His pupil, BERNHARD THIEME, born on June 11, 1854, in Altenburg, began his musical career after he left school, under the town musician at Penig, in Saxony, and when at eighteen he returned home from there, he received cello instruction, for a short time, from the Kapellmeister, Toller. He very soon found employment in the Berlin Orchestra. He then went, as first cellist, with the Fliegen Orchestra, for a summer, to St. Petersburg, in the same capacity; a few months later he entered the Bückeburg Kapelle. He was subsequently occupied in the Hofkapelle at Hanover for two years, and during this period he enjoyed the excellent teaching of Aug. Lindner. Since 1879 he has filled the place of solo cellist in the town orchestra at Baden-Baden. The Dresden school of cello playing, founded by Dotzauer, and continued by Kummer, received a still greater forward impulse through FRIEDRICH WILHELM LUDWIG GRÜTZMACHER. This far-famed artist, whose efficiency was a great ornament to the Dresden “Kapellinstitute,” was born on March 1, 1832, in Dessau, and after he had learned from his father, who was an esteemed member of the Ducal band, the elements of music, benefited from the instruction of Carl Drechsler. Thus the teaching of Dotzauer, whose pupil Carl Drechsler was at the place whence it had emanated, was further developed--a most valuable gain for the artistic life of the Court of Saxony. Grützmacher came to Leipsic in the year 1848, fundamentally well prepared for his vocation, and entered a private choral society in order to be thoroughly conversant with the necessary routine in orchestra playing. He was soon invited to take part in the Gewandhaus and the Euterpe Concerts. In the latter he made his _début_ at the beginning of February, 1849, as solo player, with Variations by Franchomme. The first violoncellist of the Leipsic Gewandhaus was a certain Wittmann. As, however, his performances did not fully satisfy, Bernhard Cossmann was engaged in 1848 for the solo parts and for the cello teaching at the Conservatoire. Then when Cossmann responded to the invitation to go to Weimar, Grützmacher took his place, although at the same time he was a regular member of the opera orchestra. From that period he was the chief representative of his instrument in Leipsic. Not the less however did he strive indefatigably to progress in his Art, keeping unceasingly in view the goal of perfection. How well he succeeded in reaching it is proved by the dominant position which he gained and maintained. Julius Rietz, who was himself an able violoncellist, and had had during his Directorship in Leipsic many opportunities of observing Grützmacher’s extraordinary executive capacity, rated him very highly, and was in the habit of admiringly expressing himself with regard to the incomparable, exemplary and thorough training of his left hand. It is, therefore, the more intelligible that he made him every offer possible in order to gain