David Popper

David Popper ( born June 16, 1843 in Prague; † August 7, 1913 in Baden near Vienna) was a Czech cellist and composer.

Life and work

David Popper was the son of a Prague synagogue cantor, and grew up in der Josefstadt. He received his education at the Prague Conservatory with cellist August Julius Goltermann.

After that, he was in 1863 a member of the princely Hechingen'schen chapel in Lowenberg in Silesia. Inseparable is Popper's name until today with the Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 33 by Robert Volkmann ( 1815-1883 ), with whom he has enjoyed success from 1864 in Europe. In 1867 he made ​​his debut in Vienna. At the age of only 25 years occurred in 1868 at his service as principal cellist of the Vienna Court Opera, there recommended by Hans von Bülow. During these years he was also a member of Hellmesberger Quartet.

At the same time took his solo performances throughout Europe to such an extent that he was forced in 1873 to abandon the fixed point at the Court Opera again. During this time, Popper had already contacted the most important composers of the era, such as Anton Bruckner (whose Third Symphony, he strongly made ​​in the band), Richard Wagner ( of him but no longer invited after Popper had commented favorably on Brahms ) Johannes Brahms (with whom he also made ​​music later), and Franz Liszt.

In 1882, he went along with the French violinist Émile Sauret on a concert tour to Spain and Portugal.

In 1896 he settled in Budapest to teach at the conservatory, which was founded by Franz Liszt. Jeno Hubay With who taught violin at the Academy, he founded the Hubay -Popper Quartet, which played among others Johannes Brahms, Dohnányi, Ernst, Jan Paderewski, Wilhelm Backhaus and Leopold Godowsky. It was one of the leading string quartets for 30 years. Victor von Herzfeld, violinist and composer, also came to Budapest in 1886, became a professor at the State Academy of Music and Sekundarius the Hubay - Popper Quartet.

It soon became Popper also one of the most sought after educators in Europe, but without abandoning his concert career.

Popper knew both the orchestra and the solo repertoire of the time from his own concert experience, and also the chamber music repertoire was more familiar to him, not least because of his new job as cellist of the Hubay - Popper Quartet. Thus, Popper was increasingly aware of the fact that all of popular etudes and training material for cello, did not meet the increasingly higher requirements imposed by the flood of new solo concertos, sonatas and virtuoso pieces. The introduction of the spike had also possible that in the thumb position always virtuosic playing techniques could be used, and so did the cello parts in orchestral and chamber music works were becoming increasingly difficult.

In the years 1901, 1902 and 1905, the High School of Cello Playing now emerged in four books of ten Etudes, published by Friedrich Hofmeister. Dedications were Alwin Schroeder (1855-1928), known soloist at the time, who has used inter alia for Popper's E minor Concerto and the Suite In the forest, Bernhard Schmidt, Edouard Jacobs (1851-1925), professor at the Conservatoire in Brussels, and Odon ( Edmund ) of Mihalovich ( 1842-1929 ), composer and director of the Franz Liszt Academy. They were followed in 1907 and 1908, ten medium-duty large Etudes op.76 I and the 15 light, melodic and harmonic and rhythmic etudes op 76 II as a precursor to the High School of Cello Playing.

Until today, especially the latter held as a great standard work of teaching literature, thanks to the unprecedented consequence of the reduction of each etude to a few difficulties, but these are discussed and practiced in all variants.

Popper was not only one of the greatest virtuosos of his time, but also enriched the cello literature by a number of tasteful and appealing compositions significantly, including four concerts, many etudes and a number of salon pieces.

Already 1867 was Popper, been as accompanying instrumentalist of Carlotta Patti ( 1835-1889 ), in Baden near Vienna. Until the year 1913, he returned repeatedly returned to this city, with their Kurorchester he was on good terms. Immediately before his death Popper celebrated with his family, the ceremony of the Hungarian Councilor title; the symptoms of his heart attack - sudden breathlessness and weakness - were misinterpreted by those present as a sign of joyful excitement.

The body of the deceased was last will and testament for the cremation [note Transferred 2] to Dresden.

A large number of students, many of whom in turn were significant educators, led by Arnold Foldesy, Jeno Kerpely, Adolf Schiffer and Miklós Zsámboki, ensured that Popper celli matic legacy was carried on.

Family

David Popper was married from 1872 with pianist and Liszt pupil Sophie Menter ( 1846-1918 ). From this marriage his daughter Celeste was born ( born in 1876 ). After the divorce in 1886, he married twenty-three years younger than Olga Löbl. 1887 his son Leo was born, who died in 1911. Olga Popper came, like many other members of the family, in the gas chambers of the Nazis killed.

Awards, honors

  • Officer's Cross of the Franz- Joseph- Order
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