Willy Burmester

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Willy Burmester (16 March 1869, Hamburg-16 January 1933) was a German violinist.

He was a pupil of Joseph Joachim in Berlin, with whom he studied for many years. In 1885, however, he seceded from the Joachim school, and commenced to develop his technic with a view to achieving virtuosity rather than a classic purity of style.

He was a well-developed artist, however, and his taste was broad enough to include all schools of composition in his repertoire. His was at his best, nevertheless, as an interpreter of the works of Paganini, and his rendering of the classics was said to be somewhat cold and devoid of feeling. On the continent his reputation was very high. He failed, however, to make a great impression on his first visit to England and America, though his audiences were compelled to admire his marvelous technical feats, especially his left hand pizzicato, and rapid runs in thirds and tenths. His faulty intonation, however, interfered with his success somewhat.

In his later years, this defect improved very considerably, and those who heard him play at his later concerts were much impressed with his sterling musical qualities. He was somewhat hampered in his career, and was a considerable sufferer from having worn the end of his first finger down to the nerve.

This article is based on a text from the Etude magazine, prior to 1923, that is in the public domain.