PLANT, FRANCIS

born March 2, 1839, Orthez, France died Dec. 19, 1934, St.-Avit French pianist active in Paris in the late 19th century. Plant made his Paris debut as a nine-year-old prodigy. He became a pupil of A.-F. Marmontel at the Conservatoire in 1849 and won the first prize for piano in 1850 after only seven months of tuition. He then became a protg of Liszt and Rossini, playing in many of the Parisian salons. From 1861 to 1872 he studied piano privately, not appearing in public; on his return to the stage, he was acclaimed as a virtuoso with a finished technique. He gave concerts regularly until 1900, when he abruptly stopped public appearances except for rare concerts for charity. In 1908 he made several recordings.