Adolph Brodsky
Encyclopedia
Adolph Davidovich Brodsky was a Russia
n violin
ist.
He enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a performer and teacher, starting early in Vienna, going on to Moscow, Leipzig, and New York City and finally Manchester. During its course he met and worked with composers such as Tchaikovsky
and Elgar
.
on the Sea of Azov
. His grandfather and father were also violinists. He started music lessons at the age of five, a year after he first played his first violin, which he had bought at a fair. For four years he was taught music in his home town. Aged nine, he gave his first concert in Odessa
, where a wealthy person heard him and was so impressed that they provided Brodsky with the funds to study in Vienna
. In 1860, he immediately started his studies at the Vienna Conservatory with Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr.
In Vienna, Brodsky met fellow student Hans Richter
, with whom he became friends. Hellmesberger gave Brodsky the opportunity to play at numerous concerts and invited him to join the Hellmesberger Quartet
to play second violin.
From 1866 to 1868 Brodsky was a member of the court orchestra. After ten years in Vienna, he toured for four years giving concerts. (One source says he toured Europe, another says Russia). After the tour he settled in Moscow
in 1873. Contrary to what some sources say, he did not study with Ferdinand Laub
. In 1875, Brodsky became second professor of violin at the Moscow Conservatory
, where he remained for four years.
In 1880 he married Anna Lvovna Skadovskaya in Sebastopol
. On December 4, 1881, Brodsky premiered Tchaikovsky
's Violin Concerto in D major
in Vienna
, under the baton of Hans Richter
. Brodsky was the dedicatee of the concerto, after Tchaikovsky decided to withdraw the dedication from Leopold Auer
, offended that the latter would not to play it unless the composer made certain changes incorporating his unsolicited suggestions.
Later on, in 1883, after Henry Schradieck
moved to the College of Music of Cincinnati, Brodsky was called to fill his position at the Leipzig Conservatoire
. He remained in Leipzig
until 1891. He formed there his own string quartet
, the Brodsky Quartet
initially with Ottokar Nováček
(2nd violin), Hans Sitt
(viola) and Leopold Grützmacher
(violoncello). Upon Brodsky's later departure for the United States, Arno Hilf replaced him both as professor in the Leipzig Conservatoire and in the string quartet ensemble.
In October 1891, Walter Damrosch invited Brodsky to become concertmaster
of the New York Symphony Orchestra
. Brodsky settled in New York City
with his wife. In 1894, after three years in the United States
, he returned to Europe, with a short stay in Berlin; while he was there Sir Charles Hallé
invited him to Manchester
to teach at the Royal Manchester College of Music
, and direct the Hallé Orchestra
. He taught at the College from 1895 until his death, becoming principal in 1896. It was in England that he changed the spelling of his first name to Adolph. Among his pupils at Manchester was Arthur Catterall
, who later became a fellow professor at the College. While in Manchester he established his second Brodsky Quartet
with Rawdon Briggs, Simon Speelman, and Carl Fuchs.
Brodsky worked on several occasions with Edward Elgar
. He admired Elgar and had the opportunity to meet him in February 1900, when Hans Richter introduced them following a performance of the Enigma Variations
Richter conducted in Manchester. Carl Fuchs asked Elgar to compose a string quartet for the Brodsky Quartet. Several years later, in 1918, Elgar completed his String Quartet in E minor
, Op. 83 and dedicated it to the quartet.
In January 1927, as part of a series of events celebrating Elgar's 70 years of life, Elgar conducted the Hallé Orchestra in a performance of his Violin Concerto
. Brodsky, then 75 years old and retired, was the soloist that night.
While he was in Leipzig, Brodsky held a Christmas dinner, at which Johannes Brahms
, Tchaikovsky and Edvard Grieg
met. This sparked a friendship between Tchaikovsky and Grieg, who held high esteem for each other. (Brahms and Tchaikovsky, however, never liked or understood each other's music, although they had cordial and respectful relations personally.)
Brodsky was honoured with the Norwegian
Order of St. Olaf in 1892. In 1902, Victoria University
conferred upon him an honourary
Doctor of Music
degree.
Brodsky was in possession of a Guarnerius violin, previously owned by Charles Philippe Lafont
.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist.
He enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a performer and teacher, starting early in Vienna, going on to Moscow, Leipzig, and New York City and finally Manchester. During its course he met and worked with composers such as Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
and Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
.
