Ferdinand Laub facts for kids

Ferdinand Laub (born January 19, 1832 – died March 17, 1875) was a famous Czech violinist and composer. He was known for his amazing talent with the violin and for writing beautiful music.

A Musical Start

Ferdinand Laub was born in Prague, which is now the capital of the Czech Republic. His family was German Bohemian, but they had become part of the Czech community. Ferdinand started playing the violin at a very young age. His father, Erasmus, helped him make his first public appearance when he was just six years old!

When he was ten, Ferdinand played his first solo concert at the Stavovské divadlo, a famous theater in Prague. From 1843 to 1846, he studied music at the Prague Conservatory.

A Traveling Musician

Ferdinand began his adult career as a "virtuoso" in Vienna. A virtuoso is someone who is incredibly skilled at playing a musical instrument. In 1850, he traveled all over Europe, performing in many different places. He spent a longer time in Weimar and Berlin. In Berlin, from 1855 to 1862, he was a professor at the Stern Conservatory, teaching others how to play the violin.

From 1866 to 1874, he taught violin at the Moscow Conservatory. Many students learned from him, including Stanisław Barcewicz.

A Praised Violinist

Laub was a very admired violinist and won awards across Europe. Even the famous composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky called him "the best violinist of our time." Laub was the first violinist to perform Tchaikovsky's First and Second String Quartets. Tchaikovsky later dedicated his Third String Quartet to Laub after he passed away.

In 1868, Laub also played the solo viola part in Hector Berlioz's Harold en Italie at the Moscow Conservatory. Berlioz himself conducted the performance!

Later Life

Sadly, in 1874, Ferdinand Laub became ill with a lung disease. This forced him to stop working. Jan Hřímalý took over his teaching position at the Moscow Conservatory.

Ferdinand Laub passed away on March 17, 1875, while traveling to a spa in Meran, near Bolzano. He is buried in the Vyšehrad cemetery in Prague. His son, Váša Laub, also became a violinist and composer.

Musical Works

Ferdinand Laub wrote many pieces of music. He composed:

• Concertos: These are pieces for a solo instrument (like the violin) and an orchestra. He wrote a violin concerto, but it is now lost. He also wrote special solo parts (called cadenzas) for Beethoven's famous Violin Concerto.
• Chamber Music: This is music for a small group of instruments, often played in a room or "chamber." He wrote many pieces for violin and piano, including Élégie and Rondo scherzoso. He also wrote a String Quartet for four string instruments.
• Vocal Music: He composed songs for voice and piano, including collections called České písně (Czech Songs).

Images for kids

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  Ferdinand Laub

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  Bust of Ferdinand Laub in the Vyšehrad cemetery.

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  A monument to Ferdinand Laub in Prague