Beniamino Cesi was an Italian pianist, music educator, and composer, born in Naples on November 6, 1845. He studied with Luigi Albanesi and Sigismond Thalberg, and studied composition with Saverio Mercadante and Salvatore Pappalardo.
Cesi began giving concerts in 1862 and was the first pianist in Italy to perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” Sonata. He became known for performances of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin, and Robert Schumann, and also championed early Italian music. He toured across Europe and, from 1866, taught at the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory. His students there included Juan Aberle, Pietro Boccaccini, Edgardo del Valle de Paz, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Giuseppe Martucci, Leopoldo Mugnone, Florestano Rossomandi, Alfonso Falconi, and Francesco Cilea. For many years, he was also the regular accompanist of singer Alice Barbi.
From 1887 to 1890, Cesi was a professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Pianist Samuel Maykapar, one of his students, recalled Cesi’s refined virtuoso technique and the delicacy of his performances. After suffering a third stroke in 1890, Cesi was left partly paralyzed and had to end his performing career. He taught briefly at the Alexander School, then returned to Italy; Anton Rubinstein gave a benefit concert to help pay for his journey home. After recovering some of his health, Cesi taught at the Palermo Conservatory from 1894 and later returned to the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory, where he briefly led its piano class. Alessandro Longo succeeded him in 1897. In 1900, Cesi moved to Rome to head a music school, but in 1902 returned to Naples at Giuseppe Martucci’s invitation to lead the conservatory’s chamber ensemble class. He taught there until his death in Naples on January 19, 1907. His students in this later period included Emilia Gubitosi and Herculano Alvarado.
Cesi wrote solo piano pieces for both the concert stage and teaching, as well as piano arrangements of operatic excerpts. He was also reported to have written an opera, “Vittor Pisani,” which was neither published nor performed. His piano method, “Theoretical and Practical Method for the Study of the Piano,” was published in 1893, with additions issued between 1896 and 1904. He edited a complete edition of Chopin’s works, a volume of Domenico Scarlatti’s sonatas, and collections of selected classical pieces. His sons, Napoleone and Sigismondo, also became musicians.