Biography
He was born into an assimilated Jewish family in TaganrogTaganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
on the Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
. His grandfather and father were also violinists. He started music lessons at the age of five, a year after he first played his first violin, which he had bought at a fair. For four years he was taught music in his home town. Aged nine, he gave his first concert in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, where a wealthy person heard him and was so impressed that they provided Brodsky with the funds to study in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In 1860, he immediately started his studies at the Vienna Conservatory with Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr.
Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr.
Josef Hellmesberger, Sr. was an Austrian violinist, conductor, and composer.Born in Vienna, he was the son of musician and pedagogue, Georg Hellmesberger, Sr. , was taught violin by his father at the Vienna Conservatoire. Hellmesberger hails from a family of notable musicians including: brother,...
In Vienna, Brodsky met fellow student Hans Richter
Hans Richter (conductor)
Hans Richter was an Austrian orchestral and operatic conductor.-Biography:Richter was born in Raab , Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire. His mother was opera-singer Jozsefa Csazenszky. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory...
, with whom he became friends. Hellmesberger gave Brodsky the opportunity to play at numerous concerts and invited him to join the Hellmesberger Quartet
Hellmesberger Quartet
The Hellmesberger Quartet was a String Quartet formed in Vienna in 1849. It was founded by Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr. and was the first permanent named String Quartet.-Composition:...
to play second violin.
From 1866 to 1868 Brodsky was a member of the court orchestra. After ten years in Vienna, he toured for four years giving concerts. (One source says he toured Europe, another says Russia). After the tour he settled in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1873. Contrary to what some sources say, he did not study with Ferdinand Laub
Ferdinand Laub
Ferdinand Laub was a Czech violinist and composer.Laub was born in Prague. Due to the influence of his father Erasmus Laub , Ferdinand's first public appearance happened when he was 6 years old. At the age of 10 he had his own concert in Stavovské divadlo . From 1843-46 he studied at the...
. In 1875, Brodsky became second professor of violin at the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
, where he remained for four years.
In 1880 he married Anna Lvovna Skadovskaya in Sebastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
. On December 4, 1881, Brodsky premiered Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
's Violin Concerto in D major
Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky)
The Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1878, is one of the best known of all violin concertos. It is also considered to be among the most technically difficult works for violin.-Instrumentation:...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, under the baton of Hans Richter
Hans Richter (conductor)
Hans Richter was an Austrian orchestral and operatic conductor.-Biography:Richter was born in Raab , Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire. His mother was opera-singer Jozsefa Csazenszky. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory...
. Brodsky was the dedicatee of the concerto, after Tchaikovsky decided to withdraw the dedication from Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer was a Hungarian violinist, teacher, conductor and composer.-Early life and career:...
, offended that the latter would not to play it unless the composer made certain changes incorporating his unsolicited suggestions.
Later on, in 1883, after Henry Schradieck
Henry Schradieck
Henry Schradieck was one of the foremost violin teachers of his day. He wrote a series of etude books for the violin which are still in common use today....
moved to the College of Music of Cincinnati, Brodsky was called to fill his position at the Leipzig Conservatoire
Felix Mendelssohn College of Music and Theatre
The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig is a public university in Leipzig . Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatory of Music, it is the oldest university school of music in Germany....
. He remained in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
until 1891. He formed there his own string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, the Brodsky Quartet
Brodsky Quartet (Adolph Brodsky Leipzig)
The Brodsky Quartet was a String quartet led by Adolph Brodsky. It was established on 1884, while Brodsky was professor at the Leipzig Conservatoire. The founding members, aside from Brodsky were Ottokar Nováček , Hans Sitt and Leopold Grützmacher .In 1885, Hans Becker replaced Nováček and...
initially with Ottokar Nováček
Ottokar Novacek
; May 13, 1866, Fehertémplom , southern Hungary – February 3, 1900, New York City) was an Hungarian violinist and composer of Czech descent and is perhaps best known for his work Perpetuum Mobile .- Family lineage :...
(2nd violin), Hans Sitt
Hans Sitt
Jan Hanuš Sitt, known as Hans Sitt, , was a Bohemian-German violinist, violist, teacher, and composer. During his lifetime, he was regarded as one of the foremost teachers of violin...
(viola) and Leopold Grützmacher
Leopold Grützmacher
Leopold Grützmacher was a German cellist and composer.He was the younger brother of Friedrich Grützmacher and was a member of the Gewandhaus orchestra in Leipzig...
(violoncello). Upon Brodsky's later departure for the United States, Arno Hilf replaced him both as professor in the Leipzig Conservatoire and in the string quartet ensemble.
