Birth

:

December 19, 1882 in Czestochowa, Poland

Death

:

June 16, 1947 in Corseaux-sur-Vevay, Switzerland

Period

:

Classical

 

 

Romantic

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Bronislaw Huberman was a Polish violinist and composer who was born on December 19, 1882, in Czestochowa, Poland. He was the youngest of three children born to a Jewish family. His father, Jacob Huberman, was a textile merchant, and his mother, Helena, was a pianist who gave him his first music lessons. At the age of seven, Huberman began studying the violin with Mieczyslaw Michalowicz, a local violin teacher. He made his public debut at the age of ten, playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1896, he went to Berlin to study with Joseph Joachim, one of the most renowned violinists of the time. Joachim was impressed with Huberman's talent and took him on as a private student. Huberman's career took off in 1899 when he made his debut in Vienna, playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. He was only 16 years old at the time, but his performance was so impressive that he was immediately hailed as a prodigy. He went on to tour Europe, playing with some of the most prestigious orchestras and conductors of the time. In 1903, Huberman formed his own quartet, which included the pianist Ignacy Friedman, the cellist Ludwig Lebell, and the violist Bronislaw Gimpel. The quartet was highly successful and toured extensively throughout Europe. In 1906, Huberman made his American debut, playing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He was an instant success and went on to tour the United States several times. Huberman was known for his virtuosity and his ability to bring out the emotional depth of the music he played. He was particularly renowned for his interpretations of the works of Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. He was also a composer and wrote several works for the violin, including a violin concerto, which he premiered in 1927. In addition to his performing career, Huberman was also a humanitarian. He was deeply concerned about the plight of Jewish musicians in Europe, who were being persecuted by the Nazis. In 1933, he founded the Palestine Symphony Orchestra (now known as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra) as a way to provide a safe haven for Jewish musicians. He also helped many Jewish musicians escape from Europe and find refuge in Palestine. Huberman continued to perform and tour throughout the 1930s and 1940s. In 1947, he gave his last public performance in London, playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He retired from performing shortly thereafter and devoted himself to his humanitarian work. Huberman received many honors and awards throughout his career. In 1936, he was awarded the Goethe Medal for Art and Science by the German government. In 1940, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by King George VI. In 1955, he was awarded the Israel Prize for his contributions to music and culture in Israel. Bronislaw Huberman died on June 16, 1947, in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland. He was 64 years old. He is remembered as one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century and as a humanitarian who used his talent and influence to help others.

More....