Adolf Busch

After early study with his father on the violin, Busch enter the Cologne University at the age of 11. He was also associated with Grüters and Reger. Busch served as leader of the orchestra of the Konzertverein in Vienna and as a teacher of violin at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. He founded the Konzertvereins-Quartett in 1913, and after an interruption by the war the quartet was reformed as the Busch Quartet in 1919. This quartet remained active in Europe and the USA until Busch's death. He also founded the Busch Chamber Players and the Marlboro School of Music in Vermont. Although greatly respected as a soloist, Busch's most important contributions came in his direction and performance in chamber groups. He was a fine technician but disliked showy and superficial performances. Instead, he concentrated his efforts on clear, honest interpretations of even the most difficult of works. His group was known for its ability to make sense of the late Beethoven quartets, which were considered almost incomprehensible. Busch was also a fine teacher, and Yehudi Menuhin was one of his students. ~ Lynn Vought