Famous Violinists of To-day and YesterdayLahee, Henry Charles
History
Famous Violinists of To-day and Yesterday
Lahee, Henry Charles
Bull, Ole, 1810-1880; Joachim, Joseph, 1831-1907; Paganini, Nicolò, 1782-1840; Violinists
Joachim remained in Leipzig until 1850, studying with Ferdinand David,
while Hauptmann gave him instruction in composition, though during this
time he occasionally travelled in Germany and elsewhere to play in
concerts. Thus in 1844 Mendelssohn brought him to England, where he
played in public for the first time at a benefit concert of Mr. Bunn's
at Drury Lane, in March, 1844, and in May of the same year he appeared
at the fifth Philharmonic concert and played Beethoven's concerto with
very great success. In this year two other violinists of note made their
first appearance at the Philharmonic concerts,--Ernst and Sainton, also
Piatti, the great violoncellist. Joachim visited England again in 1847,
and since that time so frequently that he became one of the regular
features of musical life in that country, where he has been so highly
honoured.
Joachim's first appearance in Paris was made in 1849, when he spent two
months in that city, and began his successes by playing in an orchestral
concert given by Hector Berlioz. About this time Franz Liszt, who had
heard of Joachim's rapidly increasing reputation, invited him to go to
Weimar and lead the orchestra which he conducted. Joachim accepted the
invitation and remained in Weimar two years. He could never be brought
to see the beauty of the new school of music, and while he recognised
the extraordinary gifts, and admired the personality and brilliant
qualities of Liszt, he could not be prevailed upon to remain in Weimar
longer than two years.
In 1854 he accepted the post of conductor and solo violinist to the King
of Hanover, a position which he retained for twelve years, during which
time he enhanced his reputation as a musician, and married Amalia
Weiss, a celebrated contralto singer. In 1866 the troubles which
enveloped Germany brought Joachim's engagement in Hanover to an end, but
two years later he entered upon what has proved to be the most important
part of his career, when he was appointed professor of violin at the
Hochschule for music in Berlin. This school was a new branch of the
already existing Academy of Arts, and was to be a high school for
musical execution, as apart from composition.
Joachim threw his whole heart into the new work before him, and the
branch of the school under his direction soon rivalled any similar
school. Various branches were added to the school,--in 1871 a class for
organ, in 1872 classes for brass instruments, double-bass, and solo
vocalists, in 1873 a chorus class. In 1875 the Royal Academy of Arts was
reorganised and became the Royal High School for Music, with Joachim as
director. That Joachim had earned a very high position as early as 1859
is shown by an extract from the _Musical World_ of London, in that year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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