ALTHOUGH the name Sigismond Thalberg may not be a familiar one today, in the 19th century he was one of the most celebrated pianists. His contemporary was the far more recognised Franz Liszt. Both musicians arrived in Vienna in 1822 as 10-year-old prodigies, though their paths did not cross immediately.
In his early career, Thalberg was often considered superior to Liszt and achieved remarkable success, performing in London by the age of 14. As their fame grew, comparisons between the two pianists dominated the press, fuelling a rivalry akin to modern musical debates — think the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the 1960s or Blur and Oasis in the 1990s.
But despite the media-driven competition, Thalberg and Liszt set aside their differences to perform together at a benefit concert for Italian refugees on March 31, 1837.
Both pianists made debuts in Limerick, but Thalberg’s ties to the city ran deeper, with four visits compared to Liszt’s one.
Liszt performed in Limerick on the morning of Saturday, January 9, and the evening of Monday, January 11, 1841, where his fiery playing was described as powerful, rapid, and brilliant, with such intensity that some feared his piano might collapse under his hands.
He stayed with Major Vokes’ in his residence in Pery Square.
Thalberg’s debut in Limerick came a little earlier, on December 30, 1837, when he was only 25 years old.
It was remarked in a letter to the local press by William Frederick Collard, a British piano manufacturer, that “no instrument of the general kind is sufficient to exhibit the extraordinary powers of this wonderful man… Thalberg must be heard, for words cannot convey the very faintest idea of his performance.”
The concert, accompanied by singers Mr J Bennett and Mr Berettoni, faced logistical hiccups when the three grand pianos shipped for the event arrived late, forcing Thalberg to perform on an Erard & Co instrument. Nonetheless, the performance was a triumph, earning him £75, though demand for tickets exceeded supply.
Thalberg returned to Limerick on October 4, 1839, for a “grand farewell morning concert” alongside Irish opera composer Michael William Balfe and his soprano wife, Lina Roser.
Balfe, who is best known for his opera The Bohemian Girl, was born in Dublin and grew up on Pitt Street, which was renamed Balfe Street in 1917 in his honour.
Over the next two decades, he toured extensively worldwide before returning to Limerick on November 20, 1862, performing at the Athenaeum on Cecil Street. Tickets, sold through Corbett’s music store on George Street, ranged from three to seven shillings. His repertoire included Tarantella, Home Sweet Home, and Fantasia.
A local reviewer praised his artistry, noting “his pianoforte playing is, in some respects, perfection itself… His performance of his own works has never been equalled by any other pianist.”
Despite this acclaim, the reviewer noted slight disappointment in his interpretation of Mendelssohn’s works, though the overall impression was overwhelmingly positive.
Thalberg’s final appearance in Limerick came on November 17, 1863, during a farewell recital at the Athenaeum. Tickets for this event, also sold at Corbett’s, cost seven shillings for the stalls, 24 shillings for a family, five shillings for reserved seats, three shillings for the gallery.
This marked the end of his illustrious career, as he retired from public performance that same year. Thalberg passed away in Naples, Italy, in 1871, leaving behind a legacy that, while overshadowed by Liszt, remains significant in the annals of classical music.
Throughout the mid to late 19th century, local musical instrument makers and pianoforte warehouses owner Henry Keller, of 45 George Street, now O’Connell Street, would mention Thalberg in his advertisements.
Keller held position as a piano tuner to the Royal Family, as well as to Thalberg, the Countess Dunraven, Lady DeVere, Lady Massy, and “the highest and most musical families throughout Ireland”. His rates for piano tuning ranged from one to five guineas depending on the distance.
Corbett’s music warehouse, where tickets could be purchased to Thalberg’s shows, was run by James and Patrick Corbett 1824 in Patrick Street. The family moved the business to George Street in 1843, where they continued to run the business for another four decades. In 1887, Edward Corbett filed for bankruptcy, ending an over 60-year connection with Limerick and music.
