The Violoncello and Its HistoryWasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
History
The Violoncello and Its History
Wasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
Cellists; Cello -- History
In a special manner Grützmacher is deserving of merit by his highly
successful method of instruction in violoncello playing. Even during his
active work in Leipsic he formed several excellent cellists, whose names
are Leopold Grützmacher, Kahnt, Wilfert, Hilpert, and Hegar.
LEOPOLD GRÜTZMACHER, a younger brother of the cello master already
mentioned, born on September 4, 1835, at Dessau, was taught cello
playing first by Drechsler and then by his brother, while Fr. Schneider
conducted his theoretical education.
Leopold Grützmacher belonged successively to the Theatre and Gewandhaus
orchestras in Leipsic, to the Court band at Schwerin, to the orchestra
of the German National Theatre in Prague, and to the Meiningen Court
band. From the latter he was called, in 1876, to Weimar, as solo cellist
to the Grand Ducal Kapelle. Like his brother he was also distinguished
by the title of “Chamber Virtuoso” and “Concertmaster.” He published
for the violoncello two Concertos (Op. 6 and 9) and several smaller,
pleasing, and well worked out compositions.
Leopold Grützmacher educated his son, whose Christian name was
Friedrich, as a cellist. He has already afforded agreeable proofs of his
executive capacity in his public appearances, and is a member of the
Weimar Royal orchestra.
MORITZ KAHNT, born on April 27, 1836, in Löbnitz (near Leipsic),
received instruction in his parents’ house from his seventh to his
fourteenth year not only on the violin and the piano, but also on
several wind instruments. Later he devoted himself by preference to
violoncello playing, in which he was Grützmacher’s pupil for three
years in the Leipsic Conservatoire. During the same time he received
instruction at the above-named Institution in composition and the organ.
From the year 1855 he has been first cellist of the Concert Orchestra,
as well as teacher in the school of music at Basle. Besides his post as
organist he superintends the direction of a Musical Union there.
BRUNO WILFERT, born on July 26, 1836, at Schmalzgrube, in Saxony, began
his education first as violinist under the town musical director at
Kirchberg (in the neighbourhood of Zwickau), then went with him to
Glauchau, and there began cello playing. Twice a week he journeyed,
with his violoncello under his arm, to the town of Zwickau, three
hours distant, in order to get instruction from the violoncellist,
Fr. Herrmann, a pupil of F. A. Kummer, who belonged to the town
orchestra. Later on he became Grützmacher’s pupil at Leipsic. By his
unceasing industry Wilfert succeeded so well that in the year 1864 he
was appointed solo cellist to the German Theatre at Prague. Since the
foundation of the Prague Musical Union (1876) he has belonged as a
co-operating member to the Quartet Society. The cello compositions of
Wilfert which have appeared are Two Pieces (Op. 1), Hungarisch (Op. 2),
Fantasia on Airs from the “Masked Ball” (Op. 3), Two Drawing-room Pieces
(Op. 4), and a “Nocturne” for four Violoncellos (Op. 5).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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