The Violoncello and Its HistoryWasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
History
The Violoncello and Its History
Wasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von
Cellists; Cello -- History
His nephew, WOLFGANG SCHINDLÖKER, born in 1789 at Vienna, was educated
by him as a clever cellist. After he had been heard at fourteen years of
age at a concert, he went in 1807 as chamber musician into the service
of the Court at Würzburg. His compositions consisted of a “Grand duo”
and three Duets, which were published.
FRANZ JOSEPH WEIGL belonged to the best German cellists of the last
century; he was the father of the opera composer, Joseph Weigl, formerly
in much repute. He was born on March 19, 1740, in a Bavarian village,
and through the special recommendation of Joseph Haydn was received on
June 1, 1761, into the orchestra of Count Esterhazy. In 1769 he left and
joined the orchestra of the Italian opera in Vienna. After three years
of active work there he was appointed to the Imperial band, and made
Court and Chamber musician; his death took place on January 25, 1820.
Weigl composed, but if for his own instrument is unknown.
ANTON FILTZ, a member of the Electoral Chapel at Mannheim, was a gifted
cellist and composer. He died in 1768 in early manhood, before his
talent had fully developed. He left in MS. several duets and solos, as
well as Concertos for the Violoncello.
JOH. GEORG SCHETKY, born 1740, at Darmstadt, deserves special mention
as a pupil of Filtz, whose instruction he enjoyed for one month, after
his father, who was Secretary to the Grand Duke of Darmstadt and tenor
singer at the Cathedral, had given him his first musical education.
He seems to have taken up cello playing by himself at first, but his
theoretical education was carried on by the Concertmaster Enderle.
In the year 1761 Schetky went for six months with his father and two
sisters to Hamburg. There he had the opportunity of hearing great
artists, which incited him to zealous study on his instrument. On his
return to Darmstadt he found a post in the orchestra there. Now and then
he performed at concerts in the neighbouring towns. After the death of
his parents he finally quitted Darmstadt in 1768. He visited Hamburg and
then London, where the patronage of Joh. Christoph Bach was of service
to him. Schetky did not however remain long in the English capital, as
he received a proposal to go to Edinburgh, which he accepted. He very
soon, in consequence of his marriage with a rich widow, retired into
private life, being known to fame only through his compositions. These,
taking no account of an important collection of various orchestral
and chamber music works, consist of numberless Violoncello Concertos,
Duets for Violin and Violoncello, Sonatas for Violoncello and Bass, and
“Twelve Duets for two Violoncellos, with some Observations and Rules for
playing that Instrument” (Op. 7). In these duets, as the title says:
“Schetky had a scholastic aim in view.” Yet they can scarcely be called
a violoncello school.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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