A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Abel, Accardo, John Adams, Alard, Albéniz, Albinoni, Albrechtsberger, Nicolo Amati, Anet, Arensky, Auer, home
A…
Carl Friedrich Abel
1723 — 1787
Viol Player, Composer
London contemporary and associate of Johann Christian Bach.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Abel |
Cello Concerto in Bb |
vc w/ orch |
1759 |
|
Abel |
6 Sonates, Op. 2 |
vn/fl w/ kbd vc |
1760 |
|
Abel |
6 Sonates, Op. 3 |
vn/fl vn bc |
1761 |
|
Abel |
6 Sonates, Op. 5 |
vn/fl w/ kbd vc |
1764 |
|
Abel |
6 Quartets, Op. 8 |
string quartet |
1769 |
|
Abel |
6 Sonates, Op. 9 |
vn vc bc |
1772 |
|
Abel |
6 Quartets, Op. 12 |
string quartet |
1775 |
|
Abel |
6 Sonates, Op. 13 |
vn kbd |
1777 |
|
Abel |
Duet |
2vc |
1778 |
|
Abel |
6 Quartets, Op. 15 |
string quartet |
1780 |
|
Abel |
6 Trios, Op. 16 |
string trio |
1783 |
|
Abel |
Symphonie Concertante |
vn ob vc w/ orch |
1783 |
|
Abel |
Violin Concerto |
vn w/ orch |
1783 |
|
Abel |
Cello Concerto in C |
vc w/ orch |
1783 |
|
Abel |
6 Sonates, Op. 18 |
vn kbd |
1784 |
Writings:
Violin School in 2 Parts, 1870 Cologne
Salvatore Accardo
born 1941
Violinist
Writings:
L'Arte Del Violino, 1987 Milan
born 1947
Composer — American
John Adams studied composition at Harvard, and was influenced by the 'minimalists' like Reich. He's perhaps most famous for his opera 'Nixon in China'
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Adams |
Shaker Loops |
7 chamber strings |
1983 |
|
Adams |
Violin Concerto |
vn w/ orch |
1994 |
|
Adams |
John's Book of Alleged Dances |
string quartet |
1994 |
|
Adams |
Road Movies |
vn pf |
1995 |
Delphin Jean Alard
1815 — 1888
Violinist, Composer, Teacher

Remembered as an important and prominent violinist, Alard served as violin professor at the Paris Conservatoire. His ‘Violin Method’ of 1844 still proves useful today. Born March 8, 1815, Alard’s studies took him to Habeneck’s Paris violin classes in 1827. Eventually, Alard succeeded Baillot at the Conservatoire. Alard's many successful students include the Spanish virtuoso Sarasate.
Alard married the daughter of the great French violin maker and dealer, Vuillaume. Through his father-in-law, Alard had access to some of the greatest instruments ever made. Alard owned some outstanding Stradivari violins, including the 'Messiah' and the instrument which is now named the 'Alard'.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Alard |
Fantasy on Original Themes, Op. 1 |
vn w/ pf/orch |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
6 Études, dédiées a Paganini, Op. 2 |
vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Fantasy on Original Themes, Op. 4 |
vn w/ pf/orch |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Fantasy on Original Themes, Op. 5 |
vn w/ pf/orch |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Quartet #1, Op. 8 |
string quartet |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
10 Études Mélodiques, Op. 10 |
vn w/ vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Fantasy from Donizetti, Op. 11 |
vn w/ pf/orch |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Souvenir des Pyrénées, Op. 13 |
vn pf |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Tarentelle, Op. 14 |
vn pf |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Concerto #1, Op. 15 |
vn w/ orch |
1851 |
|
Alard |
Études Brillantes, Op. 16 |
vn w/ vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
10 Études Caractéristiques de Concert, Op. 18 |
vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
10 Études Artistiques, Op. 19 |
vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Souvenirs de Mozart, Op. 21 |
vn w/ pf/orch |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
