Period

:

Baroque

Genre

:

Concerto

 

Susanne Lautenbacher was a renowned German violinist who was born on June 26, 1931, in Munich, Germany. She was the daughter of a music teacher and began playing the violin at the age of four. Her father was her first teacher, and she quickly showed a natural talent for the instrument. Lautenbacher's talent was recognized early on, and she was accepted into the Munich Academy of Music at the age of 12. She studied under the renowned violinist Georg Kulenkampff and graduated with honors in 1950. She then went on to study with Max Rostal in London and with Yehudi Menuhin in Switzerland. In 1952, Lautenbacher won first prize at the International Violin Competition in Geneva, Switzerland. This was a major achievement for the young musician and helped to launch her career. She went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. One of Lautenbacher's most notable performances was her 1955 debut at the Salzburg Festival. She performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Herbert von Karajan. The performance was a huge success, and Lautenbacher received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. Lautenbacher was also a prolific recording artist, and she recorded many of the great works of the violin repertoire. Her recordings of Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin are considered to be some of the finest interpretations of these works. In addition to her solo career, Lautenbacher was also a dedicated chamber musician. She was a founding member of the Munich Chamber Orchestra and performed with many other chamber ensembles throughout her career. Lautenbacher received many awards and honors throughout her career. In 1961, she was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit for her contributions to the arts. She was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1978. Lautenbacher continued to perform and record well into her later years. She passed away on March 3, 2019, at the age of 87. Her legacy as one of the great violinists of the 20th century lives on through her recordings and the memories of those who were fortunate enough to hear her perform live.

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