A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Popper, David

POPPER, David, born June 18, 1846, at Prague, in the Conservatorium of which place he received his musical education. He learnt the violoncello under Goltermann, and soon gave evidence of the possession of a remarkable talent. In 1863 he made his first musical tour in Germany, and quickly rose to very high rank as a player. In the course of the journey he met von Bülow, who was charmed with his playing, performed with him in public, and induced Prince Hohenzollern to make him his 'Kammervirtuos.' Popper afterwards extended his tour to Holland, Switzerland, and England. At the festival conducted by Liszt at Carlsruhe in 1864, he was allowed to be the best of all the solo-players. In 1867 he played for the first time in Vienna, where he was made first solo-player at the Hofoper, a post, however, which he resigned after a few years, that he might continue his concert tours on a great scale. His tone is large and full of sentiment; his execution highly finished, and his style classical. His compositions are eminently suited to the instrument, and are recognised as such by the first living cello-players. His most popular pieces are the Sarabande and Gavotte (op. 10), Drei Stucke (op. 11), and a Concert Polonaise (op. 28).

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Early in 1872 Popper married Fräulein Sophie Menter, a very distinguished pianoforte-player, daughter of Joseph Menter the cellist, who was born at Munich July 29, 1848, and after a childhood of great precocity entered the Munich Conservatorium under Professor Leonhard. At 13 she left that establishment for private tuition under Niest, and at a later period under Liszt; in her isth year took her first artistic tournée; in 1867 appeared at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, and has since taken her place throughout Germany as one of the great players of the day.

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