Ignaz Schuppanzigh

Ignaz Anton Schuppanzigh ( born July 20, 1776 in Vienna, † March 2, 1830 ) was an Austrian violinist and conductor.

Life

Ignaz Schuppanzigh was the son of a teacher who taught Italian at Theresianumgasse. As head of the string quartet of Prince Karl Lichnowsky he came in contact with Ludwig van Beethoven, whom he later taught in violin playing and with whom he remained lifelong friends. He also earned great merit in the enforcement of Beethoven's works in Vienna.

From 1795 headed Schuppanzigh conducting the famous Augarten concerts.

In 1804 he founded the famous Schuppanzigh Quartet, which over time, inter alia Mayseder Josef, Franz Weiss, Peter Hansel, Anton Kraft, Emanuel Aloys Förster, in 1808, the cellist Joseph Linke and from 1823 belonged to as a second violinist Karl Holz. The ensemble won soon the reputation of the best European string quartet and had great influence on the composers of the time. It is considered the first professional string quartet. 1808 to 1816 it was in the service of Prince Andreas Razumovsky. Many quartets of Beethoven, especially the technically difficult past, were premiered by Schuppanzigh and his quartet.

Franz Schubert devoted Schuppanzigh the String Quartet No. 13 "Rosamunde" in A minor, Op 29