David, Ferdinand 01/18/1810 - 07/19/1873

Short Biography:

Born: June 19, 1810 in Hamburg

Died: July 18, 1873 in Klosters (Switzerland)

He was a child prodigy on the violin and received his musical education in Leipzig, among other places.

David became concertmaster of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1836.

He also taught at the Leipzig Conservatory, which was founded by Mendelssohn.

Significance:

Ferdinand David played a key role in the development of Romantic violin technique.

Mendelssohn wrote his famous Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 for David – who also advised on its composition and gave the premiere performance in 1845.

Compositions:

David primarily composed works for violin, including:

Violin Concertos (e.g., Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 18)

Violin études and technical studies, which are still used in teaching today

Chamber music (string quartets, violin sonatas)

Orchestral works and songs

Legacy:

As a teacher, David shaped many important violinists of the 19th century.

His études and compositions remain part of violin pedagogy today.

He was a central figure in the Leipzig music scene of the 19th century.