Born: November 23, 1852 - Nijkerk, the Netherlands
Died: October 31, 1927 - Berlin, Germany

The famous German pianist and teacher, James Kwast, studied with his father and Ferdinand Böhme; later with Reinecke and Ernst Friedrich Eduard Richter at the Leipzig Conservatory, Theodor Kullak and Wöerst in Berlin, and Brassin and Gevaert in Brussels.

James Kwast taught at the Cologne Conservatory from 1874 to 1883, and the Frankfurt am Main Hoch Conservatory from 1883 to 1903. He then went to Berlin as a professor at the KIindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory from 1903 to 1906, and the Stern Conservatory from 1906. He was greatly esteemed by his colleagues and students; among the latter were Percy Grainger and Pfitzner.

James Kwast wrote a Piano Concerto and other piano music. His 1^st wife, Antonia Kwast (d 1931), was a daughter of Ferdinand Hiller; his 2^nd wife, Frieda Hodapp-Kwast (1880-1949), was a pianist.

Source: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2007)

Bach-Kwast: James Kwast | Works | Recordings

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