Cornelius Gurlitt

Gurlitt was born at Altona, Prussia, February 10, 1820. For six years he studied under the father of Carl Reinecke, the famous head of the Leipsic Conservatory, with whom Gurlitt was class mate. His first appearance in public took place during his seventeenth year, and the gratifying reception he obtained determined him to proceed to Copenhagen. Here he studied under Curlander, and Weyse, for organ, piano and composition. Here also he became acquainted with Niels W. Gade, and their friendship terminated only at the death of the Norwegian composer. In 1842 Gurlitt settled in Hirschholm, near Copenhagen, where he resided for four years. From thence he went to Leipsic, where Gade was then musical director to the Gewandhaus concerts. Thence he proceeded to Rome, where his brother, Louis Gurlitt, a well known painter, was then studying. Cornelius Gurlitt's merits as a musician were readily recognized in the art centre, and the papal academy "Di Santa Cecilia" nominated him an honorary member, and graduated him "Professor of Music" in 1855. While in Rome he studied painting with excellent results. On his return to Altona, the Duke of Augustenburg engaged him as teacher to three of his daughters, and when the Schleswig-Holstein war broke out, in 1849, Gurlitt became a military band master. His compositions are prodigious in quantity, and range from songs and teaching pieces to operas, cantatas, and symphonies. He died at Altona, June 17, 1901.

The Etude Magazine August 1909