3 Elementary Duets, Op. 22 |
2vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
3 Duos Facile, Op. 23 |
2vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Fantaisie Caractéristique, Op. 24 |
vn w/ pf/orch |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Grand Duo, Op. 25 |
vn pf |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Barcarolle et Tarentelle, Op. 26 |
vn pf |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
3 Brilliant Duets, Op. 27 |
2vn |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Vilanelle, Op. 29 |
vn pf |
1850 ca |
|
Alard |
Symphonie Concertante #1, Op. 31 |
2vn w/ orch |
1859 |
|
Alard |
Symphonie Concertante #2, Op. 33 |
2vn w/ orch |
1859 |
|
Alard |
Concerto #2, Op. 34 |
vn w/ orch |
1860 ca |
|
Alard |
Studies, Op. 35 |
vn |
1860 ca |
|
Alard |
8 Fantaisies Facile, Op. 39 |
vn pf |
1863 ca |
|
Alard |
24 Grandes Études, Op. 41 |
vn |
1860 ca |
|
Alard |
L'Argonesa, Op. 42 |
vn pf |
1860 ca |
|
Alard |
Fantaisie de Concert on Themes from Faust, Op. 47 |
vn pf |
1860 ca |
|
Alard |
Morceaux de Salon, Op. 49 |
vn pf |
1860 ca |
|
Alard |
Art Moderne. Études de Genre, Op. 53 |
vn |
1872 ca |
Writings:
Ecole du violin: méthode complète et progressive, 1844 Paris
Maìtres classiques du violin (an anthology of older violin music), 1863 Mainz
Links:
Delphin Alard bio at: www.MusicOfYesterday.com
Isaac Albéniz
1860 — 1909
Composer, Pianist
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Albéniz |
Suite de Concierto (lost?) |
2vn va vc bs pf |
1883 |
|
Albéniz |
Berceuse, Op. 102 |
vn/vc w/ pf |
1891 London |
1685 — 1751
Composer, Violinist
Giuseppe Alberti became a member of the Bologna Accademia Filarmonica and played in the San Petronio orchestra.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Alberti, G. M. |
10 Concerti, Op. 1 |
vn w/ orch, concerto grossi |
1721 Bologna |
|
Alberti, G. M. |
Sonate a Violino e Basso, Op. 2 |
vn bc |
1721 Bologna |
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni
1671 — 1751
Composer, Violinist
Albinoni was an important early violin composer. J. S. Bach is known to have used Albinoni base lines in his teaching. As he did with other models, Bach occasionally transcribed, recomposed, and composed based on Albinoni material.
Born wealthy, Albinoni did not seek a church or court post. Somewhat insular to fellow musicians, Albinoni apparently was more sociable with nobility. A major composer of opera and stage works, Albinoni had a strong melodic gift and contributed in the development of instrumental genre, and violin music particularly.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Albinoni |
12 Sounate a Tre, Op. 1 |
2vn vc hpd |
1694 Venice |
|
Albinoni |
6 Sinfonies and 6 Concerti, Op. 2 |
2-3vn 2va vc bc |
1700 Venice |
|
Albinoni |
12 Ballettia a Tre, Op. 3 |
2vn vc hpd |
1701 Venice |
|
Albinoni |
6 Sonate da Chiesa, Op. 4 |
vn vc/bc |
1709 Amsterdam |
|
Albinoni |
12 Concerti a Cinque, Op. 5 |
3vn 2va vc bc |
1707 Venice |
|
Albinoni |
12 Trattenimenti Armonici per Camera, Op. 6 |
vn violone hpd |
1712 Amsterdam |
|
Albinoni |
12 Concerti a Cinque, Op. 7 |
1-2ob 2-3vn va vc bc |
1715 Amsterdam |
|
Albinoni |
6 Ballettia e 6 Sonate a Tre, Op. 8 |
2vn vc hpd |
1722 Amsterdam |
|
Albinoni |
Concerti a Cinque, Op. 9 |
1-2ob 2-3vn va vc bc |
1722 Amsterdam |
|
Albinoni |
Concerti a Cinque, Op. 10 |
3vn va vc bc |
1735 Amsterdam |
|
Albinoni |
6 Sounate a Tre, Op. 11 |
2vn vc hpd |
1739 ca |
|
Albinoni |
6 Sonates da Camera, posthumous |
vn hpd |
1740 Paris |
|
Albinoni |
6 Sounate a Tre |
2vn vc hpd |
1739 ca |
Francesco Alborea a.k.a Francischello
1691 — 1739
Cellist — Naples
Francischello was influential as an early cello virtuoso at a time when many still favored the Gamba.
