As an older pupil of the Vienna Conservatoire (1835 to 1839), Joseph Huber must be mentioned, who was born about 1816 at Vienna. According to Fétis, he was heard during the years 1836 and 1837 at the Conservatoire Concerts. Several of his Violoncello compositions appeared at Vienna.
A succession of excellent German cellists emanated from the Prague Conservatoire, opened in the year 1811. At this Institution Johann Nepomuk Hüttner, born on January 1, 1793, was actively engaged as Violoncello teacher from 1822. He pursued his studies under J. Zimmermann. After they were concluded Hüttner joined the orchestra at the Pesth Theatre. Two years later he went to Lemberg. Thence he undertook, in 1820, a concert tour in Poland and Russia, after which he was appointed to the Prague Conservatoire, and the place of first cellist was immediately given to him at the theatre. His playing was distinguished by remarkable skill and delicate tone. In the Adagio his rendering was full of feeling. Hüttner was specially appreciated as a quartet player.
Hüttner formed an excellent cellist in his pupil, Franz Hegenbarth, born on May 10, 1818, at Gersdorf, in Bohemia. On May 1, 1831, he entered the Prague Conservatoire, and remained there as student until May 16, 1837. Count Kinsky provided him with the means for his artistic education. In May, 1865, the Professorship at the Prague Conservatoire was given to Hegenbarth; it had until then been in the hands of Moritz Wagner, Goltermann’s successor. He devoted himself to this until his death, which occurred on December 20, 1887.
Besides several other compositions, Hegenbarth wrote a Violoncello school, though nothing at all of his has been published. Amongst his pupils the following are distinguished: Lang, Grünfeld, and Wihan.
Anton Lang, born on November 10, 1850, at Carlsbad, from his tenth year played both the Piano and Violin, but decided at thirteen in favour of the Violoncello. In 1865 he became Hegenbarth’s pupil in the Prague Conservatoire. When his training was ended Lang was employed as solo player in several concert orchestras. Since 1877 he has been attached to the Grand Ducal Kapelle in Schwerin as first cellist, with the title of “Kammer Virtuoso.”
Heinrich Grünfeld, born on April 21, 1855, at Prague, went to the Conservatoire there, and profited by the instructions of Hegenbarth. In 1873 he became solo cellist at the comic opera at Vienna and filled this place for two years. In 1876 he went to Berlin, where he worked as teacher of his instrument. From time to time he undertook some successful concert tours in Germany, Russia, and Austria, with his brother Alfred. Everywhere his beautiful tone and his tasteful rendering were appreciated.
Hans Wihan, born on June 5, 1855, at Politz, in Bohemia, is likewise a pupil of the Prague Conservatoire, which he frequented from 1868 until 1873. At the end of this period he studied for awhile under the direction of Davidoff. His excellent performances procured for him the position of first Violoncellist in the Hofkapelle at Munich, which he filled for eight years with honour. In the spring of 1888 he was nominated to the Professorship of the Prague Conservatoire as successor to his master, Hegenbarth.
Another of Hüttner’s pupils, Selmar Bagge, must be cited, born on June 30, 1823, at Coburg.[115] He received his musical education from the year 1837 at the Prague Conservatoire, and after he had pursued a course of composition under Simon Sechter, became a teacher of the theory at the Vienna Conservatoire. He relinquished this post in the year 1855, and from that time was chiefly engaged in composition, until in 1868 he was summoned to Basle as Director of the music school.