Leopold Auer
The violin pedagogue of St. Petersburg who sculpted the techniques and careers of a generation's greatest virtuosos.
1845–1930 (age 85)·Hungarian violinist, academic, conductor, composer, and teacher·Birthday: June 7
Biography
Leopold Auer was not just a violinist; he was an institution. A gifted performer and composer in his own right, his true, monumental legacy lies in his teaching. For nearly five decades, he held the prestigious position of professor of violin at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, a post that made him the gatekeeper to excellence for aspiring musicians across the Russian Empire and beyond. In his studio, he forged the 'Russian school' of violin playing, emphasizing a singing tone, precise technique, and profound musicality. His roster of students reads like a who's who of early 20th-century violin: Jascha Heifetz, Mischa Elman, Nathan Milstein, and Efrem Zimbalist, among others. After the Russian Revolution, he transplanted his genius to America, continuing to teach and influence the musical world until his death.
#1 When Leopold Was Born
The biggest hits of 1845
Leopold's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1845Born
1850Started school
1858Became a teenager
1861Could drive
President: Abraham Lincoln
1863Could vote
President: Abraham Lincoln
1866Turned 21
President: Andrew Johnson
1875Turned 30
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1885Turned 40
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1895Turned 50
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1905Turned 60
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Turned 70
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Turned 80
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1930Died at 85
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
Key Achievements
- Served as the primary violin professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory for 49 years, shaping the Russian school of playing.
- Taught a legendary roster of virtuosos including Jascha Heifetz, Mischa Elman, and Nathan Milstein.
- Authored influential pedagogical works like 'Violin Playing as I Teach It' and 'Graded Course of Violin Playing'.
- As a performer, he was a celebrated soloist and the concertmaster of the Imperial Orchestra in St. Petersburg for many years.
Did You Know?
He initially turned down the dedication of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, deeming it unplayable; he later taught it to his students and published his own edition.
He was a friend and collaborator of composers like Brahms and Glazunov.
After leaving Russia in 1917, he taught at the Institute of Musical Art in New York, which later became Juilliard.
He was born Jewish but later converted to Christianity.
“Talent is not everything; you must have character as well.”
