The Violoncello and Its HistoryWasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
History
The Violoncello and Its History
Wasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
Cellists; Cello -- History
CARL DRECHSLER, finally, born on May 27, 1800, at Camenz, in the kingdom
of Saxony, early studied violoncello playing. He began his career as a
military musician at Dessau. At the same time he assisted as cellist in
the orchestra there. Through the recommendation of Friedrich Schneider,
who discerned the young man’s talent, the Duke of Dessau granted him
the means, in 1824, of placing himself under Dotzauer’s direction for
further cultivation. After this he undertook a long concert tour. The
great success of this caused his name to be well known, with the result
that, in the year 1826, he was permanently established in the orchestra
at Dessau, with the title of Concertmaster.
Drechsler’s performances were characterised as much by faultless purity
and refinement as by feeling and tasteful rendering. His playing was
not powerful, but pleasing by its grace and delicacy. He was everywhere
received with welcome, and, as he responded to all that was demanded
as an excellent leader of his instrument in the orchestra, he was an
eagerly sought guest at all musical festivals. After he was pensioned,
in 1871, he chose Dresden as his residence. He did not, however, long
enjoy the amenities of retirement, for he died in the year 1873.
His son, LOUIS, born on October 5, 1822, at Dessau, formed himself under
the direction of his father as a clever violoncellist. He lived and
worked as such for a long time in Edinburgh.
Drechsler, the father, was an excellent teacher. Through him Dessau was
for a time affiliated to the Dresden school of cello playing, in which
he educated excellent artists, amongst whom the best known are Lindner
and Grützmacher.
AUGUST LINDNER,[111] born on October 29, 1820, at Dessau, after he
had completed his studies, was appointed, in the year 1837, to the
Hofkapelle at Hanover, to which he belonged until his death (June,
1878). He enjoyed the reputation of a distinguished violoncellist. Of
his compositions we must mention a Concerto (Op. 34), Nine Drawing-room
Pieces (Op. 18), Six Fantasias (Op. 38), Divertissements for young
cellists (two parts, Op. 32), Concert au Salon (two parts), Three
Paraphrases on _Motifs_ from Meyerbeer’s “Huguenots” and “Le Prophète,”
as well as Verdi’s “Ernani” (Op. 12), and a long list of Opera
Potpourris. Besides these, Lindner produced a new edition of L. Duport’s
“Essai sur le doigter du Violoncelle.”[112]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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