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Laub, Ferdinand

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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Austrian violinist; born at Prague Jan. 19, 1832; died March 17, 1875, at Gries, near Bozen, Tyrol. He received his early musical education from his father, and when a young boy displayed a remarkable talent for music which aroused the interest of some musical celebrities, one of whom, Moritz Mildner, undertook the boy's future education. Laub received from the archduke Stephan a letter of recommendation to some musical notables in Vienna, whither the young man went in 1847, and there gave some very successful concerts. Thence he traveled to Paris, giving en route concerts at the principal towns of southern Germany.

Laub visited London for the first time in 1851; two years later he succeeded Joachim as "Concertmeister" in the Academy of Music at Weimar, and resigned this position in 1855 to become a teacher of the violin at the Conservatory in Berlin under the supervision of Stern and Marx. The following year he became "Concertmeister" of the royal orchestra and royal chamber virtuoso, in which capacity he gave a series of chamber concerts at which a number of classical and modern quartets were introduced, and which added considerably to his reputation.

In 1864 Laub joined Carlotta Patti, Jaell, and Kellermann in a long concert tour through the Netherlands and southern Germany. Two years later he became professor of the violin at the Conservatory in Moscow, and leader of the Russian Musical Society's concerts in that city. In 1874 ill health compelled him to resign these appointments. He composed an opera, "Die Griesbäcker"; an "Elegie"; two collections of Czech melodies; a "Polonaise"; and other solo pieces for the violin. Of these compositions the one now most frequently heard is his "Polonaise."