In Georg Eduard Goltermann, born on August 19, 1824, at Hanover, A. Ch. Prell formed a distinguished Cellist. He received the last touch from Joseph Menter during his two years’ residence in Munich (1847-1849). He there also had instruction in composition from Lachner. After he had made some journeys from 1850-1852, he became music director in Würzburg, but remained there only a year, for he was summoned, in 1853, to be second Kapellmeister at the Frankfort Theatre, and became in 1854 first Director. Goltermann has also made himself eminent as a composer for his instrument. For the Violoncello, besides seven Concertos, he wrote a tolerable list of Drawing-room Pieces, which have received a considerable degree of favour.
Two other famous Hamburg Cellists are the Brothers Lee. The elder, whose Christian name was Sebastian, was born on December 24, 1805, in Hamburg, and was educated by Prell, the father. At twenty-five years of age he made his first début as solo player in his native town, as well as in Leipsic, and then undertook a journey, by Cassel and Frankfort, to Paris, where he arrived in April, 1832. He was heard then with approbation in the Théâtre Italien. In 1836 he went to London, and again returned to Paris, in order to join, as solo cellist, in the orchestra of the “Grand Opéra.” He devoted himself to this work from 1837-1868, when he returned to Hamburg, and died there on January 4, 1887. Seb. Lee published a considerable number of compositions for his instrument. Amongst them are Divertissements, Fantasias, Variations, Etudes, as well as a great number of easy and more difficult Duets, of which three books, under the title of “Ecole du Violoncelliste à l’usage du Conservatoire de Paris,” have been published.
Two scholars of Seb. Lee worthy of mention are Böckmann and Bieler.
Ferdinand Böckmann, born January 28, 1843, at Hamburg, enjoyed Lee’s instruction; and then Magnus Klitz,[122] who was at the time first Cellist at the Hamburg Stadt-Theatre, was his master. In the autumn of 1861 he found an appointment in the Dresden Court band, and was then, for a time, Kummer’s pupil. Böckmann is a clever Violoncellist, who made himself known extensively by the editing of old Violoncello music.
August Bieler, born on May 9, 1863, at Hamburg, began his Cello studies under Lee, in his fourteenth year, and continued them in Leipsic, where he went in January, 1879, to be under Karl Schröder[123]; at Easter, in 1881, he was received into the Sondershausen band, of which he has been first Cellist since 1885. He is at the same time giving instruction on his instrument at the Conservatoire of Sondershausen. Bieler, who is possessed of a remarkable technique, has distinguished himself both as a solo and quartet player. His tone is powerful and full of energy, but, at the same time, flexible and melodious, his manner of rendering full of expression and extremely musical.
Lee’s younger brother, Louis, who is reputed to have had great skill in bowing, was born in Hamburg in 1819. He also undertook several journeys, during which he appeared at Leipsic, Cassel, Frankfort, Paris, and Copenhagen. He published and wrote but very few cello compositions; amongst them, “Trois Pièces gracieuses,” with piano accompaniment, must have a prominent place.
Finally, another much valued Violoncellist of Hamburg, Albert Gowa, must be mentioned, who obtained his education in the Leipsic Music School, but on the Violoncello especially shared the instruction of F. Grützmacher and Davidoff. He made himself advantageously known by his public appearances, not only in German towns, but also in Copenhagen and London; accepted an engagement from 1867-1868 at the Philharmonic Society in his native town, and at the expiration of this he was appointed solo cellist at the Bückeburg Court; he then returned to Hamburg, where he is still living and working. He was born on April 14, 1843.
Some other German distinguished Violoncellists of modern times are Ripfel, Gross, Bockmühl, Néruda, and Alwin Schröder.
Karl Ripfel was a character, and moreover in his youth was a so-called piano phenomenon, until the Minister of Baden, de Touche, persuaded him to devote himself to Cello playing, and himself gave him instruction. In regard to the technical branch of his art he made great progress, but he was so nervous that he could never make up his mind, except during his youth, to appear in public. His manner of rendering must have been bizarre. Nevertheless he was a distinguished orchestra player; assisted by an extraordinary memory he was able to play the cello part in the opera without music on an occasion when his colleague would not turn over the page at the right moment. He belonged to the Frankfort Theatre orchestra for forty-five years. His grave has the inscription: “Carl Ripfel, of Mannheim, died March 8, 1876, at the age of seventy-seven years.” He must accordingly have been born in the year 1799. In the “Signalen für die Musikalische Welt,” of March 19, 1876, the following is asserted of him: “Although not known in an extensive circle, he was esteemed by Bernhard Romberg to be the greatest master of technique on his instrument, which he was at last able to manipulate almost as well as Paganini.”