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger
1736 — 1809
Organist, Composer, Theorist, Teacher
Albrechtsberger is remembered as one Beethoven’s teachers and for his composition treatise of 1790. Albrechtsberger settled in Vienna where he eventually attained a post at St. Stephan’s Cathedral. Though his compositions emphasize an older style, his mastery of counterpoint and fugue earned him the respect of Mozart and Haydn. Albrechtsberger's composition students include Hummel, Moscheles, and Beethoven.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Quartets and Fugues, Op. 1 |
string quartet |
1780 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Quartets and Fugues, Op. 2 |
string quartet |
1782 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 3 |
2vn 2va bs/vc/b |
1782 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Terzetti, Op. 4 |
2vn bc |
1784 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonates, Op.5 |
string quartet |
1786 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 6 |
3vn va bs/vc/b |
1783 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Quartets Op. 7 |
string quartet |
1787 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 8 |
2vn bc |
1789 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Terzetti, Op. 9 |
string trio |
1789 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 10 |
string quartet |
1792 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 11 |
vn va bc |
1795 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate |
vn vc |
1797 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sextets, Op. 13 |
string quartet w/ bs/b |
1798 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 14 |
vn va vc bc |
1798 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sextets, Op. 15 |
string quartet w/ bs/b |
1798 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 16 |
string quartet |
1798 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
3 Sonate for Double Quartet, Op. 17 |
double quartet |
1799 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 18 |
vn 2va bc |
1799 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
3 Sonate, Op. 19 |
string quartet |
1799 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 21 |
2va 2vc |
1801 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 22 |
2vn 2va bs/vc/b |
1803 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, as Op. 21 |
string quartet |
1803 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 23 |
string quartet |
1805 |
|
Albrechtsberger |
6 Sonate, Op. 26 |
string quartet |
1808 |
Writings:
Gründliche Anweisung zur Komposition…, 1790 Leipzig
'A Manual of the Ground Principles of Composition'
Links:
Johann Albrechtsberger bio at www.Naxos.com
MIDI samples of his Preludes and Fugues at www.kunstderfuge.com
1505 ca — 1577
Maker
Andrea Amati is perhaps the actual originator of the violin. Certainly he is the most prolific and successful of the first generation of violin makers. In his lifetime, the standards for the instrument were formative. His earliest violins may have had only three strings. It is also suggested that violas might slightly predate the violin, with Andrea Amati establishing the violin family based on the viola.
His fame and success in making violins was great enough that Charles IX of France commissioned a collection of thirty-eight instruments: 12 large violins, 12 small violins, 6 violas, and 8 basses. Very few of his instruments survive today. Part of the King Charles set, an Amati violin dating to 1564, and is perhaps the oldest extant violin. Part of the same set, Andrea Amati's cello dated 1572 is probably the oldest extant cello.
Today, Cremona and violin making are synonymous. Andrea Amati, his descendants, and the great apprentices of the house of Amati made it so.
Links:
Amati Family info at Smithsonian
Origins of the violin (www.classicol.com)
1596 — 1684
Maker
The grandson of Andrea Amati, Nicolo Amati stands at the root of Cremona’s golden age of violin making. Nicolo’s wonderful instruments rank with the very best ever made. Moreover, he trained a generation of great makers. His apprentices include Antonio Stradivari, Francesco Ruggeri, Giovanni-Batista Rogeri, Andrea Guarneri, and Bartolomeo Cristofori who later invented the piano.
