Johann Peter Pixis and Sigismond Thalberg seemingly had little in common, except that both were pianists and composers. They first met in Paris when Thalberg received piano lessons from Pixis, having also studied with Kalkbrenner and Moscheles in London and possibly with Hummel in Vienna. The inextricable link between them lies in their contributions to Liszt's Piano Extravaganza—Thalberg wrote Variation 1, Pixis Variation 3. Paradoxically, Pixis's name is primarily remembered today through this collaborative work.
Pixis, born in Mannheim in 1788, came from a family of musicians and lived in Vienna from 1808 to 1824 before moving to Paris. There he met Beethoven, Meyerbeer, and Schubert. Thalberg, on the other hand, quickly rose to become one of the most celebrated musicians in Europe and was appointed pianist to the Austrian Emperor. He was hailed as the leader of a new school of musical thought.
Thalberg's arrival in Paris in November 1835 impressed numerous influential musicians who believed his innovations at the piano would "usher in a modern piano style that would have lasting value." Hector Berlioz wrote enthusiastically that Thalberg was the creator of a new art, unlike anything that had existed before.
Thalberg's success in Paris was met with great envy, especially from Franz Liszt, who wanted to challenge Thalberg's position as the leading virtuoso in Paris. After mutual criticism, a duel was arranged in the salon of Princess Belgiojoso. The princess diplomatically declared both victors, saying, "Thalberg is the first pianist in the world—Liszt is unique."
Both composers wrote two unsuccessful operas, but while Thalberg's "three-handed technique" greatly influenced subsequent generations of pianists, Pixis's name is primarily remembered for his collaborations with other prominent musicians of his time.