Willy Hess (violinist) facts for kids

Willy Hess, a famous German violinist and teacher.

Willy Hess (born July 14, 1859 – died February 17, 1939) was a German violinist and a great teacher of the violin. He was known for his amazing musical talent and for helping many students become skilled musicians.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Willy Hess was born in Mannheim, Germany, on July 14, 1859. He started learning the violin when he was only five years old! His first teacher was his own father, who had learned from a famous musician named Ludwig Spohr.

When Willy was seven, his family moved to the United States. As a young boy, he often performed with his sister, Joanna, who played the piano. They traveled around the country and had many successful concerts.

In 1872, Willy moved back to Europe. He spent a year in the Netherlands and played music in many different cities. In 1874, he went on a long tour that included London, Belgium, and France.

Becoming a Professional Musician

In 1876, Willy Hess went to Berlin to study with Joseph Joachim, a very famous violinist. After two years, Willy became the leader of the orchestra at the Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera).

He later became a professor at the Rotterdam Conservatorium voor Muziek. In 1888, he moved to Manchester, England, to lead The Hallé Orchestra. He also taught violin at the Royal Manchester College of Music when it opened in 1893. By 1895, he was the main violin professor at the Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln (Cologne), Germany.

Teaching and Influence

From 1904 to 1910, Willy Hess was the concertmaster (the lead violinist) of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the United States. He also taught violin at Harvard University. He spent time as a concertmaster in Frankfurt and Rotterdam as well.

In 1910, he moved back to Berlin to become the top violin teacher at the Royal Academy of Music. A famous composer named Max Bruch, who was a friend of Hess, helped him get this important job. The Academy was a very important place for music, and Hess taught students from all over the world. One of his most famous students was Adolf Busch.

His Teaching Style

Willy Hess taught a special German way of holding and moving the violin bow. He focused on using the wrist a lot, with very little finger movement. This helped his students play with a smooth and clear sound.

Working with Composers

Willy Hess was not just a great violinist; he also played the viola very well. He performed in the first-ever concert of Max Bruch's Double Concerto for Clarinet, Viola, and Orchestra. He also played the first performance of the Violin Concerto by Felix Woyrsch in 1903.

Max Bruch even wrote a piece called the Concert Piece for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 84, especially for Willy Hess in 1910. Hess often gave advice to Bruch about writing music for string instruments. He also performed other new pieces by Bruch for the first time. Another composer, Arthur Foote, wrote a piece called Ballade, Op. 69, for Hess.

Willy Hess also played in a piano trio (a group of three musicians) with cellist Hugo Becker and pianist James Kwast. He played on a special violin made by a famous maker named Guadagnini.

Willy Hess passed away in Berlin in 1939, when he was 79 years old.

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