A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Scheller, Jakob

SCHELLER, Jakob, born at Schettat, Rakonitz, Bohemia, May 12, 1759, a very clever violinist. He was thrown on his own resources from a very early age, and we hear of him at Prague, Vienna, and Mannheim, where he remained for two years playing in the court band, and learning composition from Vogler. After more wandering he made a stay of three years in Paris, studying the school of Viotti. He then, in 1785, took a position as Concert-meister, or leading violin, in the Duke of Würtemberg's band at Stuttgart, which he retained until the establishment was broken up by the arrival of the French in 1792. This forced him to resume his wandering life, and that again drove him to intemperance, till after seven or eight years more he ended ^[1]miserably, being even obliged to borrow a fiddle at each town he came to. He was more celebrated for his tricks and tours de force than for his legitimate playing. Spohr (Autob. i. 280) speaks of his flageolet-tones, of variations on one string, of pizzicato with the nails of the left hand, of imitations of a bassoon, an old woman, etc.; and Fétis mentions a trick in which by loosening the bow he played on all four strings at once. By these, and probably also by really fine playing, he excited so much enthusiasm, that it used to be said of him 'one God; one Scheller.' The same things have been done since by really great artists, such as Ole Bull, and even Paganini, and with similar effect on their audiences.

[ G. ]

1. Rochlitz, 'Für Freunde d. Tonkunst,' ii.