Hellmesberger, Ferdinand
Hellmesberger Joseph I, *3 November 1828 Vienna, †24 October 1893 Vienna, violinist and conductor, son of Georg I. He studied violin at the conservatory under his father’s tutelage and, at the age of 17, was already playing as a soloist in the Hofoper orchestra. He was a violin professor (between 1851 and 1877, he trained 147 male violinists and 7 female violinists) and, almost until his death, director of the conservatory, which achieved worldwide fame under his leadership. From 1851 to 1859, he was the artistic director and conductor of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde concerts, transforming the society’s amateur orchestra into a high-level professional ensemble. In 1859, he resigned from his position in the society in favour of J. Herbeck, but in 1870 he briefly took over the management of the choir. From 1860, he was Konzertmeister at the Hofkapelle. In 1849, he founded and led the string quartet until 1891, which was considered the best in Vienna from its first concert (November 4, 1849).
He had a significant impact on the musical life of Vienna due to his many years of activity as a teacher (he taught L. Auer, A. Brodsky, E. Rappoldi, among others) and concert performer (also as a conductor). The famous sound of the Vienna Philharmonic violins was to a large extent a result of Hellmesberger’s influence. The frequent public performances of his quartet brought chamber music back to Vienna’s concert life, which after the death of I. Schuppanzigh (1839) had been practised only in private homes, apart from the efforts of E. Jansa. The programmes of chamber concerts mainly featured classical works by Viennese composers – Hellmesberger was responsible for popularising Schubert’s quartets, as well as Beethoven’s late quartets and works by Brahms and Bruckner. Hellmesberger made many arrangements and transcriptions for the violin, and also composed, primarily pedagogical works, which today are of only historical significance.
Literature:
R.M. Prosl Die Hellmesberger. Hundert Jahre aus dem Leben einer Wiener Musiker-familie. Vienna 1947; A. Babbe Die „Dynastie Hellmesberger“ – Eine Familienbiographie, in: Wiener Schule, pp. 69–100, Vienna 2024
E. Tittel Die Wiener Musikhochschule. Vom Konservatorium der Gesellschaft der Musik Freunde zur Staatlichen Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst, Vienna 1967; H. i K. Blaukopf Die Wiener Philharmoniker. Wesen, Werden, Wirken eines grossen Orchesters, Vienna 1986; C. Hellsberg Demokratie der Könige: die Geschichte der Wiener Philharmoniker, Vienna, Mainz 1992; B. Boisits i Ch. Fastl Hellmesberger (Helmesberger), Familie, in: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikononline, 2019; A. Babbe Wiener Schule: Geigenausbildung bei Josef Hellmesberger, Vienna 2024.