It’s back-to-school time! Whether students are in the building or learning remotely this school year, teachers are working hard to make sure their students are getting the best education they can offer. This blog post celebrates some of the most famous pedagogues in the string instrument world throughout history and their influence on today’s music students.
Rodolphe Kreutzer (1766-1831)
Kreutzer was born in Versaille, France on November 16, 1766. He studied violin with his father, then with Anton Stamitz (1750-c. 1809) and Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824). He met Beethoven in 1798 on a European tour. Without Kreutzer’s knowledge, Beethoven dedicated his Sonata in A Major, opus 47 to him. Kreutzer himself composed 19 violin concertos and 40 operas. He passed away in Geneva, Switzerland on January 6, 1831.
As a teacher, he was one of the founding violin professors at the Conservatoire de Paris, and taught there from 1795-1826. A famous pedagogue that co-wrote the violin curriculum for the conservatory, he is considered one of the founders of the French violin school. His method book, the 42 Studies or Caprices (ca. 1796) is still a popular method book used by many violin students. It has been transcribed for viola and cello.
Lillian Fuchs (1901-1995)
Fuchs was born in New York City on November 18, 1901 to a musical family – her brothers Joseph and Harry played the violin and cello. Her music education began by studying violin with her father and later with Franz Kneisel at the Institute of Musical Art (now the Julliard School). Fuchs began her career on violin in 1926, but quickly shifted to viola. She became a highly respected string player, performing with chamber groups and as soloist with major orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, and passed away on October 5, 1995.
Fuchs also had an exceptional career teaching at some of the most renowned music schools around the country, including the Manhattan School of Music and Julliard. Among her most notable students is Isaac Stern. During her teaching career, she composed two method books for viola: 16 Fantasy Études and 15 Characteristic Studies.
David Popper (1843-1913)
Popper was born in Prague, Bohemia on June 16, 1843. He studied under cellist Julius Goltermann (1825-1876) at the Prague Conservatory. Conductor and pianist Hans von Bülow recommended Popper to become Chamber Virtuoso for the court of Prince Constantin (1801-1869). He composed works for cello, including four concertos, a Requiem for three cellos and orchestra, and a number of pieces for cello and piano. He passed away on August 7, 1913 near Vienna.
At the Conservatory at Budapest, he taught many cellists who would go on to have successful careers, including Adolf Schiffer, who was János Starker teacher. In addition to his compositions, Popper wrote a collection of études called High School of Cello Playing.
Franz Simandl (1840-1912)
Simandl started his career by studying double bass at the Prague Conservatory with Josef Hrabe (1816-1870). After his studies, he became the principal bassist in the Vienna Court Opera Orchestra. He was professor of double bass studies at the Vienna Conservatory from 1869-1910.
As a pedagogue, Simandl was extraordinarily influential in double bass studies. He wrote his method book, New Method for the Double Bass, during his tenure at the Vienna Conservatory. Simandl said the purpose of the book was to provide the first complete double bass method that is not only thorough, but also easily accessible[1].
Special thanks to Yoonhee Lee, John Guarino, Phil Rush, and Robert Mayes of Carriage House Violins for their assistance.
[1] Franz Simandl, New Method for the Double Bass (New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1904), 3.
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