FRANZ XAVER NERUDA

Born 3rd December 1843 - Died 19th March 1915

 

 

The fifth son of Josef Neruda, he was born in Brno on 3rd December 1843, and died on 19th March 1915. He grew up in Vienna where he first learned to play the violin, and after the death of his brother Viktor, who played cello, took up playing the instrument himself. With his father and four siblings he performed throughout Europe in the Neruda Quartet, as also giving solo performances. In 1859 he studied cello for half a year with Adrien-Francois Servais. He later became a member of the royal chapel in Copenhagen. On 3rd December 1868 he founded a chamber music society and the following year he was named royal chamber musician. In 1869 he married the ballet dancer Camilla Cetti. After engagements in London and Manchester he moved back to Copenhagen. He was appointed by Anton Rubinstein as a successor of cello professor Karl Davydov at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. In 1891 he was appointed conductor of the Stockholm music society and in 1892 conductor of the Copenhagen music society, succeeding Niels Wilhelm Gade. In 1893 he was cello professor at the Copenhagen conservatory. After his death Carl Nielsen succeeded him as director of the Copenhagen music society and he composed a prologue for recitation and orchestra 'in Memoriam Franz Neruda'.

 

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