Born: February 19, 1863 - Kecskeme, Hungary
Died: October 20, 1931 - Mont Pelerin, near Montreux, Switzerland

The Hungarian pianist, inventor, and composer, Emanuel Moór, studied in Budapest and Vienna.

Emanuel Moór toured in Europe as conductor and pianist. He toured the USA from 1885 to 1887 as director of the Concerts Artistiques, for which he engaged Lilli Lehmann, Ovide Musin, and other celebrated artists, and also acted as their accompanist. He then lived in London, Lausanne, and Munich. Several operas by him have been produced in Germany, namely Die Pompadour and Andreas Moser (both Cologne, 1902), and Hochzeitsglocken (Kassel, 1908). Of seven symphonies three (Op. 45 in D minor, Op. 65 in E minor, Op. 67 in C) have been published. Of his four violin concertos, that in G (Op. 62) was introduced by Ysaÿe who played it at Queen's Hall first in 1907 and again later. At about the same period some of his chamber works were heard in programmes of the Classical Concert Society. Moór gave a concert of his own pianoforte works in London in 1910.

Emanuel Moór Moor has been much occupied with instrumental problems and has written a pamphlet on the reconstruction of the orchestra. Of his inventions, that which has come nearest to practical realisation is the Moór-Duplex piano, consisting of a double keyboard with a coupler between the two manuals (an octave apart). With the introduction of this piano, a new technique was made possible, facilitating the playing of octaves, tenths, and even chromatic glissandos. Some piano manufacturers (Steinway, Bechstein, Bösendorfer) put the Moór mechanism into their instruments. His 2^nd wife, Winifred Christie (1882-1965), an English pianist, aided him in promoting the Moór keyboard, and gave many performances on it in Europe and the USA. She published (in collaboration with her husband) a manual of technical exercises for the instrument.

Works

Operas:
La Pompadour (Cologne, February 22, 1902)
Andreas Hofer (or Moser) (Cologne, November 9, 1902)
Hochzeitsglocken (Kassel, August 2, 1908; in London as Wedding Bells, January 26, 1911)
Der Goldschmied van Paris (n.d.)
Herlha (unfinished)

Orchestral:
3 piano concertos (1886, 1888, 1906)
8 symphonies (1893-1910)
4 violin concertos (1905-1907)
2 cello concertos (1905-1906)
Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano, and Orchestra (1907)
Harp Concerto (1913)

Other:
Requiem (1916)
much chamber musicnumerous songs

Source: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997); Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1952 Edition; Author: H.C. Colles)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2007)

Bach-E. Moór: Emanuel Moór | Works | Recordings

Links to other Sites

Bibliography

L. Deutsch: Die Technik der Doppelklaviatur Moór (Leipzig, 1932)
M. Pirani: Emanuel Moór (London, 1959)
H. Shead: The History of the Emanuel Moór Double Keyboard Piano (1978)