Louis Spohr

Louis Spohr is one of music history’s Janus-like figures—his music looks simultaneously back to the forms and concision of the Classical period as well as forward to the greater expressiveness of the Romantics. In addition to being a prolific composer and virtuoso violinist, he introduced innovations including the violin chinrest and the score rehearsal mark. He was also among the first to use a baton when conducting. Born in Braunschweig in 1784, he held positions around Germany and spent notable periods in Vienna, where he was friends with Beethoven, and London, where he performed with the Royal Philharmonic Society. He wrote numerous operas, 10 symphonies, 36 string quartets, and a profusion of concertos, including 18 for the violin, and was considered by his contemporaries one of the leading composers of the day. He would have continued to be so regarded were it not for the rise of Mendelssohn and Wagner, whose emergence led to Spohr’s almost total eclipse following his death in 1859. It wasn't until the 1980s that recordings of his music proliferated and performances of a handful of his operas mounted, demonstrating that he deserves far better than the rather fusty reputation with which he was saddled during the 20th century.