Monday Musician: Rossini (Gottschalk), William Tell Overture (Gallop)

Today’s Pick:

G. Rossini, Gallop from the William Tell Overture.

Arranged by Louis Moreau Gottschalk.

A couple of months ago we looked at Louis Moreau Gottschalk in my US Music History class, and afterward I googled him on youtube and found this piano duet arranged by Gottschalk.  Of course, it didn’t surprise me that Gottschalk would do something like this; he was one of the first to hold musician performances for middle-class audiences in Europe, and he was the first to perform music other than what he personally had written.

What did surprise me was the technical skill required for this.  Maybe it’s just that I’m easily impressed, but I was blown away by this.  Enjoy!