Georg Hellmesberger, Sr.

Georg Hellmesberger senior ( born April 24, 1800 Vienna, † August 16, 1873 ) was an Austrian violinist and pedagogue.

Life

The son of a former schoolmaster and accounting officers received Georg Hellmesberger first violin lessons from his father. But his musical path led him first to the Imperial Seminary as a choirboy and with 10 years - Franz Schubert below - as a soprano in the court orchestra.

After attending school in the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz probably intended for the study of theology, the young Hellmesberger but soon decided for the music profession. Even as a " dilettante " he gave his first concert in 1819, but then studied composition with Emanuel Forster and 1820 violin under Joseph Böhm at only a year previously established violin class at the Conservatory of the Society of Friends of Music. As of 1821 stood Hellmesberger Böhm already as a substitute teacher to the side before he was appointed as Adjunct Professor in 1825 and 1833 for real professor at the Institute.

When invited her concerts and to those of other musicians, he soon earned the reputation as " one of the ablest violinist in Vienna". As the successor Ignaz Schuppanzigh 1830 he became concertmaster at the Court Opera, a position which he held also in 1842, founded by members of the Court Opera Orchestra concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra later. 1830 Georg Hellmesberger was sen. been also already appointed a member of the court orchestra.

Well, inspired by Schuppanzigh and his teacher, Joseph Böhm, he was also an avid quartet player and as such had a good reputation. But he apparently joined with its partners Leopold Jansa, Matthias Durst and Giles Borzaga only at private concerts, which often took place in his own house in front of a select audience.

As a conductor Georg Hellmesberger was sen. only sporadically engaged as conductor of the Philharmonic Society concerts or Philharmonic concerts.

Special, who did much good in the first place as a violin teacher, were among his most important students, Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst, Joseph Joachim, Miska Hauser, Leopold Auer and his two sons, Josef Hellmesberger senior and junior George Hellmesberger. With these he made 1847/48 art trips to Germany and England.

1867 kicking as a violin professor in retirement, he was able to accept the decree of his son Joseph, who was director of the Conservatory since 1850. Six years later George died Hellmesberger sen., As a kind of ancestor of the " Hellmesberger musical dynasty ," and left as a composer include some solo pieces, a trio, a string quartet and two violin concertos.

His tomb is located at the Hietzing Cemetery in Vienna (Group 15, No. 4 D), where he was transferred after abandonment of the Währinger cemetery.