Christian Funke (born 1949) is a German violinist,

concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...

and

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

for violin. Since 1987 he has been the conductor of the Bachorchester zu Leipzig.

Career

Funke, born in

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...

in 1949, studied at the

Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber The Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber (Carl Maria von Weber College of Music; also/formerly known as Dresden Conservatory or Dresden Royal Conservatory) is a university of music in Dresden, Germany. History The Hochschule opened ...

from 1959 to 1966 and then continued his studies at the

Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (russian: Московская государственная консерватория им. П. И. Чайковского, link=no) is a musical educational inst ...

with Igor Bezrodnyi. After his ''

Staatsexamen The ("state examination" or "exam by state"; pl.: ''Staatsexamina'') is a German government licensing examination that future physicians, dentists, teachers, pharmacists, food chemists, psychotherapists and jurists (i.e., lawyers, judges, publi ...

'' in 1972, he was engaged as 1st

at the Staatskapelle Dresden. Since 1979, he was 1st concertmaster of the

Gewandhausorchester The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (Gewandhausorchester; also previously known in German as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig) is a German symphony orchestra based in Leipzig, Germany. The orchestra is named after the concert hall in which it is bas ...

Leipzig. As soloist, he has played many violin concertos, among others by

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

, Mozart,

Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often ...

Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throughout his life as a major compo ...

and Stravinski with the Gewandhaus Orchestra. Funke won numerous prizes in national and international competitions, including a second prize in the violin category at the 1968 edition of the

International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition The International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition (german: Internationaler Bach Wettbewerb Leipzig, links=no) is a music competition in Leipzig, Germany, held by the Bach-Archiv Leipzig. It was founded in 1950 and was held every four years from 1 ...

. In 1986, he was appointed

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

for violin at the

Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar The University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar (in German: Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar) is an institution of music in Weimar, Germany. The Hochschule Franz Liszt, who spent a great deal of his life in Weimar, encouraged the founding of ...

. He also holds an Honorary Professorship at the

University of Music and Theatre Leipzig The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig) is a public university in Leipzig (Saxony, Germany). Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn ...

. He has played several times Bach's ''Concerto for Two Violins'' together with

Igor Oistrakh Igor Davidovich Oistrakh (russian: И́горь Дави́дович О́йстрах; uk, Ігор Давидович Ойстрах 27 April 1931 – 14 August 2021) was a Soviet and Russian violinist. He was described by ''Encyclopædia Brita ...

and

Maxim Vengerov Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov (russian: Максим Александрович Венгеров, , mɐkˈsʲim ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ vʲɪnˈɡʲerəf; he, מקסים ונגרוב; born 20 August 1974) is a Russian-born Israeli violinist, ...

. Furthermore, he was able to win soloists like Sergei Nakariakov for the ensemble. As a soloist, he is a frequent guest with renowned orchestras and chamber music evenings or at music festivals like the Walkenrieder Kreuzgangkonzerte. Funke plays a violin from the famous Italian luthier Gagliano.Apple Music – Christian Funke
/ref> Numerous vinyl and CDs recordings are available.

Recordings

Georg Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

: ''Feuerwerksmusik'' (Deutsche Schallplatten, Berlin 1978 / 1980) * Claude Debussy: ''Späte Sonaten'' (Deutsche Schallplatten, Berlin 1980 / 1981) *

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most pop ...

: ''Virtuose Violinsonaten'' (Deutsche Schallplatten, Berlin 1983) * Tchaikovsky: ''Konzert für Violine und Orchester D-Dur op. 35'' (Deutsche Schallplatten, Berlin 1983) * Robert Schumann: ''Violinsonate Nr. 2 d-moll op. 121'' (Deutsche Schallplatten, Berlin 1985) *

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

: ''Tripelkonzert'' (Delta Music, Frechen 1987) * Cantabile. (Deutsche Schallplatten, Berlin 1988) * Tchaikovsky: ''Konzert für Violine und Orchester D-Dur op. 35'' (Magna-Tonträger, Berlin 1989) *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

: ''Traummusik Vol. 1'' (Magna-Tonträger, Berlin 1990) * Krebs – Kirnberger – Scheinpflug – Stamitz. (Pilz Media Group, 1990) * Tchaikovsky: ''Konzert für Klavier und Orchester no. 1 b-Moll op. 23'' (Magna-Tonträger, Berlin 1990) * Berühmte Konzertzugaben. (Magna-Tonträger, Berlin 1992) * Antonio Vivaldi: ''Le quattro stagioni'' (Image Concert, Herzberg / Harz 1994) * Robert Schumann: ''Sonaten für Violine und Klavier Nr. 1 & 2'' (Edel, Hamburg 1996) * Virtuose Violinsonaten. (Edel, Hamburg 1997) * Tchaikovsky: ''Konzert für Violine und Orchester D-Dur'' (Edel, Hamburg 1998) * Cantabile. (Edel, Hamburg 1998) * Claude Debussy: ''Kammermusik'' (Edel, Hamburg 1999) * Tchaikovsky: ''Konzert für Violine und Orchester D-Dur'' (Edel, Hamburg 2003) * After work hour / 4. (Edel, Hamburg 2004) * Tchaikovsky: ''Romeo und Julia'' (Edel Germany, Berlin 2006) * Moments of peace. (Edel Classics, Hamburg 2007) * Gute Nacht, schlafe sacht. (Edel Entertainment, Hamburg 2012) * Tchaikovsky: ''Konzert für Violine und Orchester D-Dur op. 35''. (DNB, Leipzig/Frankfurt, 2018)

References

External links

*
Christian Funke
auf Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek * {{DEFAULTSORT:Funke, Christian German classical violinists German performers of early music Concertmasters German music educators Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar Academic staff of the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig 1949 births Living people Musicians from Dresden Moscow Conservatory alumni