Fritz Giese, who was born on January 2, 1859, at the Hague. At ten years of age he was so forward that he was able publicly to perform Romberg’s second Concerto. He completed his studies under Grützmacher in Dresden and under Jacquard in Paris. After he had made a journey through Sweden and Denmark, he was for a year soloist in the Amsterdam Park orchestra, and then entered, as a member, into the Mendelssohn Quintet Club of Boston. As one of the chief supporters he took part for a long time in the annual concert journeys of the Society, which extended to North America and Australia. At present he is living as a soloist at Boston.
The fourth of the above-mentioned pupils of Ganz, Magnus Klietz, born on April 29, 1828, at Altenkirchen, on the Island of Rügen, began his musical career at fourteen as a pupil of the Greifswalder town music director, Abel. After a year’s instruction on the violin and various wood-wind instruments, he decided on learning the Violoncello, which he chose as his principal instrument. In 1848 he went to Berlin to the Concertmaster Ganz, pursued his studies under him for a year, and then selected Hamburg as his settled place of residence. In 1850 he was appointed first cellist at the Stadt-Theatre as successor to Joh. Aug. Jul. Goltermann. In this position he remained seventeen years, giving lessons as well. He then joined the Philharmonic orchestra and was one of the founders of the Quartet Union now existing in Hamburg.
After him, as a remarkable Berlin violoncellist, must be mentioned Julius Stahlknecht, born on March 17, 1817, in Posen. Both Drews and Wranitzki were his masters. Their method of instruction must have been good, for as early as twenty-one years of age (1838) Stahlknecht was so far educated that he was admitted into the Berlin Hofkapelle. He undertook later, in company with his brother Adolf, who was a respectable violin player, a concert tour; and with him and the addition of the pianist Carl Albert Löschhorn, from 1844 or 1846, he gave for some years, Trio Soirées, which were very popular with the Berlin public. After the death of Ganz he stepped into his place with the title of “Concertmeister.” In 1881 he was pensioned. He had as his successor the Cello virtuoso, Louis Lübeck. Of Cello compositions he published two Concertos and several smaller pieces besides—as, for example, Divertissements (Op. 3), a Fantasia (Op. 6), Three Pieces with Piano (Op. 8) and a “Serénade Espagnole” (Op. 11).
Stahlknecht formed an excellent cellist in Albert Rüdel, who was born on February 29, 1840, at Wittstock in East Priegnitz, where his father was musical Director. During the years 1859-1867 he pursued his studies at Berlin, under Stahlknecht. On June 1, 1867, he was appointed Royal Chamber Musician, and in the year 1880 solo Cellist of the Hofkapelle. Rüdel often had the honour from that time of being admitted to take part in the Royal Concerts. Kaiser William I. liked his playing, and repeatedly expressed to him his approbation. Amongst Rüdel’s compositions for the Violoncello must be mentioned: Romance (B major), Elegie (D minor), Introduction, Andante e Tempo di Valse, four Fantasias for Concert-room, and many little Drawing-room pieces for pupils. All these productions have a piano accompaniment.
Violoncello playing received a fresh impulse in Berlin by the opening, under the direction of Joachim, of a section of the Royal High School, on October 1, 1869, for executive music. The Belgian cellist, Jules de Swert, was one of the first to give the necessary instruction at the above-named Institute. Wilhelm Müller succeeded him from 1873-1876 in this office. Both masters were, however, at the establishment too short a time to pave the way for any important results. These were first attained by means of Hausmann’s appointment, who since the year 1876 has been working as teacher of Violoncello playing at the Berlin High School.
Robert Hausmann, born on August 23, 1852, at Rottleberode, in the Harz, frequented the Gymnasium at Brunswick, and benefited there, from 1861-1867, by the Violoncello instruction of Theodor Müller, who advanced him considerably. He was then Elève of the Berlin High School for Music, and there prosecuted his studies for three years, under the direction of Wilhelm Müller, nephew of the Brunswick master just mentioned. Finally, he went to Piatti, and under him pursued a course in London, and later on at his property at Caddenabia, on Lake Como. Shortly after Hausmann took an engagement with Count Hochberg, in Silesia, as Cellist of the string quartet formed by him, and after this was dissolved, in 1876, he was named second master of Cello playing at the Berlin High School for Music; three years later he rose to the position of regular teacher, and from that time he fulfilled the duties alone in his own department. In 1884 he received the title of Professor in acknowledgment of his deserving work.