In October 1891, Walter Damrosch invited Brodsky to become concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
of the New York Symphony Orchestra
New York Symphony Orchestra
The New York Symphony Orchestra was founded as the New York Symphony Society in New York City by Leopold Damrosch in 1878. For many years it was a fierce rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York. It was supported by Andrew Carnegie who built Carnegie Hall expressly for the...
. Brodsky settled in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with his wife. In 1894, after three years in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he returned to Europe, with a short stay in Berlin; while he was there Sir Charles Hallé
Charles Hallé
Sir Charles Hallé was an Anglo-German pianist and conductor, and founder of The Hallé orchestra in 1858.-Life:Hallé was born in Hagen, Westphalia, Germany who after settling in England changed his name from Karl Halle...
invited him to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
to teach at the Royal Manchester College of Music
Royal Manchester College of Music
The Royal Manchester College of Music was founded in 1893 by Sir Charles Hallé who assumed the role as Principal. For a long period of time Hallé had argued for Manchester's need for a conservatoire to properly train the local talent. The Ducie Street building, just off Oxford Road, was purchased...
, and direct the Hallé Orchestra
The Hallé
The Hallé is a symphony orchestra based in Manchester, England. It is the UK's oldest extant symphony orchestra , supports a choir, youth choir and a youth orchestra, and releases its recordings on its own record label, though it has occasionally released recordings on Angel Records and EMI...
. He taught at the College from 1895 until his death, becoming principal in 1896. It was in England that he changed the spelling of his first name to Adolph. Among his pupils at Manchester was Arthur Catterall
Arthur Catterall
Arthur Catterall was an English concert violinist, orchestral leader and conductor, one of the best-known English classical violinists of the first half of the twentieth century.- Early training :...
, who later became a fellow professor at the College. While in Manchester he established his second Brodsky Quartet
Brodsky Quartet (Adolph Brodsky Manchester)
The Brodsky Quartet was the second String quartet established and led by violinist Adolph Brodsky.It was established on 1895 in Manchester, after Brodsky left New York and came to the English city to teach at the Royal Manchester College of Music, and direct the Hallé Orchestra.Brodsky played...
with Rawdon Briggs, Simon Speelman, and Carl Fuchs.
Brodsky worked on several occasions with Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
. He admired Elgar and had the opportunity to meet him in February 1900, when Hans Richter introduced them following a performance of the Enigma Variations
Enigma Variations
Variations on an Original Theme for orchestra , Op. 36, commonly referred to as the Enigma Variations, is a set of a theme and its fourteen variations written for orchestra by Edward Elgar in 1898–1899. It is Elgar's best-known large-scale composition, for both the music itself and the...
Richter conducted in Manchester. Carl Fuchs asked Elgar to compose a string quartet for the Brodsky Quartet. Several years later, in 1918, Elgar completed his String Quartet in E minor
String Quartet (Elgar)
The String Quartet in E minor, Op. 83, was one of three major chamber music works composed by Sir Edward Elgar in 1918. The others were the Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82, and the Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 84. Along with the Cello Concerto in E minor, Op...
, Op. 83 and dedicated it to the quartet.
In January 1927, as part of a series of events celebrating Elgar's 70 years of life, Elgar conducted the Hallé Orchestra in a performance of his Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto (Elgar)
Edward Elgar's Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61, is one of his longest orchestral compositions, and the last of his works to gain immediate popular success....
. Brodsky, then 75 years old and retired, was the soloist that night.
While he was in Leipzig, Brodsky held a Christmas dinner, at which Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, Tchaikovsky and Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
met. This sparked a friendship between Tchaikovsky and Grieg, who held high esteem for each other. (Brahms and Tchaikovsky, however, never liked or understood each other's music, although they had cordial and respectful relations personally.)
Brodsky was honoured with the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Order of St. Olaf in 1892. In 1902, Victoria University
Victoria University (UK)
Victoria University was an English federal university established by Royal Charter, 20 April 1880 at Manchester: a university for the North of England open to affiliation by colleges such as Owens College which immediately did so. University College Liverpool joined the University in 1884, followed...
conferred upon him an honourary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
degree.
Brodsky was in possession of a Guarnerius violin, previously owned by Charles Philippe Lafont
Charles Philippe Lafont
Charles Philippe Lafont was a French violinist and composer.-Biography:Born in Paris, he received his first lessons from his mother. He later studied with Rodolphe Kreutzer and Pierre Rode....
.
External links
- Bio
- About the encounter of Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Grieg
- Portraits of Adolph Brodsky in the National Portrait Gallery (Project Gutenberg free e-book)