BronisÅ‚aw Huberman (19 December 1882 – 16 June 1947) was a Polish
violinist. He was known for his individualistic interpretations and was praised for his tone color, expressiveness, and flexibility. The ''
Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius'' violin, which bears his name, was stolen twice and recovered once during the period in which he owned the instrument. Huberman is also remembered for founding the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (then known as the Palestine Symphony Orchestra) and thus providing refuge from the
Third Reich
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
for nearly 1,000 European Jews.
Biography
Huberman was born in
Częstochowa
Częstochowa ( , ) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship. However, Częstochowa is historically part of Lesser Poland, not Si ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, to a
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
family. In his youth he was a pupil of
Mieczysław Michałowicz and
Maurycy Rosen at the
Warsaw Conservatory, and of
Isidor Lotto in Paris. In 1892 he studied under
Joseph Joachim in Berlin. Despite being only ten years old, he dazzled Joachim with performances of
Louis Spohr,
Henri Vieuxtemps, and the transcription of a
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for Piano solo, solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown ...
nocturne. However, the two did not get along well, and after Huberman's fourteenth birthday he took no more lessons. In 1893 he toured the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
and
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
as a virtuoso performer. Around this time, the six-year-old
Arthur Rubinstein attended one of Huberman's concerts. Rubinstein's parents invited Huberman back to their house and the two boys struck up what would become a lifetime friendship. In 1894
Adelina Patti invited Huberman to participate in her farewell gala in London, which he did, and in the following year he actually eclipsed her in appearances in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. In 1896 he performed the violin concerto of
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...
in the presence of the composer, who was stunned by the quality of his playing.
He married the German actress
Elza Galafrés (also described as a singer and ballerina). They had a son, Johannes, but the marriage did not last. She later met the Hungarian composer and pianist
Ernő Dohnányi
Ernő or Erno is a Finnish language, Finnish and Hungarian language, Hungarian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include:
*Ernő Balogh (1897-1989), Hungarian pianist, composer, editor, and educator
*Ernő Bánk (1883-1962), Hunga ...
, but neither Huberman nor Dohnányi's then wife would consent to divorce. Elza and Dohnányi nevertheless had a child out of wedlock in 1917, and in 1919, after Huberman had granted her a divorce, she married Dohnányi, who then adopted Huberman's son Johannes.
In the 1920s and early 1930s, Huberman toured around Europe and North America with the pianist Siegfried Schultze and performed on the most famous stages (Carnegie in New York, Scala in Milan, Musikverein in Vienna, Konzerthaus in Berlin....). Over the course of many years, the duet Huberman-Schultze were regularly invited in private by European Royal Families. Countless recordings of these artists were done during that period at the "Berliner Rundfunk", but were unfortunately destroyed during the Second World War.

In 1937, a year before the
Anschluss
The (, or , ), also known as the (, ), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938.
The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "German Question, Greater Germany") arose after t ...
, Huberman left Vienna and took refuge in Switzerland. The following year, his career nearly ended as a result of an airplane accident in
Sumatra
Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
in which his wrist and two fingers of his left hand were broken. After intensive and painful retraining he was able to resume performing. At the onset of the Second World War, Huberman was touring South Africa and was unable to return to his home in Switzerland until after the war. Shortly thereafter he fell ill from exhaustion and never regained his strength. He died in
Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, on 16 June 1947, at age 64.
Palestine Symphony Orchestra
In 1929 Huberman first visited
Palestine
Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
and developed his vision of establishing classical music in the
Promised Land
In the Abrahamic religions, the "Promised Land" ( ) refers to a swath of territory in the Levant that was bestowed upon Abraham and his descendants by God in Abrahamic religions, God. In the context of the Bible, these descendants are originally ...
. In 1933, during the Nazis' rise to power, Huberman declined invitations from
Wilhelm Furtwängler to return to preach a "musical peace", but wrote instead an open letter to German intellectuals inviting them to remember their essential values. In 1936 he founded the ''Palestine Symphony Orchestra'' (which upon the establishment of the
State of Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
in 1948 was renamed the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra). For the orchestra, Huberman recruited leading Jewish musicians from Europe, showing "the prescience to realize that far more than a new job was at stake for these artists"—for "if it hadn't been for Huberman, dozens of musicians and their families—nearly 1000 people in all—would nearly certainly have died if they had stayed in countries including Germany, Austria, Poland and Hungary."
[ He was assisted by violinist Jacob Surowicz. Conductor William Steinberg, then known as Hans Wilhelm Steinberg, trained the orchestra. The first concert, on 26 December 1936, was conducted by ]Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orche ...
