Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Note
Rudolf Kolisch (1896-1978) was a prominent Viennese-American violinist and string quartet player who played his instrument left-handed as a result of a childhood injury. His Kolisch Quartet gave seminal performances and premieres of chamber music that included compositions by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern. In 1935, Kolisch immigrated to the United States, where he developed a parallel career as a professor of music at the University of Wisconsin, the New England Conservatory of Music, and other institutions.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1896 July 20 | Born in Klamm, Austria |
| 1913 | Graduates from Vienna Music Academy and Vienna University |
| 1919 | Studies composition with Arnold Schoenberg |
| 1919-1921 | Plays a leading role in Schoenberg's "Verein für Musikalische Privataufführungen" (Society for Private Musical Performances) |
| 1921 | Forms the Wiener Streichquartett (Rudolf Kolisch, Fritz Rothschild, Marcel Dick, Joachim Stutschewsky) |
| 1924 | Arnold Schoenberg marries Kolisch's sister, Gertrud |
| 1927 | Forms the Kolisch Quartett (Rudolf Kolisch, Felix Khuner, Eugene Lehner, Benar Heifetz) |
| 1935 | Kolisch Quartett immigrates to the United States and makes its American debut performance at the Library of Congress |
| 1939 | Kolisch Quartett disbands |
| 1939 | Begins teaching at the New School for Social Research, New York |
| 1943 | Publishes his best known article, Tempo and character in Beethoven's music |
| 1944 | Becomes first violinist of Pro Arte Quartet |
| 1944 | Begins teaching at the University of Wisconsin |
| 1953-1958 | Teaches at the Akademie für Tonkunst and Ferienkurse für neue Musik in Darnstadt, Germany |
| 1967 | Begins teaching at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston |
| 1974-1977 | Teaches chamber music performance at the annual Schoenberg Seminars in Mödling, Austria |
| 1978 Aug. 1 | Dies in Watertown, Massachusetts |