Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmerman
Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmerman, known as Pierre Zimmermann and Joseph Zimmermann, was a French pianist, composer, and music teacher.Biography
Zimmerman was born in Paris, the son of a piano maker. He attended the Paris Conservatory in 1798, studying piano with François-Adrien Boieldieu; while a student there, he won first prizes for piano in 1800 and harmony in 1802. He would later study under Luigi Cherubini. Zimmerman became a piano assistant at the Conservatory in 1811 and a full professor there in 1816, serving until 1848; he refused a position as a professor of counterpoint and fugue in 1821. Among his students were Charles Gounod, Georges Bizet, César Franck, Charles-Valentin Alkan, Ambroise Thomas, Louis Lacombe, Alexandre Goria and Lefébure-Wély. In 1842 he denied Conservatory admission to 13-year old Louis Moreau Gottschalk without an audition on account of Gottschalk's American nationality, commenting that "America is a country of steam engines". Zimmerman was often assisted in his teaching by Gounod.
Zimmerman wrote two operas, L'enlèvement and Nausicaa. He also composed two piano concertos, one piano sonata, and numerous other works for piano. His most important legacy is considered his Encyclopédie du pianiste, a complete method of piano playing, including a treatise on harmony and counterpoint.
He died in Paris and is buried in the Auteuil Cemetery in the 16th arrondissement.
His daughter Juliette married Édouard Dubufe.
