Martin Pierre Marsick
Encyclopedia
Martin Pierre Joseph Marsick (9 March 1847, Jupille-sur-Meuse
- 21 October 1924, Paris
), was a Belgian
violin
player and teacher.
In 1854, seven-year old Marsick was admitted to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Liège
, to study violin with Désiré Heynberg (1831–1898). Graduating with the gold medal in 1864, he continued his studies in Brussels
with Hubert Léonard
and became the pupil of Joseph Massart
at the Paris Conservatory
in 1868.
In 1871, Marsick joined the newly established Société Nationale de Musique
in Paris and also founded a string quartet
. Between 1875 and 1895, he performed in concerts in collaboration with the leading conductors
in Paris - Charles Lamoureux
, Jules Pasdeloup
, and Édouard Colonne
, while also touring the rest of Europe
and the United States
. He played additionally with Joseph Joachim
and in a trio
with the cellist
Anatoliy Brandukov
and the pianist
Vladimir von Pachmann. From 1892 until 1900, he was a professor at the Paris Conservatory, where his students included Carl Flesch
, Jacques Thibaud
, and George Enescu
. In 1900, he deserted his wife Berthe Marsick née Mollot (1848–1923; married 1872; divorced 1910) and his pupils and fled abroad with a married woman. Although the woman later rejoined her husband and Marsick returned to Paris in 1903, his professional career never recovered from the scandal and he died in poverty.
Marsick's violin was made by Antonio Stradivari
in 1705 and has since become known as the Ex Marsick Stradivarius
. It was the instrument of David Oistrakh
from 1966 to 1974.
Marsick published a series of finger exercises entitled Eureka in 1906 and his La Grammaire du violon appeared in 1924. Besides these, he composed a quintet
Souvenir de Naples for strings
, flute
, and clarinet
; a piano quartet
; and a lyric drama, Le Puits.
Marsick's nephew, Armand Marsick, the son of his brother Louis François, was a major violinist of the 20th century.
Jupille
Jupille is a former Belgian municipality. It is now a part of the city of Liège.Jupille is the location of the brewery Piedbœuf , where Jupiler is made. It is also the death place of Pepin of Herstal...
- 21 October 1924, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
), was a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
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....
player and teacher.
In 1854, seven-year old Marsick was admitted to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, to study violin with Désiré Heynberg (1831–1898). Graduating with the gold medal in 1864, he continued his studies in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
with Hubert Léonard
Hubert Léonard
Hubert Léonard was a famous Belgian violinist, born at Bellaire, Liège. His earliest preparatory training was given by Rouma, after which he entered the Paris Conservatory in 1836, where he studied for three years under Habeneck. In 1844 he started his extended tours which established his...
and became the pupil of Joseph Massart
Joseph Massart
Joseph Lambert Massart was a Belgian violinist.He was born in Liège, Belgium. Despite being sponsored by the king, he was not accepted at the Paris Conservatoire because of his foreign status. He became a private pupil of Rodolphe Kreutzer...
at the Paris Conservatory
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
in 1868.
In 1871, Marsick joined the newly established Société Nationale de Musique
Société Nationale de Musique
The Société Nationale de Musique was founded on February 25, 1871 to promote French music and to allow young composers to present their music in public...
in Paris and also founded a 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...
. Between 1875 and 1895, he performed in concerts in collaboration with the leading conductors
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
in Paris - Charles Lamoureux
Charles Lamoureux
Charles Lamoureux was a French conductor and violinist.He was born in Bordeaux, where his father owned a café. He studied the violin with Narcisse Girard at the Paris Conservatoire, taking a premier prix in 1854. He was subsequently engaged as a violinist at the Opéra and later joined the Société...
, Jules Pasdeloup
Jules Etienne Pasdeloup
Jules Étienne Pasdeloup was a French conductor.His father was an assistant conductor at the Opéra Comique; he was educated in music at the conservatoire de Paris, leaving with a first prize in piano...
, and Édouard Colonne
Édouard Colonne
Édouard Juda Colonne was a French conductor and violinist, who was a champion of the music of Berlioz and other eminent 19th-century composers.-Life and career:...
, while also touring the rest of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He played additionally with Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant violinists of the 19th century.-Origins:...
and in a trio
Piano trio
A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music...
with the cellist
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
Anatoliy Brandukov
Anatoliy Brandukov
Anatoliy Andreyevich Brandukov was a Russian cellist who premiered many cello pieces of prominent composers including Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Born as Russian classical music was flourishing in the middle of the 19th century, he worked with many of the important composers and...
and the pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Vladimir von Pachmann. From 1892 until 1900, he was a professor at the Paris Conservatory, where his students included 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...
, Jacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud was a French violinist.Thibaud was born in Bordeaux and studied the violin with his father before entering the Paris Conservatoire at the age of thirteen. In 1896 he jointly won the conservatory's violin prize with Pierre Monteux...
, and George Enescu
George Enescu
George Enescu was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Enescu was born in the village of Liveni , Dorohoi County at the time, today Botoşani County. He showed musical talent from early in his childhood. A child prodigy, Enescu created his first musical...
. In 1900, he deserted his wife Berthe Marsick née Mollot (1848–1923; married 1872; divorced 1910) and his pupils and fled abroad with a married woman. Although the woman later rejoined her husband and Marsick returned to Paris in 1903, his professional career never recovered from the scandal and he died in poverty.
Marsick's violin was made by Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
in 1705 and has since become known as the Ex Marsick Stradivarius
Ex Marsick Stradivarius
The ex-Marsick Stradivarius of 1715 is an antique violin named for Belgian violinist and teacher Martin Pierre Marsick who owned the instrument made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona...
. It was the instrument of David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
from 1966 to 1974.
Marsick published a series of finger exercises entitled Eureka in 1906 and his La Grammaire du violon appeared in 1924. Besides these, he composed a quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
Souvenir de Naples for strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
; a piano quartet
Piano quartet
In European classical music, piano quartet denotes a chamber music composition for piano and three other instruments, or a musical ensemble comprising such instruments...
; and a lyric drama, Le Puits.
Marsick's nephew, Armand Marsick, the son of his brother Louis François, was a major violinist of the 20th century.