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RODOLPHE KREUTZER (1766–1831)
Rodolphe Kreutzer was born November 16, 1766 in Versailles, France. Kreutzer's father was a musician and inspired his son to follow in his footsteps, and possessing much natural talent, Kreutzer progressed quickly under the guidance of his father. He would later become a pupil of the influential composer and conductor Anton Stamitz, and at the early age of sixteen Kreutzer merited an appointment to the first violin in the Chapelle Roi, bestowed upon him by the Queen, Marie Antoinette.
This appointment began a successful career for Kreutzer, as it led him to a further appointment as solo violinist at the Théâtre Italien. It is here that Kreutzer composed many operas which enjoyed the utmost success and critical acclaim. This firmly established his reputation as a prominent violinist and composer, and held Kreutzer unaffected by the confusion brought about by the French Revolution.
During the upheavals of the Revolution, Kreutzer composed a work which made barely a stir in his time, but for which he is now most famous. Despite the success of his operas and the composition of nineteen violin concertos, Kreutzer's enduring contribution to violin pedagogy was made through the writing of the 40 études ou caprices in 1796 (two studies were later added, making 42 studies). These studies have remained unsurpassed in their usefulness, occupying a unique position in the literature of violin studies. Recognized by the masters of all schools of violin playing to be the basis of good technique, Kreutzer's 42 Studies are highly valued the world over.
In 1798 Kreutzer was involved in founding the Paris National Conservatory, and held his post as Professor of Violin there until 1826. Kreutzer, along with Pierre Baillot and J. Pierre Rode, composed the Conservatories official violin method which was published in 1802, called Rode, Baillot and Kreutzer's Method of Teaching the Violin. Rode and Baillot had both been pupils of Giovanni Battista Viotti, and including Kreutzer they comprised the four great representatives of the classical violin–school of Paris.
Due to an extended visit to Vienna where Kreutzer held several posts, he is also said to have come to know Ludwig van Beethoven. Although the extent of their acquaintance is not clear, Kreutzer was made the subject of the dedication of Beethoven's Sonata in A Major for Piano and Violin, Opus 47, now referred to as the Kreutzer Sonata.
Having held many positions throughout his life, Kreutzer's last appointment was that of conductor–in–chief to the Paris Conservatoire from 1817 to 1824. After the misfortune of breaking his arm, Kreutzer's career as a violinist and conductor ended abruptly, and it was at this time that his health began to fail. In an attempt to regain his health he moved to Geneva where he died in 1831.
- D. Wilson |
