Kneisel quartet
Encyclopedia
The Kneisel Quartet was a string quartet
musical ensemble
established in Boston
, USA in 1885. It existed until 1917, and in its time became recognised as the leading string quartet in the United States
. It also performed in Europe
.
1st violin:
2nd violin:
viola:
cello:
. Kneisel's training under Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr.
no doubt gave an important stimulus to the decision. The quartet remained settled at Boston until 1903, when its operational base moved to New York
. It ceased activity in 1917 owing to the high demand of teaching upon Kneisel's time. The farewell concert was given on 3 April 1917 in New York.
Charles Ives
considered a certain performance by the Kneisel Quartet "effeminate", and he was inspired to write a more virile quartet, which became his String Quartet No. 2.
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...
musical ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
established in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, USA in 1885. It existed until 1917, and in its time became recognised as the leading string quartet in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It also performed in 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...
.
Personnel
The personnel of the Kneisel quartet was as follows:- Franz KneiselFranz KneiselFranz Kneisel was an American violinist and teacher of Romanian birth.Born in Bucharest, the son of a German bandmaster, he learned to play the flute, clarinet and trumpet, as well as the violin...
(1885–1917)
2nd violin:
- E. Fiedler (1885–1887)
- Otto Roth (1887–1899)
- Karl Ondriček (1899–1902)
- J. Theodorowicz (1902–1907)
- Julius Röntgen (1907–1912)
- Hans Letz (1912–1917)
viola:
- Louis SvečenskiLouis SvečenskiLouis Svečenski was an American violist, violinist, and music educator of Croatian birth.Born in Osijek, Svečenski studied the viola at the Vienna Conservatory before moving to Boston, Massachusetts in 1885...
(1885–1917)
cello:
- Fritz Giese (1885–1889)
- Anton HekkingAnton HekkingAnton Hekking was a Dutch-born cellist and teacher. Born in The Hague, he served as first cello of the Boston Symphony from 1889 until 1891; he served in the same post for the New York Symphony from 1895 to 1898...
(1889–1891) - Alwin Schroeder (1891–1907)
- Willem Willeke (1907–1917)
Origins
The Kneisel quartet was founded at the time when Franz Kneisel first arrived in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Kneisel's training under Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr.
Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr.
Josef “Pepi” Hellmesberger, Jr. was an Austrian composer, violinist and conductor.Hellmesberger was son of violinist and conductor Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr. , who was his first teacher. Among his family of notable musicians include: grandfather, Georg, Sr. ; uncle, Georg, Jr...
no doubt gave an important stimulus to the decision. The quartet remained settled at Boston until 1903, when its operational base moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It ceased activity in 1917 owing to the high demand of teaching upon Kneisel's time. The farewell concert was given on 3 April 1917 in New York.
Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
considered a certain performance by the Kneisel Quartet "effeminate", and he was inspired to write a more virile quartet, which became his String Quartet No. 2.
External links
- The Love Family Papers at Irving S. Gilmore Music Library, Yale University correspondence of Helen Love Scranton, secretary to Franz Kneisel.