Bernhard Molique

Wilhelm Bernhard Molique ( born October 7, 1802 in Nuremberg, † May 10 1869 in Cannstatt near Stuttgart ) was a German composer and violinist.

Life

Molique was born as the son of Alsatian bassoonist and violinist Christian Molique, the first also taught him. Even as a six- year-old he appeared in public. During a guest appearance in Nuremberg him Louis Spohr gave violin lessons. Later he studied violin with Pietro Rovelli (1793-1838) in Munich and then got a job at the Theater an der Wien. In 1820 he became successor Rovelli in the court orchestra of Munich. In the same orchestra also played flutist Theobald Boehm, with whom he became friends.

1825 married Molique; in marriage four daughters were born. In 1826 he was appointed as the successor of Franz Danzi to Stuttgart at the local court theater. Here, he was almost 23 years as a Royal Music Director and concertmaster. Several concert tours Molique among other things to Russia and England, and from 1849 to 1866 he worked in London as a performer, composer and teacher. In 1861 he was appointed professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music. The last years of his life were spent back in Cannstatt near Stuttgart, today Stuttgart- Bad Cannstatt. He is buried there in the cemetery Uff - Kirchhof.

Works

Molique was apparently largely self-taught as a composer. In his music influences of Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and especially by Spohr show. The developments of Berlioz, who praised commented on his violin playing and the New German School, he did not intervene on.

Molique has composed a symphony, six violin concertos ( the No. 5 was praised by Joseph Joachim ), in its time a very valued Cello Concerto, one still frequently played oboe concerto and a flute concerto. In addition, he created chamber music and vocal works, including two exhibitions and numerous songs.