Guzikov, Michal Jozef

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Guzikov, Michal Jozef

Guzikov, Michal Jozef, famous Polish xylophonist and composer; b. Szklow, Sept. 14, 1806; d. Aachen, Oct. 21, 1837. Of a Jewish musical family, he showed precocious talent, and with 4 relatives he traveled all over Europe. His virtuosity on the xylophone was extraordinary, and elicited praise from the public as well as from celebrated musicians, among them Mendelssohn. His programs consisted of arrangements of well-known works and also his own pieces. His most successful number was a transcription of Paganini’s La Campanella.

Bibliography

M. Schlesinger, Uber G. (Vienna, 1936).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire