Grützmacher, Friedrich (Wilhelm Ludwig)

Grützmacher, Friedrich (Wilhelm Ludwig), renowned German cellist and pedagogue; b. Dessau, March 1, 1832; d. Dresden, Feb. 23, 1903. He began his musical training with his father, and then studied cello with Karl Drechsler and theory with Friedrich Schneider. When he was 16, he went to Leipzig, where his talent so impressed David that he secured for Griitzmacher the position of 1st cellist in the Gewandhaus Orch. in 1849. He also taught at the Cons, from 1849. In 1860 he settled in Dresden as a member of the Hofkapelle, being named solo cellist in 1864. Among his students were Hugo Becker and Fitzenhagen. He composed concertos and other works for his instrument, as well as orch. pieces, chamber works, and songs. He also publ. Hohe Schule des Violoncellspiels (Leipzig, 1891). His brother, Leopold Griitzmacher (b. Dessau, Sept. 4, 1835; d. Weimar, Feb. 26, 1900), was also a cellist. After studies with his brother and Drechsler, he played in the Gewandhaus Orch., the Schwerin Hofkapelle, the Prague Landestheater Orch., and the Meiningen ducal orch. In 1876 he became soloist and prof, at the Weimar Hofkapelle. He also was first cellist in the Bayreuth orch. He wrote 2 cellos concertos and salon pieces for cello. His son, Friedrich Griitzmacher(b. Meiningen, July 20, 1866; d. Cologne, July 25, 1919), likewise was a cellist. He was a student of his father and of his uncle. In 1876 he made his debut in Weimar. After serving as 1st cellist in the Sondershausen Hofkapelle, he became soloist in the Budapest theater orch. He subsequently settled in Cologne in 1894 as soloist in the Giirzenich Orch. and Quartet, and as a prof, at the Cons.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire