The Violoncello and Its History

by Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski

Of Kraft’s compositions were published—six Sonatas for Violoncello, with Bass (Op. 1 and 2); three concerted Duets for Violin and Violoncello (Op. 3); a Violoncello Concerto, with orchestra (Op. 4); two Duets for two Violoncellos (Op. 5 and 6), and a Divertissement with Bass.

Amongst Kraft’s pupils his son, Nicolas, and Birnbach must be mentioned.

Henrich August Birnbach, born 1782 at Breslaw, went in 1792 to Berlin, and there learnt Piano and Violoncello playing. The year 1802 found him at Vienna, where he enjoyed the instructions of Kraft and was employed in the opera orchestra. Two years later Count Lubomirski engaged him for his private band in Galicia. But in 1806 he returned to Vienna, and in 1812 he accepted an engagement as first Violoncellist at the Theatre of Pesth. From 1822 to 1824 he remained at Vienna, occupied himself zealously with the “Chitarra coll’arco,” invented by a certain Stauffer, wrote a Concerto for it, and played it in a public assembly. In the year 1825 he at length received an appointment in the Hofkapelle at Berlin. He seems to have belonged to it until his death.

Nicolas Kraft, born at Esterhazy, in Hungary, on December 14, 1778, began his musical practice in his fourth year, on a large tenor which he possessed, something like a Violoncello. Two years later he played a solo before the Prince Esterhazy, which his father had written specially for him with this object in view. At eight years of age he made a tour, accompanied by his father, and performed at concerts favourably in Vienna, Presburg, Dresden, and Berlin. On his return, the young Kraft sought to fill up the gaps in his general education, which, until then, had been neglected, and this took up five years. During the time he only occupied himself with his instrument as a recreation. In 1796 he entered with his father into the Lobkowitz band. The prince, who took a great interest in the youth, and cherished the wish that he should cultivate still further his art, granted him the means of going through a course with Louis Duport at Berlin. This happened in the year 1801. He afterwards went to Holland, in order to be heard there. Prince Esterhazy meantime desired his speedy return, so that he could not pursue farther the journey he had begun. On his way home, he went to Leipsic, Dresden, and Prague, exciting great enthusiasm everywhere by his performances.

Nicolas Kraft was engaged in the year 1809 as solo cellist for the Imperial Opera, but retained also his connection with Prince Lobkowitz, who offered him a permanent salary, under the condition that he should never play anywhere without his permission, except in his Palace. This, however, did not continue, because the Prince fell into serious money difficulties from the year 1811, and was no longer free to dispose of his ruined fortune. But Kraft was indemnified in another manner. At the Congress of Princes in 1814, he played before an assemblage of crowned heads in Vienna, and the King of Wurtemburg experienced such great pleasure at his performances, that he named him his Chamber Virtuoso. He now settled at Stuttgard, and thence took a journey, in 1818, to the Rhine, which he extended as far as Hamburg. Here he became acquainted with Bernard Romberg, who gave him every encouragement, and showed it by giving with him two concerts publicly, when he went to Stuttgard in 1820. In the year 1824 Kraft wounded the first finger of his right hand, on account of which, after futile attempts at curing it, he was obliged to retire. He spent his pension in Stuttgard, where he died on May 18, 1853. Kraft composed for his instrument four Concertos, nine Duets (three of which are marked as “Divertissements”), a Polonaise, a Bolero, a “Scène pastorale,” a “Rondo à la chasse,” and two Fantasias, of which one is an arrangement of airs from the “Freischütz.” Nicolas Kraft had a son whose Christian name was Friedrich, whom he likewise educated as a clever cellist. He was born on February 12, 1807, in Vienna, and belonged to the Stuttgard band as chamber musician. Nothing further is known of him.

About the same time as Anton Kraft, Friedrich’s grandfather, Joseph Linke, the violoncellist already mentioned, was at work in Vienna for some years as a distinguished quartet player. He was born on June 8, 1783, in the Silesian town of Trachenberg, received his first instruction from his father, and after his death pursued his studies under a certain Oswald. In his twelfth year he went to the Dominicans at Breslaw. There his teachers in cello playing were Lose and Flemming; for theory he studied under the organist Hanish. Lose was a member of the theatre orchestra, and when he relinquished the post Linke took his place. He remained there, however, only until 1808, when he went to Vienna. He was engaged immediately by Schuppanzigh for the house quartet of Count Rasoumowski, which existed until the year 1816. After the dissolution of this Society, Linke was attracted to Croatia by the family of Count Erdödisch. Two years later he again appeared in Vienna, in order to work at the theatre there as soloist. Thirteen years later he received an appointment in the same capacity at the Imperial Grand Opera. His death took place on March 20, 1837.

Linke’s published cello compositions consist of a Concerto, three books of Variations, a Polonaise, a “Rondoletto,” and a “Caprice” on Rossini airs. Whilst the elder Kraft and Linke, whom Beethoven likewise held in great esteem, represented in Vienna violoncello playing from a purely artistic point of view,

Joseph Merk did so more especially on the virtuoso side. This artist, born on January 18, 1795, at Vienna, who was originally to have been a violinist, and had already in his younger years made great progress, had the misfortune to be bitten so severely by a dog that, even after the wound was healed, he was never able again to bring his left arm into the requisite position for violin playing. He therefore took up the Violoncello, on which he received instruction from Philippe Schindlocker.[114] Under his direction, Merk made such rapid progress that already after the lapse of a year he was engaged as quartet player by a Hungarian magnate. He remained at this post two years, when he made a tour through the Austrian dominions in order to make himself known in a wider circle. In 1816 he was appointed first Violoncellist to the Grand Opera at Vienna. Three years later he entered the Imperial Kapelle, and, in 1821, the Professorship for the Violoncello was entrusted to him at the Vienna Conservatoire, which institution later on acquired such importance in regard to instrumental music. He retained the latter office until 1848. In 1834 the Emperor named him his chamber virtuoso. Soon after he undertook a prolonged tour, visited Prague, Dresden, Leipsic, Brunswick, Hanover, Hamburg, and from the last-mentioned town went to London. In Vienna, Merk enjoyed great favour. “He was,” C. Hanslick says, in his “History of Vienna Concerted Music” (p. 245), “indefatigable as an industrious concert-giver, and continually encouraged by public sympathy. He frequently performed at Concerts with Mayseder, whose compositions he played by preference, and might properly be called the Mayseder of the Violoncello.... Merk also performed, as cellist, in Böhm’s quartet productions. As virtuoso he soon surpassed Linke as well as Friedrich Wranitzky. The latter, who was a son of the violinist and Kapellmeister, Anton Wranitzky, held a respectable position among the Viennese cellists of that period, and, about his twentieth year, frequently played Duets with his brother, the violinist, Anton Wranitzky, at concerts.”

Merk died in Vienna on July 16, 1852. Of his Violoncello compositions were published—one Concerto, one Concertino, one Adagio and Rondo, one Polonaise, four books of Variations, “Vingt Exercices” (Op. 11), and Six Etudes (Op. 20). Formerly these compositions were much played, but, in course of time, they have gradually gone out of fashion, like most of the Cello productions of that period.