Erich Gruenberg
Encyclopedia
Erich Gruenberg is an Austria
n-born British
violinist and teacher.
He was born in Vienna
in 1924 and studied there and at the Jerusalem Conservatory. He led the Palestine Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra 1938-45. He has lived in London
since 1946. In 1947 he won the International Carl Flesch
Violin Competition. He became a British subject in 1950.
Gruenberg started a solo career and has appeared in this capacity in many countries. He gave the first Russian performance of Benjamin Britten
's Violin Concerto, in Moscow
.
He has also been a leader of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
, the London Symphony Orchestra
, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
. In addition, he was formerly first violin with the London String Quartet (a later ensemble than the London Quartet
), and he has played chamber music on numerous occasions. Gruenberg is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music
in London
, and has participated as a music competition juror many times.
Erich Gruenberg has made numerous recordings, including the complete violin sonatas of Beethoven
, with David Wilde
. He also plays more modern repertoire such as Olivier Messiaen
, Berthold Goldschmidt
and Roberto Gerhard
.
Gruenberg also played on several recordings by The Beatles
, including as the lead violinist for the orchestral buildup on "A Day in the Life
". The group whimsically had him play wearing a prop gorilla paw on his bow hand.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n-born British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
violinist and teacher.
He was born 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 1924 and studied there and at the Jerusalem Conservatory. He led the Palestine Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra 1938-45. He has lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
since 1946. In 1947 he won the International Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch was a violinist and teacher.Carl Flesch was born in Moson in Hungary in 1873. He began playing the violin at seven years of age. At 10, he was taken to Vienna, and began to study with Jakob Grün. At 17, he left for Paris, and joined the Paris Conservatoire...
Violin Competition. He became a British subject in 1950.
Gruenberg started a solo career and has appeared in this capacity in many countries. He gave the first Russian performance of Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Violin Concerto, 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...
.
He has also been a leader of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is a Swedish orchestra based in Stockholm.The orchestra was founded in 1902 as the Stockholm Concert Society . The orchestra became a permanent ensemble in 1914. Since 1926, it has been based in the Stockholm Concert Hall...
, the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
. In addition, he was formerly first violin with the London String Quartet (a later ensemble than the London Quartet
London Quartet
The London String Quartet was a string quartet founded in London in 1908 which remained one of the leading English chamber groups into the 1930s, and made several well-known recordings.-Personnel:The personnel of the London String Quartet was:1st Violin:...
), and he has played chamber music on numerous occasions. Gruenberg is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and has participated as a music competition juror many times.
Erich Gruenberg has made numerous recordings, including the complete violin sonatas of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, with David Wilde
David Wilde
David Wilde is an English pianist and composer. As a boy he studied with Solomon and his pupil Franz Reizenstein, who had also studied composition with Hindemith and Vaughan Williams...
. He also plays more modern repertoire such as Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
, Berthold Goldschmidt
Berthold Goldschmidt
Berthold Goldschmidt was a German Jewish composer who spent most of his life in England...
and Roberto Gerhard
Roberto Gerhard
Robert Gerhard i Ottenwaelder was a Catalan Spanish composer and musical scholar and writer, generally known outside Catalonia as Robert Gerhard.-Life:...
.
Gruenberg also played on several recordings by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, including as the lead violinist for the orchestral buildup on "A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by The Beatles, the final track on the group's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song comprises distinct segments written independently by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with orchestral additions...
". The group whimsically had him play wearing a prop gorilla paw on his bow hand.