Adolf Schulz-Evler

Who was Adolf Schulz-Evler?

Adolf or Andrey or Adolf Andrey Schulz-Evler was a Polish-born composer.

Born in Radom, Poland, he studied at the Warsaw Conservatory, then under Carl Tausig in Berlin. From 1884 to 1904 he taught at the Kharkiv Music School.

He wrote about 52 pieces, most of which are now forgotten. He is best known for his piano transcription of Johann Strauss II's Blue Danube Waltz: Arabesques on "An der schönen blaunen Donau." Usually performed only as an encore, it has been recorded by many pianists, including Jorge Bolet, Jan Smeterlin, Marc-André Hamelin, Earl Wild, Piers Lane, Byron Janis, Isador Goodman and—perhaps most famously—Josef Lhévinne.

His list of works includes:

Op 2: Invitation a la Valse

Op 4: Variations in G major

Op 5: Melodie

Op 6: Nocturne in F major

Op 8: Revelation I in B major

Op 9: Revelation II in E♭ major

Op 10: Revelation III in F major

Op 11: Serenade

Op 12: “Arabesques” Variations on the Blue Danube Waltz [Strauss]

Op 14: Rhapsodie Russe for Piano & Orchestra

Op 17: Etude pour les octaves