author
Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski
1822–1896
A violinist, conductor, and early music historian, he moved through some of the most important musical circles of 19th-century Germany. He is especially remembered today for his writing on instruments and performers, including a lasting history of the cello.
1 Audiobook
The Violoncello and Its History
by Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski
About the author
Born near Danzig in 1822, Wasielewski grew up in a musical family and later studied at the Leipzig Conservatory, where he was taught in the circle of Felix Mendelssohn and Ferdinand David. That training placed him close to the mainstream of German musical life at a formative moment.
He worked first as a violinist, including service in the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and later became closely connected with Robert Schumann in Düsseldorf, where he served as concertmaster. He went on to build a substantial career as a conductor, holding posts in Bonn, Dresden, and Sondershausen.
Alongside performing and conducting, he became known as a music writer and historian. His books on violin playing, the cello, and the history of instrumental music helped preserve 19th-century knowledge about performers, repertoire, and musical style, which is why his name still appears regularly in music history and reference works.