The Violoncello and Its HistoryWasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
History
The Violoncello and Its History
Wasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
Cellists; Cello -- History
Dotzauer was also well-skilled in composition, and attempted it in
various forms. He wrote an Opera, Overtures, Symphonies, a Mass, and
several chamber pieces. All these productions have long been forgotten.
Not so his violoncello works, which consist of nine Concertos, three
Concertinos, two Sonatas with bass, Variations, Divertissements,
Potpourris, and a great number of Duets, some of these at least are
still prized as objects of study. This is especially the case with
regard to his books of instruction, to which belong two violoncello
schools,[107] as well as a number of exercises of various kinds.[108]
Amongst these the most commendable on account of their excellence
are the eighteen “Exercices d’une difficulté progressive” (Op.
120), for beginners (with the exception of the two last numbers),
and the “Twenty-four Daily Studies for the acquiring and keeping of
Virtuosität.” The latter work is in every respect by far the best of
Dotzauer’s many studies. He also published a School for Flageolet
playing (Op. 147). His performances combined the gifts of great solidity
and fascinating sweetness. Of his two sons, the younger, Carl Ludwig,
devoted himself to the violoncello under the direction of his father. In
1820 he was member of the Hofkapelle at Cassel. He was born on December
7, 1811, at Dresden.
Dotzauer was distinguished not only as an executant artist but also as
a teacher. The most remarkable of his scholars are--Kummer, Schuberth,
Voigt, and Drechsler.
FRIEDRICH AUGUST KUMMER was born on August 15, 1797, at Meiningen. His
father, an accomplished oboist, belonged to the Ducal band there. At
the beginning of the century he entered the Hofkapelle at Dresden, and
here his son, who at first had taken up his father’s instrument, became
Dotzauer’s pupil. When his education was completed on the violoncello,
Kummer should have been admitted into the Dresden Hofkapelle; but as
there was just then no vacancy for his instrument he was obliged for
a while to content himself with being received as oboist. This was
in 1814. Three years later he was enrolled among the cellists. By
diligently prosecuted studies, Kummer gradually reached such a high
degree of artistic cultivation that when Dotzauer was pensioned, he was
appointed in his place as first violoncellist of the Royal band. In 1864
he celebrated his fiftieth Jubilee, and then gave himself up to his
well-deserved retirement. During his long tenure of office he displayed
a most extraordinary activity as soloist, quartet, and orchestra player,
as well as teacher. In the latter capacity he worked both privately and
at the Dresden Conservatoire, to which he belonged, until his death,
which took place on May 22, 1879. At the same time he wrote a good deal
for his instrument, a Concerto, two Concertinos, instructive Duets (some
easy and others more difficult), Variations, Etudes, Caprices, Studies
(amongst them, daily ones), diverse musical “Divertissements,” which
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