; Huberman had invited the Italian maestro when he heard of his refusing to perform in Germany to protest the Nazi takeover.[ The 2012 documentary film ''Orchestra of Exiles'' by writer, director and producer Josh Aronson recreates Huberman's work creating the orchestra through interviews and reenactments. Featuring interviews with ]Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor :wikt:emeritus, emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mehta's father ...
, Pinchas Zukerman, Joshua Bell, and many other notable musicians, the film details how Huberman rescued nearly 1000 Jewish musicians and their families and created the Palestine Symphony Orchestra. The film also details how famous Jews and leading historical figures, such as Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...
, were vital in creating the orchestra.
Stradivarius theft
Before 1936, Huberman's principal instrument for his concerts was a 1713-vintage Stradivarius
A Stradivarius is one of the string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and guitars, crafted by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), in Cremona, Italy, during the late 17th ...
"Gibson," which was named after one of its early owners, the English violinist George Alfred Gibson. It was stolen twice. In 1919, it was taken from Huberman's Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
hotel room but recovered by the police within 3 days. The second time was in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. On 28 February 1936, while giving a concert at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...
, Huberman switched the Stradivarius "Gibson" with his newly acquired Guarnerius violin, leaving the Stradivarius in his dressing room during intermission. It was stolen either by New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
nightclub musician Julian Altman or a friend of his. Altman kept the violin for the next half-century. Huberman's insurance company, Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is a insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gover ...
, paid him US$30,000 for the loss in 1936.
Altman went on to become a violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., and performed with the stolen Stradivarius for many years. In 1985, Altman made a deathbed confession to his wife, Marcelle Hall, that he had stolen the violin. Two years later, she returned it to Lloyd's and collected a finder's fee of $263,000. The instrument underwent a 9-month restoration by J & A Beare Ltd., in London. In 1988, Lloyd's sold it for $1.2 million to British violinist Norbert Brainin. In October 2001, the American violinist Joshua Bell purchased it for just under $4,000,000.
The instrument, which is now known as the Gibson-Huberman, was the focus of the 2012 documentary ''The Return of the Violin'' by the Israeli television director Haim Hecht which featured interviews with musicians such as Joshua Bell, Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor :wikt:emeritus, emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mehta's father ...
, Holocaust
The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
-survivor Sigmund Rolat and many other musicians.
Honours
The town of Częstochowa renamed its orchestra as the ''Bronislaw Huberman Philharmonic'' in honor of its native violinist.
Recordings
Huberman made several commercial recordings of large-scale works, among which are:
*Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
: Violin Concerto (w. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. George Szell) (, LX 509–13) (18–20 June 1934).
*Beethoven: Kreutzer Sonata (no. 9) (w. Ignaz Friedman, piano) (Columbia Records, C-67954/7D)
* Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole (omits 3rd mvmt.) (w. Vienna Philharmonic, cond. George Szell) (Columbia Records, C-68288/90D)
* Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto (w. Berlin State Opera Orchestra, cond William Steinberg) (Columbia Records, C-67726/9D) (December 1928; originally for Odeon)
* Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto (2nd & 3rd mvmts) (w. Siegfried Schulze, piano) (Brunswick Records, PD-27242: acoustic)
*Also Bach Concerti 1 & 2, and Mozart Concerto 3.
*Several other large works exist in off-air broadcast recordings, including the Brahms concerto.
Students
References
* Henry Roth, ''Bronislaw Hubermann'', in ''Violin Virtuosos, From Paganini to the 21st Century'', Los Angeles, California Classics Books, 1997, pp. 70–79
* Jean-Michel Molkhou, ''Bronisław Hubermann'', in ''Les grands violonistes du XXe siècle. Tome 1- De Kreisler à Kremer, 1875-1947'', Paris, Buchet Chastel, 2011, pp. 51–54
External links
Bronislaw Huberman - Violin Virtuoso, Humanitarian, Founder of Palestine Orchestra
Bronisław Huberman - biography
*
*
Orchestra of Exiles
on IMDb
- ''The Return of the Violin'' (documentary) on Vimeo
an
- on IMDB
Further reading
*Huberman, B, ''Aus der Werkstatt des Virtuosen'' (Heller, Leipzig 1912)
*R. T. Darrell, Encyclopedia of Recorded Music (Gramophone Shop, New York 1936).
*A. Eaglefield-Hull (Ed.), A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians (Dent, London 1924).
*A. Tubeuf, 'L'archet au coeur d'or', Sleevenote, EMI reissue of Beethoven Concerto (vinyl c1985) Cat EMI/Pathe-Marconi PM 322.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huberman, Bronislaw
1882 births
1947 deaths
Polish male classical violinists
Jewish classical violinists
Child classical musicians
Polish music educators
19th-century Polish Jews
Fonotipia Records artists
20th-century Polish classical violinists
20th-century Polish male musicians