Scan 88
Celebrated violinists, past and present; ("The Strad" library), 1897
10 lines. Read by computer on 18 September 2026. Printed page 76. See the scan on archive.org.
1influence he exerted for good over those who were striving to succeed that his name deserves to live long after his spirit has fled.
3Born at Mannheim on May 11th, 1833, he was first taught the violin by his father, but when Hartmann and Hildebrandt joined the Mannheim orchestra, they, too, supplemented his father's efforts to teach him. His chief teachers, however, were Vincenz Lachner for theory, and Concertmeister Kettenus for the violin. The former belonged to the Belgian school, and Becker used to say that to him he was indebted for the artistic insight he obtained into his art. When but eleven years old Becker was presented with the "Mozart gold medal" for the uncommon promise he showed as a violinist. After the completion of his studies with Kettenus, he went to Paris, where he obtained some instruction from Alard. But he was not suffered to remain long away from his own country, for on the death of Kettenus, he was summoned to succeed him as orchestral leader at Mannheim; and after he had occupied this post for a short time, the Grand Duchess Stephanie conferred upon him the title of "Chamber-virtuoso."
5In 1858 or 1859 Becker resigned his position as leader in order to travel, and we next hear of him in Paris, where he gave a series of three concerts which were so successful that he was invited to come to England to take part in the Monday Popular Concerts, an invitation which he gladly accepted. He was also for one season leader of the Philharmonic orchestra; before coming to England he went for a tour (in 1860) in North Germany.
7In 1865-6 he was travelling in Italy, and having settled for a time in Florence he founded the famous quartet mentioned above. Hilpert was the violoncellist, Masi the second violin and Chiostri the viola. The history of this quartet is of sufficient interest to bear reproducing.
9Like almost every well-educated violinist, Becker had always shown a strong fancy for quartet-playing, and already in Mannheim and Strassburg he had made
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.