Theodor Kullak (1818 – 1882) was a German pianist,
composer, and teacher. He was born in Krotoschin and
died in Berlin. Kullak was born in Krotoschin
(Krotoszyn) in the Grand Duchy of Posen. He began his
piano studies as a pupil of Albrecht Agthe in Posen
(Poznań). He progressed sufficiently to excite the
interest of the artistic Prince Anton Radziwill in his
eighth year. This early ability to attract noble
patronage was an art he continued to deploy to
advantage for many years to come. I...(+)
Theodor Kullak (1818 – 1882) was a German pianist,
composer, and teacher. He was born in Krotoschin and
died in Berlin. Kullak was born in Krotoschin
(Krotoszyn) in the Grand Duchy of Posen. He began his
piano studies as a pupil of Albrecht Agthe in Posen
(Poznań). He progressed sufficiently to excite the
interest of the artistic Prince Anton Radziwill in his
eighth year. This early ability to attract noble
patronage was an art he continued to deploy to
advantage for many years to come. In 1829 the prince
used his influence to secure a Berlin court concert. He
appeared with a soprano singer named Henriette Sontag.
The usually undemonstrative King Frederick William IV
was so delighted that he presented young Kullak with
thirty Friedrichs d'or. Six weeks in Berlin was a real
adventure which was topped off with a concert in
Breslau that was received with gratifying applause. The
kindly Prince Radziwill then saw to a rounded education
for Kullak, sponsoring his school fees in Sulechów
(now in Poland).
Kullak eventually lost Radziwill's patronage and from
the age of thirteen to eighteen had to make do with
just occasional access to a piano. At age nineteen, at
his father's behest, he opted for a sensible profession
and went to study medicine in Berlin. A new
aristocratic friend, Ingenheim, provided a small
stipend which allowed him music studies with Siegfried
Dehn and E. E. Taubert. Ingenheim was also instrumental
in providing him with several pupils of rank. Medicine
was not close to Kullak's heart. Music was a more
pressing vocation and in 1842 a Frau von Massows
interceded on his behalf in the right places, and
Frederick William IV placed 400 thaler at Kullak's
disposal, specifically for piano studies.
The 24-year-old opted for a Viennese education. Carl
Czerny happily took over his pianistic schooling, and
Otto Nicolai and Simon Sechter, the theoretical side of
things. Franz Liszt and Adolf von Henselt were also
highly revered influences. Kullak played a little in
Austria that year but in 1843 returned to Berlin where
Fraulein von Hellwig secured him the post of pianoforte
instructor to Princess Anna, the daughter of Prince
Karl. This was just the beginning. Kullak seemed
subsequently to make a speciality of teaching princes
and princesses of the Royal house, as well as the
offspring of many upper-class families who became aware
of his excellent professorial qualifications,
connections and, presumably, his unimpeachable
manners.
In 1844 Kullak founded the Tonkünstler-Verein in
Berlin and presided over it for many years. Two years
later, at the age of twenty-eight, he was made Pianist
to the Prussian Court, and four years after that
founded the Berliner Musikschule (also known as the
Kullak Institute) in partnership with Julius Stern and
Adolf Bernhard Marx. However, due to dissension in the
ensuing five years, Kullak retired from his institute,
which then became known as the Stern Conservatory, with
Hans von Bülow as a director.
In 1855 Kullak established a new school, the Neue
Akademie der Tonkunst, which proved a lasting success
and was affectionately referred to as "Kullak's
Academy." It specialised in the training of pianists
and became the largest private music school in the
whole of Germany. By the time of its twenty-fifth
anniversary it boasted a hundred teachers and eleven
hundred students. Kullak was made Professor in 1861 and
was also elected to honorary membership of the Royal
Academy of Music in Florence. Many other distinctions
were also accorded him.
His son Franz (1844–1913) received his musical
education at his father's Academy, and completed his
studies under Karl Wehle and Henry Litolff in Paris,
but abandoned a concert career because of a nervous
complaint, and instead taught at the Neue Akademie
where he succeeded his father as director upon his
father's death in 1882.
Kullak wrote a large amount of instructional piano
music. His Die Schule des Oktavenspiels (The School of
Octave Playing), published in 1848 and edited in 1877,
is especially well known. His other music, including a
piano concerto in C minor, and two sonatas, is very
rarely played today.
Theodor Kullak edited and annotated a 13-book edition
of the piano works of Frédéric Chopin that was
published by Schlesinger and co-issued by G. Schirmer
Inc. and others in the 1880s. (The complete edition is
available on IMSLP.) He also edited the complete piano
works of Felix Mendelssohn, including Songs Without
Words, published by C. F. Peters.
Among Kullak's many pupils were August Arnold, Alfred
Grünfeld, Heinrich Hofmann, Alexander Ilyinsky, Moritz
Moszkowski, Silas Gamaliel Pratt, Julius Reubke,
Nikolai Rubinstein, Xaver Scharwenka, Otto Bendix, Hans
Bischoff, Amy Fay and James Kwast. Noted Bohemian
pianist and composer Franz Bendel taught at the
academy.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Kullak).
Although originally written for Piano, I created this
Interpretation of "Schifflein auf dem See" (Little boat
on a Lake) from "Kinderleben" (Op. 62 No. 7) for String
Quartet (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC