Adam, Louis

1758-1848

Celebrated pianist and teacher and father of the preceding. He was born in Alsace but went to Paris early in his life and began composing when very young, as two of his symphonies for the harp, piano and violin, were performed at the Concerts Spirituels, when he was only seventeen. He was a close student of Bach, Handel, Scarlatti and Mozart and was a very thorough teacher. Adam was professor of piano at the Paris Conservatory from 1797 to 1843. He trained many famous pupils, among whom were Herold, Henri Lemoine, Kalkbrenner and Adolphe Charles Adam, his celebrated son. He published, beside many piano compositions, a new method for the piano which was translated by Czerny in 1826. Adam's work was remarkable, on account of his being almost entirely self-trained.