Biographical Sketches

From "The Worlds Best Music" © 1908

Warlamoff, Alexander Jegorovitch
Born in Moscow in 1810.
A singing teacher of some prominence, he wrote a number of popular songs and pianoforte pieces.
He died in Moscow in 1849.

Warren, George William
Born in Albany, N. Y., August 17, 1828.
In 1860-70 he was organist of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Brooklyn, and from 1870 of St. Thomas' Church, New York. He also held the professorship of music in Columbia University. His compositions are largely church music, but he also wrote several pianoforte numbers.
He died in New York in 1902.

Weber, Karl Maria von
Born in Eutin, Germany, December 18, 1786.
His father was a musician, and Karl was well educated. He studied for time painting and engraving, but music was his passion. His first musical lessons were given by his step brother Fritz, and afterward he studied with Heuschkel, Michael Haydn, Valesi, and Kalcher. While under the last named teacher he composed an opera, "Die Macht der Liebe und des Weines", the score of which was lost or burned. In 1800 he produced "Das Waldmadchen", with little success. "Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn" (1803?) was his third opera. At Vienna in 1803 he became a pupil of Abbe Vogler. The next year he was made kapellmaister at Breslau; in 1806-10 he was private secretary to the Duke of Wurtemberg at Stuttgart; afterward he lived in Mannheim, Darmstadt, and other places; was appointed kapellmeister in Prague in 1813, and in 1816 was called to Dresden to organize and conduct the new German opera, of which he is regarded as the founder. In 1821 he went to Berlin and there brought out "Der Freischutz", the most celebrated of this compositions, which at once gave him rank with the great masters of his art.

In 1826 Weber visited London to superintend the production of his "Oberon", at the Covent Garden, where it met with an enthusiastic reception. Soon after this, pulmonary disease rapidly preyed upon him an ended his career. Besides other operas, the list of his works includes overtures, cantatas, concertos, the "Invitation a la Valse" and other piano pieces, songs, etc. As founder of the romantic school of German opera, Weber exerted a decisive influence upon later composers, especially upon Wagner and his followers.
He died in London, June 5, 1826.

Wieniawski, Henri
Born in Lublin, Poland, July 10, 1835.
He studied at the Paris Conservatory with Clavel, Massart, and Colet, was an instructor in the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1862-67, and in 1864 was appointed solo violinist to the Czar. In 1875-77 he was professor of violin in the conservatory at Brussels. His extensive tours included a visit to the United States with Rubinstein in 1872. Among his compositions are two concertos, several fantasias, salon pieces, and violin studies.
He died in Moscow, March 31, 1880.

Wollenhaupt, Hermann Adolf
Born in Schkeuditz, Prussian Saxony, September 17, 1827.
He studied under Julius Knorr in pianoforte, and Moritz Hauptmann in composition. From 1845 he was a teacher in New York. His compositions include nearly a hundred pianoforte pieces.
He died in New York, September 18, 1863.

Yradier, Sebastian
Born in Spain.
Of his life nothing is known. His numerous songs, particularly "Ay Chiquita" were at one time very popular. Heugel, of Paris, published an edition of twenty-five of them. "Ay Chiquita" was published in many languages and countries.
He died in Vittoria in 1865.