Willy Hess (violinist)
A violinist whose technical mastery and dedication to teaching shaped the sound of German string playing for generations.
1859–1928 (age 69)·German violinist·Birthday: July 14
Biography
Willy Hess served as concertmaster for the Frankfurt Opera, the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Nikisch, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. Born in Mannheim in 1859 into a family of violinists, he became a leading soloist and orchestral leader across Europe. His editions of classical violin works and his own technical studies became standard texts, passing a rigorous, clear-minded approach to technique to countless students. He held professorships at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt and the Berlin University of the Arts, leaving an enduring influence on the craft of violin playing.
#1 When Willy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1859
Willy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1859Born
1864Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1877Could vote
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1880Turned 21
Edison patents the incandescent light bulb
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1889Turned 30
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Turned 40
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 50
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 60
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Died at 69
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
Key Achievements
- Served as the concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1889 to 1895.
- Held the position of first concertmaster at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam from 1895 to 1903.
- Authored influential pedagogical works and critical editions of violin repertoire.
- Taught as a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts (then the Berlin Hochschule für Musik) for over two decades.
Did You Know?
He was the dedicatee of Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 58.
His father and grandfather were also professional violinists.
He premiered several important works, including a revised version of Robert Schumann's Violin Concerto.
“Every note from this violin must carry the weight of the entire tradition.”
