One of the oldest pianist to have ever been recorded, Francis Plante (1839-1934) was a link to long-vanished musical traditions. His career began in Paris at age seven, at a time when Chopin and Alkan still performed in public. It is possible that Plante heard Chopin play, and he boasted of having met a pupil of Haydn's. Plante studied piano with Antoine Marmontel, who had also taught piano to the composer Bizet. At age eleven (1850) he was introduced to Rossini, who invited Plante to perform regularly at his salons over the following years and introduced him to Liszt, Mendelssohn, Thalberg, Gounod, and Widor. Liszt once penned a musical charicature of his young pianist-friend.
Plante became one of the first pianists to program Liszt's music after the composer himself. He was chosen to replace Alkan in a trio which included the cellist Franchomme, who had performed with Chopin. Plante toured throughout Europe in the late 1860's and often partnered Saint-Saens in duo-piano recitals. His repertoire grew to include works by Stravinsky and Poulenc. The death of his wife in 1908 ended his public appearances, with the exception of recitals he gave for charities and war-relief efforts. Plante was celebrated for his production of a 'floating tone' in melodic passages, structural and formal clarity, a consummate virtuosity and interpretations of an emotional nature.
© Allan Evans, 1998