At the time of Nicolo’s birth in 1596, violins were gaining in importance and general use. Nicolo's father, Geronimo and Nicolo's uncle, Antonio, inherited the family violin business from Andrea Amati and established the Amati Brothers as the leading house in Cremona. In 1630, plague devastated Cremona and killed Geronimo, leaving Nicolo as the new head of the Amati house, and the only significant maker left in Cremona. When in 1632 the Brescian master, Maggini, also died of plague, Nicolo was now the dominant Italian maker. In a very real sense, the secrets and traditions of Italian violin making were unified and transmitted through this one pair of hands.
From 1630, Nicolo’s shop furnished an ever growing demand for violins, and trained numerous apprentices. Nicolo appears to have put his own hand to the making until around 1670. One of his great achievements was the development of a larger “Grand Amati” pattern for violins.
Famous violins:
The Alard, 1649
Links:
pictures of historic instruments at www.metmuseum.org
Jean-Jacques-Baptiste Anet
1676 — 1755
Violinist
Anet studied violin with Corelli. In France, Anet played in the 24 Violons du Roi until he fell out of favor at the court.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Anet |
3 Sonata Sets |
vn bc |
1724 |
George Antheil
1900 — 1959
Composer, Pianist
George Antheil studied composition with Bloch.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Antheil, George |
Violin Sonata #1 |
vn pf |
1923 |
|
Antheil, George |
Violin Sonata #2 |
vn pf drums |
1924 |
|
Antheil, George |
String Quartet |
2vn va vc |
1924 |
|
Antheil, George |
Violin Sonata #3 |
vn pf |
1924 |
|
Antheil, George |
String Quartet #2 |
2vn va vc |
1927 |
|
Antheil, George |
Six Little Pieces |
2vn va vc |
1931 |
|
Antheil, George |
Sonatina |
vn pf/vc |
1932 |
|
Antheil, George |
Sonatina |
vn pf |
1945 |
|
Antheil, George |
Violin Concerto |
vn w/ orch |
1946 |
|
Antheil, George |
String Quartet #3 |
2vn va vc |
1948 |
Pietro degli Antonii
1648 — 1720
Composer — Bologna
Antonii joined as a member of Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Antonii |
12 Ricercate, Op. 1, for unaccompanied cello |
vc |
1687 Bologna |
|
Antonii |
Sonates Op. 4 |
vn org |
1676 |
|
Antonii |
Sonates Op. 5 |
vn org |
1686 |
Ivan Stephanovich Arensky
1861 — 1906
Composer, Teacher
Born in Novgorod, Russia, on July 12th 1861, Arensky studied composition at St. Petersburg under Rimsky-Korsakov. He became professor at the Moscow Conservatory, where his students included Scriabin and Rachmaninoff. In 1895, Arensky succeeded Balakirev as director of the Imperial Choir in St. Petersburg.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Arensky |
Quartet #1, Op. 11 |
string quartet |
1888 |
|
Arensky |
2 Pieces: Petite Ballet, Danse-Capricieuse Op. 12 |
vc pf |
1889 |
|
Arensky |
4 Pieces: Prelude, Serenade, Berceuse, Scherzo, Op. 30 |
vn pf |
1890 ca |
|
Arensky |
Piano Trio #1, Op. 32 |
piano trio |
1894 |
|
Arensky |
Quartet #2, Op. 35 |
string quartet |
1894 |
|
Arensky |
Piano Quintet, Op. 51 |
string quartet w/ pf |
1900 |
|
Arensky |
Violin Concerto in A minor, Op.54 |
vn w/ orch |
1891 |
|
Arensky |
4 Pieces: Eastern Melody, Romance, Sad Song, Humoresque, Op. 56 |
vc pf |
1895 ca |
|
Arensky |
Four Pieces, Op. 72 |
vn pf |
1902 ca |
|
Arensky |
Piano Trio #2, Op. 73 |
piano trio |
1905 |
Links:
Jacques Aubert
1689 — 1753
