The Periodicals of Ferdinand Pelzer (1833-1857)

The Periodicals of Ferdinand Pelzer (1833-1857), edited by Dr. Sarah Clarke

The German musician, Ferdinand Pelzer (1801-1864), arrived in London with his family in or around 1829. Ferdinand became one of the most important guitarists in the capital in the 1830s at a time when the instrument was enjoying great popularity. His daughters Catharina and Giulia became successful guitar performers and teachers, with Catharina later known by her married name, Madame Sidney Pratten, the leading figure in the Victorian-era guitar scene. In the 1840s, Ferdinand turned his attention to choral teaching and played a role in the singing class movement which was then sweeping the country. He continued to teach the guitar in London throughout the 1850s.

This edition reproduces the text of three periodicals that trace his career through three decades. They are bound together into one volume in the hugely important Appleby Collection of Guitar Music. The Giulianiad (1833-c.1835) was the first niche magazine devoted to the guitar that included both text and music sections, and it is widely accepted that Pelzer had an editorial role. In the early 1840s, he outlined his philosophy and aims for the singing class movement in his Musical Herald, and his Guitarist’s Companion of 1857 demonstrated his continued enthusiasm for the guitar.

Dr. Sarah Clarke is an internationally recognized authority on the life and work of Ferdinand Pelzer. She is a distinguished member of the prestigious Cambridge Consortium for Guitar Research.

The Periodicals of Ferdinand Pelzer (1833-1857) is available for purchase at Boydell & Brewer: click here