Rudolf Kolisch Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010561022
General International Standard for Archival Description
Music Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2010
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Rudolf Kolisch Collection 1921-1943
Kolisch, Rudolf, 1896-1978
Biographical History for: Rudolf Kolisch Collection 1921-1943
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
Scope and Content Note The Rudolf Kolisch Collection contains thirty-one items, principally manuscript correspondence, that provide insight into the professional relationship between Kolisch and composers Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern, from 1921-1943. The Musical Analysis and Examples series includes materials related to Berg's Lyric suite and String quartet, op. 3. The Correspondence series consists of postcards and letters, chiefly from Webern to Kolisch, that discuss compositional progress and upcoming performances. Among the works mentioned are Webern's String trio, op. 20, String quartet, op. 28, Six bagatelles, op. 9, Fünf Sätze, op. 5, Symphony, op. 21, and Variations for piano, op. 27, as well as various compositions by Schoenberg, Berg, and Beethoven.
series
Musical Analysis and Examples
file
Berg, Alban
Analysis of Lyric suite
Fragebogen
Correspondence
Arnold Schoenberg to RK, 1943 Dec. 2
Anton Webern to RK, 1921 July 25
Anton Webern to RK, 1927 Aug. 13
Anton Webern to RK, 1927 Aug. 23
Anton Webern to RK, 1927 Sept. 7
Anton Webern to RK, 1927 Sept. 21
Anton Webern to RK, 1928 July 14
Anton Webern to RK, 1928 July 19
Anton Webern to RK, 1928 Sept. 22
Anton Webern to RK, 1929 Apr. 1
Anton Webern to RK, 1921 Aug. 8
Anton Webern to RK, 1924 Mar. 4
Anton Webern to RK, 1927 June 13
Anton Webern to RK, 1927 Oct. 9
Anton Webern to RK, 1928 Jan. 20
Anton Webern to RK, 1928 Mar. 11
Anton Webern to RK, 1928 Mar. 17
Anton Webern to RK, 1929 July 1
Anton Webern to RK, 1931 Mar. 21
Anton Webern to RK, 1934 Oct. 4
Anton Webern to RK, 1936 Nov. 7
Anton Webern to RK, 1937 Mar. 31
Anton Webern to RK, 1937 May 31
Anton Webern to RK, 1937 Dec. 22
Anton Webern to RK, 1938 Apr. 19
Anton Webern to RK, 1938 Dec. 1
Anton Webern to RK, 1938 Aug. 17
Anton Webern to RK, 1939 Mar. 30
Miscellaneous
[Unidentified drawing of a stage?]