Václav Tomášek

In the words of Kenneth Delong, “Highly opinionated, often sarcastic and projecting a sense of his own importance, Tomášek's memoirs also reveal him to be deeply concerned about all things artistic and intellectual: a man of courage and idealism, unflinching in his pursuit of truth in music and in life.” As a pianist, he was an autodidact, becoming one of the most important piano teachers of Prague for a century.

Afterwards he created a considerable school of music; among its most well-known pupils were Jan Voříšek, Alexander Dreyschock, Johann Friedrich Kittl and Eduard Hanslick.

He maintained correspondence with the Polish pianist and composer Maria Agata Szymanowska.

He lived at number 15 Tomášská Street in Prague - the building bears a memorial plaque to him in Czech and German.

At first he remained loyal to the Classical style, but later was influenced by the newly born Romanticism.