Henry Schradieck

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Henry Schradieck (April 29, 1846) was one of the foremost violin teachers of his day. He wrote a series of etude books for the violin which are still in common use today.

Born in Hamburg, he received his first violin lessons from his father, and made his first public appearance at the age of six. He studied under Leonard, in Brussels, where he gained first prize. Afterwards he went to Leipzig, where he became a pupil of David. In 1863 he became a soloist at the Reinthaler concerts at Bremen. The following year he went to Moscow as Professor of the violin. In 1868 Schradieck returned to Hamburg, to take up the position of conductor of the Philharmonic Society, vacated by Auer. After six years he became concert meister at the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, professor at the conservatory, and leader of the theater orchestra. His reputation as a teacher became very great and his duties very onerous.

In need of a complete change, he left Leipzig for Cincinnati, O., where he taught in the College of Music, and also organized a symphony orchestra. In 1889 he took up his old position at Hamburg, besides teaching at the Hamburg Conservatory. Subsequently he returned to America, becoming a teacher in New York, and in Philadelphia. In addition to writing pedagogic material for the violin in the way of studies and finger exercises, and earning the well-deserved reputation of being one of the foremost violin teachers of that day, he also interested himself in matters connected with the making of violins.