianist. In 1893 she made a concert tour through Germany and Austria which was so successful that it was continued through 1894 and 1895 all over Europe. In 1898 Mrs. Zeisler went to London, where she gave a series of recitals and appeared with the great English orchestras. While in London she was invited to be the piano soloist for the Lower Rhine Music Festival at Cologne in 1898. Here she played before an audience composed of the most celebrated musicians of Europe, winning a great triumph and being declared one of the greatest pianists of the world. Mrs. Zeisler's style of playing combines great individuality and intensity with a wonderful delicacy and beauty of touch. She has had the greatest success in the compositions of modern musicians. She was for several years the head of the piano department of the Bush Temple of Music Conservatory of Chicago.