Hausmann at the present time belongs to the most eminent masters of his instrument. He is not only a distinguished solo player, but also an excellent quartet player, which is evident from the fact that Joachim has chosen him as his usual quartet associate. Of the pupils formed by Hausmann, until now the following have specially distinguished themselves: Roth, Dechert, Prill, Koch, and Lüdemann.
Philipp Roth, born on October 25, 1853, at Tarnowitz, in Upper Silesia, occupied himself in his father’s house from his eighth to his twelfth year with violin playing, and then went over to the Violoncello. After he had for some time applied himself to quartet playing with his brothers, he became the pupil of Wilhelm Müller, and later on of Robert Hausmann, at the Berlin High School for Music. He soon took part in the lessons, conducted by Joachim, in quartet and orchestra playing, and also pursued the study of composition under Wilh. Taubert and Woldemar Bargiel. Settled in Berlin for eighteen years, he only left the capital in order to make concert tours, of which he undertook one three years ago into Russia. He, however, has devoted his powers chiefly to teaching. Roth has also been zealous in the publication of Cello literature. Besides his original compositions, he has published a long list of various kinds of attractive music pieces as arrangements for Violoncello and Piano, as well as a Violoncello school and a “Guide to Violoncello Literature,” which latter has also been published separately.[119] This list, which ought to be recommended, will, it is hoped, be continued and completed in later editions without delay.
Hugo Dechert, born September 16, 1860, in Potschappel, near Dresden, received from his father, who is a musician, instructions in violin playing at six years of age, and from his twelfth year in Cello playing. Until 1875 he profited by the instruction of the chamber musician, Heinrich Tietz, in Dresden. Then began Dechert’s practical work. At first he was for a year first Cellist in the orchestra of the Belvedere, on the Brühl Terrace, at Dresden, and then, after some concert tours in Saxony and Silesia, he was engaged at a Concert Orchestra in Warsaw. In 1887 he went to Berlin. There he had the good fortune, by the acquisition of a scholarship as well as by getting free instruction in the High School for Music, to pursue and complete his studies under the direction of Rob. Hausmann. Since 1881 he has belonged to the Royal Kapelle at Berlin, and he is also occupied as a much-appreciated concert and quartet player as well as teacher.
Paul Prill, born October 1, 1860, at Berlin, received from his father, a royal Prussian military bandmaster, his first lessons both in piano and violin playing. Later on the musical director, W. Handwerg, undertook his instruction on the piano, and the chamber musician, W. Sturm, the theoretical part. At the same time Paul Prill occupied himself in learning the “Cornet à piston” with his father. Only in his seventeenth year, after he had been performing at concerts with his brother and sister under the conduct of his father in Germany, was fulfilled his cherished wish to devote himself to Violoncello playing. In this the chamber musician, Mahnecke, assisted him by giving him gratuitous instruction. After a lapse of nine months he had made such rapid progress on the Violoncello that, having undergone a previous examination, he was received as a free pupil into the High School for Music. He frequented it for four years, and then entered the so-called master class, conducted by Bargiel, in order to perfect himself in the theoretical department; but at the same time he also benefited further by Hausmann’s tuition. He soon found an appointment as solo cellist in the Berlin Symphony Kapelle, as well as in the orchestra of the Italian Opera. From the beginning of September, 1882, until the end of April, 1885, he worked as solo cellist in the “Bilse Orchestra.” Such occupation did not suit him for a continuance; he aimed higher, and desired to devote himself to the conducting branch of music. After Bilse had dissolved his orchestra, he found an engagement as Director at the Belle Alliance Theatre, in Berlin. Occasionally also he performed the office of Conductor at the Wallner Theatre. This work, however, did not have the hoped-for result, as there seemed no prospect of a more remunerative sphere of conducting. Paul Prill then determined to accept the place of solo cellist at the German Opera at Rotterdam. With this the advantageous offer was made to him of performing at concerts in and around Rotterdam, yet he did not lose sight of his ambition in regard to the career of Conductor. His wish was fulfilled, for during some time he has been second Kapellmeister of the Rotterdam Opera.