A German composer, pianist and conductor who was considered at times, to his misfortune, rude and intemperate as he would often hold an orchestra or audience with disdain. This, fortunately, was not always the case. Hans von Bulow, who knew the company of Liszt and Wagner, and was also a devotee of Beethoven's music, brought initial performances of Wagner's operas ("Tristan und Isolde," "Die Meistersinger von Nurnburg") to the stage and early recognized the talent of Tchaikovsky. His technical ability on the piano was praised by some and criticized by those who did not care for his tyrannical admonitions to an orchestra. He was reported to have cursed during performances -- both as pianist and conductor -- sometimes levying his remarks directly at the orchestra or audience. His playing was always filtered through an intellectual acumen that keenly analyzed the piece at hand informing him of the nuances immediately. Bulow's intellectual capabilities also gave him the ability to formulate new ideas and music which is most likely why he was of the "new German school" (the fiery, emotional, and flamboyant romantic mannerisms of Liszt and Wagner as opposed to the traditionalism of Brahms). His compositions were demanding and extroverted. Bulow composed music for the piano as well as for Shakesperean plays, ballads, and symphonic poems. He also wrote editions for piano including the music of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and Scarlatti. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi