Joesph Joachim

Samuel Oliver-Sherry
This presentation will take the form of two
short parts
PART 1: Biography
• Examining Joachim’s legacy within nineteenth century musical life
• Outlining his relationship with the Schumann’s and members of their
circle
PART 2: Music (N.B: this section will contain sound examples.)
• Showcasing the music written and dedicated to Joachim, both violin
and non-violin repertoire.
• Focusing on two short case studies of works dedicated to Joachim by
both Robert and Clara Schumann
 Early Career
28.06.1831:
• Born to Julius and Fanny Joachim in Köpcsény, Hungary (now known as Kittsee, in Austria)
• Seventh of eight children

1836:
• Studies violin with Polish violinist Stanisław Serwaczyński, the concertmaster of the opera in Pest (where family moved three years earlier)
• Said to be the best violinist in Pest (Joachim’s parents told not to choose an ordinary teacher)

1839:
• Continued his studies at the Vienna Conservatory, most significantly with Joesph Bohm who introduces chamber music to him

1843:
• Taken by his cousin to live and study in Leipzig
• Début performance in the Gewandhaus: Joachim played the Otello Fantasy by Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst.

27.05.1844:
• Played the solo part in Beethoven's Violin Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Society in London
• Philharmonic had a policy against performers so young, but Joachim’s clear maturity and talent granted exception
• Beethoven’s concerto had previously been seen as poor and second-rate, but Joachim is solely responsible for bringing it to public
popularity that it is known for today.
Members of Schumann’s circle before he meets them
Felix Mendelssohn: Franz Liszt:

• In the journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik Robert Schumann • Liszt took residence in Weimar in 1848,
was highly enthusiastic about Felix Mendelssohn, who had and was determined to re-establish the
become director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra in town's reputation as the Athens of
1835 Germany, particularly in a cultural sense.
• As Joachim moves to Leipzig in 1843, he became a protégé • Joachim was amongst the first of his young
of Mendelssohn, who arranged for him to study theory avant-garde disciples, vocally opposed to
and composition with Moritz Hauptmann and violin with the conservatism of the Leipzig circle. He
Ferdinand David. served as concertmaster, and embraced
• Mendelssohn conducted his first performance of the the new “psychological music”.
Beethoven Violin Concerto in London (1844), and • In 1852, however, he moved to Hanover,
expected great outcomes of the concert – he wrote of the marking his dissociation from these
"frenetic applause" as soon as Joachim stepped in front of musical ideals that now included
the orchestra, as well as how the "cheers of the audience composers like Berlioz and Wagner. His
accompanied every [...] part of the concerto.“ break with Liszt became final in 1857,
• Joachim had great respect for Mendelssohn also, calling when he wrote to him essentially saying
his violin concerto “the most inward, the heart's jewel” in that he couldn’t sympathise with his style
describing four of the great Austro-German concertos anymore.
(alongside Beethoven, Brahms and Bruch).
 The Schumanns and Joachim
•In 1853, Joachim was invited to perform Beethoven’s •Their first recital tour together was October–November •Like Clara Schumann among pianists, he represented a
violin concerto at the Lower Rhine Music Festival, by a 1857, where they took to the German cities of Dresden, new species of ‘ascetic’ violinist, subordinating himself to
committee headed by Robert Schumann. He was very Leipzig, and Munich. the composer rather than glorying in his virtuoso
successful, heralded as the most renowned musician in •St. James's Hall, opened in 1858, hosted a series of technique. This philosophy drew him inevitably to
Germany, but left a lasting impression on Robert "Popular Concerts" of chamber music, of which chamber music.
Schumann and his wife Clara, who were deeply impressed programmes from 1867 through 1904 are preserved. 18 of •Joachim's solo repertory remained relatively restricted. As
and formed a close connection with Joachim in the years these feature Clara and Joachim, alongside other a soloist he concentrated on just a handful of works:
to come. esteemed musicians like J. B. Zerbini (viola) and Alfredo Bach’s solo sonatas, the violin concertos of Beethoven,
•In December 1854, Joachim became the first person who Piatti (cello). These concerts will have included works such Mendelssohn, Brahms, Viotti, and Spohr, and his own
visited Robert at the Endenich asylum where he had been as piano quartets and piano trios, but on occasions where works.
since February. After Robert's mental breakdown in 1854 Ferdinand Ries (violin) is listed, some string quartets •It was Joachim who initiated entire recitals devoted to
and death in 1856, Joachim and Clara Schumann remained without Clara will have been performed. string quartets, and in them he presented the entire
lifelong friends sharing musical views (such as expressing •Over her career, Schumann gave over 238 concerts with classical repertory, from Haydn to Brahms.
the music over the performer, for instance) and frequently Joachim in Germany and Britain, more than with any other
performing together. artist. The two were particularly noted for their playing
of Beethoven's violin sonatas.

Initial meetings Clara and

and Robert’s Joachim’s Chamber music
death performances
 Johannes Brahms
Relationship Advice
• In the same festival as what introduced Joachim to the Schummans, Joachim met the • Brahms greatly valued Joachim's opinion
then publicly unknown 20-year-old Johannes Brahms: Joachim wrote very favourably of his new compositions. Early on, Brahms
of him (“his compositions already betoken such power as I have seen in no other already played and composed for the
musician of his age”), and strongly recommended him to the Schumanns, who were piano but he felt deficient in
equally as impressed. orchestration: in 1854 sent a score of the
first movement to his Piano Concerto
• Joachim and Brahms (mostly) remain strong allies throughout their careers until
Brahms’ death in 1897. Many notable moments of their friendship include: No.1 in D Minor (his first orchestral work)
to Joachim, requesting his advice, which
• 1860: Brahms and Joachim jointly wrote a manifesto against the "progressive" music he responded to very favourably (“I beg
of the 'New German' School such as Liszt, Wagner, etc. for some severe criticism”). The final
• Good Friday, 10.04.1868: Joachim and his wife joined in the celebration of one of manuscript of the concerto published four
Brahms' greatest triumphs, the first complete performance of his German Requiem years later shows many alterations in the
at the Bremen Cathedral. In addition to this work, Amalie Joachim sang "I Know that handwriting of Joachim
My Redeemer Liveth" and Joseph Joachim played Robert Schumann's Abendlied. • In 1878 while writing his violin concerto,
• 1884: Joesph and Amalie Joachim separated after he became convinced she was Brahms consulted Joachim (the dedicatee,
having an affair with the publisher Fritz Simrock. Brahms wrote a sympathetic letter more on this later), encouragement and
to Amalie, which she later produced as evidence in Joachim's divorce proceeding technical advice. Brahms asked Joachim
against her. This led to a cooling of Brahms' and Joachim's friendship, which was not to write the cadenza for the concerto, as
restored until some years later, when Brahms composed the Double Concerto as a he did. Joachim continued to promote
peace offering. Brahms’s music and was responsible for
• 1895: both Brahms and Joachim were present at the opening of the new Tonhalle at the first performances of many of
Zürich, Switzerland; Brahms conducted and Joachim was assistant conductor. Brahms’s chamber works, introducing
• 1899: Joachim makes a speech at the unveiling of Brahms’ new statue in Vienna them also to England.
 After Brahms’ death
22.04.1899:
• A concert in honour of Joachim was given by his former students of violin and viola playing, as well as cellists who had
studied quartet playing with him.
• The total of some 140 string players was impressive, as were their instruments (made by Stradivari, Guarneri, Bergonzi,
Amati, etc.)

1899:
• Joachim was invited to become president of the newly established Oxford & Cambridge Musical Club in London. He
remained club president until his death.
• He had already received an honorary Doctorate of Music from Cambridge University in 1877.

1903
• Joachim recorded five sides for The Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd (G&T), a fascinating and valuable source of information
about nineteenth century styles of violin playing to this day.
• These illustrations document his subtle command of rubato, his long-arched phrasing, and his sparing use of vibrato.
• He is the earliest violinist of distinction known to have recorded, followed by Pablo de Sarasate.

1907
• Dies at the age of 76, in Berlin
Concertos for violin Works for violin and piano Notable others
R. Schumann: Violin Concerto Various: F-A-E Sonata M. Bruch: Symphony No.2 in
in D Minor, WoO 23 F Minor, Op.36
M. Bruch: Violin Concerto No.1 C. Schumann: Three R. Schumann: Symphony
in G Minor, Op.26 Romances, Op.22 No.4 in D Minor, Op.120
M. Bruch: Violin Concerto No.3 P. de Sarasate: Spanish J. Brahms: Concerto for
in D Minor, Op.58 Dances, Op.21 Violin & Cello, Op.102
A. Dvorak: Violin Concerto in A F. Ries: Suite No.1 for Violin J. Brahms: Piano Sonata
Minor, Op.53 and Piano, Op.26 No.1 in C Major, Op.1
J. Brahms: Violin Concerto in A. Rubenstein: Nine Salon F. Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody
D Minor, Op.77 Pieces, Op.11 No.12 in C# Minor
M. Bruch: Damajanti, Op.78
 • Joachim met Brahms for the first time earlier that year (1852) on
a tour in Göttingen.

Why piano music? • It is unclear as to exactly why this work is dedicated to Joachim,
but a few theories point towards:
• Its extreme virtuosity and brilliant character, akin to much of
Joachim’s showpieces.
• Beethoven’s heavy influence: Joachim was partly responsible
for maintaining his legacy though rediscovering the Violin
Concerto and championing the string quartets
• The first movement of this piece heavily resembles the
Hammerklavier Sonata, both in terms of virtuosity and
texture.
• However, it is most likely that Brahms dedicated this piece to him
as he very much aided its publication. When he met the then-
unknown 20-year-old composer, Joachim instantly recommended
him to Schumann.
Johannes Brahms: Piano Sonata in C Major, Op.1
Peter Rosen, piano • As such, this piece (with his second sonata) was sent to Breitkopf
& Härtel with a letter of recommendation from Robert
Schumann, and this work shows signs of an effort to impress in its
symphonic grandeur, technical demands, and dramatic character
• Both Schumann and Joachim were the first to praise Brahms in
the enthusiastic manner that would greet his later music.
• Unlike the Brahms, however, there are several
reasons why Joesph Joachim is a good fit as a
dedication for Liszt’s twelfth Hungarian Rhapsody: Why piano music?
• Joachim was Hungarian! He would go on
arrange all 21 of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances
for violin and piano, as well as this piece later
(but not the others), and up until that point
Liszt had dedicated all of his Hungarian
Rhapsodies to different important Hungarians
in a vast array of disciplines – the only non-
Hungarian to be dedicated was Hans von
Bulow (no.14).
• This is much more akin to the showpieces and
technical brilliance that Joachim displayed in
his own repertory and compositions. Liszt’s
Hungarian Rhapsodies are very much
capriccioso in character, very much appealing Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No.12 in C# minor
to nineteenth century performance standard Evgeny Kissin, piano
at the time, and the virtuosity of this piece is
apparent throughout.
 Clara Schumann: Three Romances, Op.22

• After the Niederrheinische • 29th May: ‘Today I once

Musikfest of 1853, in more began … for the first
which Clara Schumann time for years, to compose
heard Joachim play (as again … but I find it very “The rest of us were applauded,
well as a joint rehearsal of difficult. – The break has and after Robert’s concerto the
Robert’s Violin Sonata, Op. been too long.’ orchestra presented me with a
105 the day after), a laurel-wreath, but Joachim won a
• 22nd June: ‘Composing victory over us all with the
sudden renewal of brings me great joy … Beethoven concerto – he played it
compositional interest and Nothing can surpass with a finish, a depth of poetic
inspiration came over her. producing [music] oneself, feeling, his whole soul in every
• There had been a five-year and be it only for these note, so ideally, that I never heard
gap between Op.19 (Three hours of self-forgetting, violin-playing like it, and I can truly
Partsongs, 1848) and where one breathes solely say that I have never received so
Op.20 (Variations on a in tones.’ indelible an impression from any
theme by Robert, 1853), • A little more than one virtuoso.”
and her diary entries week later she completed
reflect these struggles to the third of her Op. 22
return to composition Romances.
• In bar 35 of the first romance, in D-Flat Major, there is a subtle allusion to the first motive of Robert
Schumann’s violin sonata in A Minor, the piece that they had rehearsed together the day after the
festival in 1853. This melancholy sighing motive, to be played solely on the G-string, results in a
powerful climax of expression, coinciding with one of two perfect authentic cadences in this piece.
• However, this also alludes to Joachim’s own personal violin technique and preference: his favourite
“sul G” timbre was perhaps still in Schumann’s mind when composing this allusion, allowing her to
bring Joachim into this particular ‘conversation’ as well as both Schumanns.

Clara Schumann, Three Romances, Op.22 No.1 Robert Schumann, Violin Sonata, Op.105 Mov.1
Janine Jansen, violin (1:16) Ara Malikian, violin
Clara Schumann, Three Romances, Op.22 No.2 Clara Schumann, Three Romances, Op.22 No.3 Joesph Joachim, Drei Stucke, Op.2 No.1
Janine Jansen, violin (0:36) Clara-Jumi Kang, violin (3:10) Daniel Hope, violin (1:30; 4:00)

• The last two romances, however, are more nuanced when considering performative allusions to Joachim.
This time, however, it alludes to a performance of Clara Schumann with Joachim of Joachim, his own
Romance in B-Flat Major, Op. 2 No.1.
• In Op. 22 No. 2, bar 27, Schumann explores an expressive diminished-seventh leap, E♭–F♯, which also features prominently in
Joachim’s romance.
• In No.3, while the key centre of B-Flat is shared among the two works, the final passages of both Romances present a
cascading line in quaver-notes from E♭–C–A–F–E♭ in the high register of the violin, with only a minor difference of a G♭
present in Schumann’s descent.

• These are merely ‘moments of familiarity’, an in-joke by performers performing these pieces back-to-
back. However, for us it highlights their close interaction in 1853 which evidently allowed a true
partnership to emerge.
 Robert Schumann, Romanze in F minor, fragment, for piano solo (Schumann, Thematisch-Bibliographisches
1829
Werkverzeichnis F2)
Clara and Joesph’s goals in 1833 Clara Wieck, Romance variée in C major, Op. 3, for piano solo
1835 Robert, Romanze in B♭ major, Albumblätter, Op. 124 No. 11 (published 1854), for piano solo
composing Op. 22 and Op. 2 seem to 1835 Clara, Romanze in A♭ major, second movement of Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7
be quite similar, in that both bypass 1836 Clara, Romance in B major, Pièces caractéristiques, Op. 5 No. 3, for piano solo
the most famous violin romance 1838 Robert, Romanze in D minor, Scherzo, Gigue, Romanze und Fughette, Op. 32 No. 3 (published 1839)
1839 Robert, Romanze in G minor, Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 No. 2
model referenced in standard 1839 Clara, Trois Romances in E♭ minor, G minor and A♭ major, Op. 11, for piano solo (published 1840);
dictionaries: 1839 Robert, Drei Romanzen in B♭ minor, F♯ major and B major, Op. 28, for piano solo (published 1840)
1841 Robert, Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120, Romanze in A minor (revised 1851)
• rondo form 1842 Robert, Romanze in A minor, Fantasiestücke, Op. 88 No. 1, for violin, cello and piano (published 1850)
1848 Robert, Kleine Romanze in A minor, Album für die Jugend, Op. 68 No. 19, for piano
• pastoral and topical connotations 1849 Robert, Adagio [orig. Romanze] und Allegro in A♭ major, Op. 70, for horn and piano
• an orchestral accompaniment 1849
Robert, Drei Romanzen in A minor, A major and A minor, Op. 94, for oboe (violin) and piano (published
1851)
Schumann and Joachim instead 1850 Joachim, Romanze in C major, for violin and piano
Robert, Drei Fantasiestücke [Romanzen] in C minor, A♭ major and C minor, Op. 111, for piano (published
allowed the romance to be less 1851
1852)
formally standardized, freer in its 1852 Joachim, Drei Stücke, Op. 2, ‘Romanze’ No. 1 in B♭ major, for violin and piano
harmonic language and rich in 1853
Clara Schumann, Drei Romanzen in A minor, F major and G minor, Op. 21, for piano solo (Nos. 2 and 3
published 1855)
various subtle ‘conversational’ 1853 Clara, Drei Romanzen in D♭ major, G minor and B♭ major, Op. 22, for violin and piano (published in 1855)
musical nuances, Robert, Fünf Romanzen (Schumann, T-BW E7), for cello and piano (lost)
Clara, Drei Romanzen in A minor, F major and G minor, Op. 21, for piano solo (with new substitute for No.
1855
This was pivotal in proving that 1)
1856 Clara, Romanze in B minor, for piano solo
several decades separated it from its
1857–
French eighteenth-century origin. 59
Joachim, Hungarian Concerto, ‘Romanze’ (second movement)
1873 Brahms, Romanze in A♭ major, String Quartet in C minor, Op. 51 No. 1, Adagio
1893 Brahms, Romanze in F major, Op. 118 No. 5 (dedicated to Schumann)