Composer, Violinist — French
Aubert played in the 24 Violons du Roi.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Aubert |
Sonatas, Op. 1 |
vn bc |
1719 |
|
Aubert |
Sonatas, Op. 2 |
vn bc |
1721 |
|
Aubert |
Sonatas, Op. 3 |
vn bc |
1723 |
|
Aubert |
Sonatas, Op. 4 |
vn bc |
1731 |
|
Aubert |
Concert de Simphonies, Op. 8 |
treble solo w/ bc |
1730 |
|
Aubert |
Concert de Simphonies, Op. 9 |
treble solo w/ bc |
1731 |
|
Aubert |
Concert de Simphonies, Op. 10 |
treble solo w/ bc |
1731 |
|
Aubert |
Concert de Simphonies, Op. 11 |
treble solo w/ bc |
1731 |
|
Aubert |
Concert de Simphonies, Op. 13 |
treble solo w/ bc |
1733 |
|
Aubert |
Les Amuzettes, Op. 14 |
various |
1733 |
|
Aubert |
Pieces, Op. 15 |
2vn/fl |
1734 |
|
Aubert |
Les petits Concerts, Op. 16 |
various |
1734 |
|
Aubert |
Six Concertos, Op. 17 |
4vn vc w/ bc |
1734 |
|
Aubert |
Concert de Simphonies, Op. 18 |
treble solo w/ bc |
1735 |
|
Aubert |
Sonates, Op. 24 |
2vn |
1738 |
|
Aubert |
Sonatas, Op. 25 |
vn bc |
1738 |
|
Aubert |
Six Concertos, Op. 26 |
4vn vc w/ bc |
1739 |
|
Aubert |
Les Jolis Airs, Op. 27 |
2vn |
1740 |
|
Aubert |
Les Jolis Airs, Op. 28 |
2vn |
1743 ca |
|
Aubert |
Les Jolis Airs, Op. 29 |
2vn |
1745 |
|
Aubert |
Les Jolis Airs, Op. 31 |
2vn |
1749 |
|
Aubert |
Les Jolis Airs, Op. 32 |
2vn |
1750 |
|
Aubert |
Les Jolis Airs, Op. 33 |
2vn |
1750 |
Leopold Auer
1845 — 1930
Violinist, Teacher — Hungarian
Leopold Auer taught a generation of great violinists including Nathan Milstein, Mischa Elman, Efrem Zimbalist, and Jascha Heifetz. His students were stars of the new recording age, but Auer himself had a strong link to the Romantic age. Alard , Joachim, and Dont counted Auer as a student, while his friendships and acquaintances included personalities like Clara and Robert Schumann.
Born in a small Hungarian town, Auer began lessons at six years old with the local music master: violinist, pianist, conductor, and organist in one. Leopold’s studies continued in Budapest where he attended conservatory and took private lessons with the father and first teacher of the great violinist Jenö Hubay. The Budapest conservatory program included systematic study of Alard’s Method and work on Rovelli’s Etudes. Later, Auer continued studies in Vienna in the home of Jacques Dont where among other things he studied the etudes of Kreutzer and Rode. Auer also participated in Joseph Hellmesberger’s violin classes, and graduated the Vienna Conservatory in 1858. In 1862, Auer entered Joachim’s class where, in addition to the general literature, they studied Rode, Paganini, and Ernst.
In 1868, Auer succeeded Henri Wieniawski as professor at St. Petersburg where he trained Jascha Heifetz and a generation of virtuosos. In 1918, Auer left Russia for America, eventually settling and teaching at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
Music for Strings:
|
Composer |
Music |
Scoring |
Dates |
|
Auer |
Rhapsodie Hongroise, Op. 5 |
vn pf/orch |
1870 ca |
|
Auer |
Réverie |
vn pf |
1901 |
|
Auer |
The Last Rose of Summer, Ballade Irlandaise |
vn pf |
1918 |
Writings:
Violin Playing As I Teach It, 1920 New York
My Long Life In Music, 1923 New York
Violin Masterworks and their Interpretation, 1925 New York
Leopold Auer Graded Course of Violin Playing in Eight Books (written with Gustav Saenger), 1926 New York
Fiddlers Two, Graded Course of Ensemble Playing (written with Gustav Saenger), 1927 New York
Links: