A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lipinski, Karl

by Franz Gehring

LIPINSKI, Karl Joseph, eminent violinist of the modern school, born Oct. 30 (or according to a family tradition Nov. 4), 1790, at Radzyn in Poland, son of a land-agent and amateur violinist, who taught him the elements of fingering. Having outgrown this instruction he for a time took up the cello, on which he advanced sufficiently to play Romberg's concertos. He soon however returned to the violin, and in 1810 became first Concertmeister, and then Capellmeister, of the theatre at Lemberg. Not being able to play the piano, he used to lead the rehearsals with his violin, and thus acquired that skill in part playing which was one of his great characteristics as a virtuoso. In 1814 he resigned his post, and gave himself up to private study. In 1817 he went to Italy, chiefly in the hope of hearing Paganini. They met in Milan, and Paganini took a great fancy to him, played with him daily, and even performed in public with him at two concerts (April 17 and 30, 1818), a circumstance which greatly increased Lipinski's reputation. Towards the close of the year Lipinski returned to Germany, but soon went back to Italy, attracted by the fame of an aged pupil of Tartini's, Dr. Mazzurana. Dissatisfied with Lipinski's rendering of one of Tartini's sonatas, but unable on account of his great age (90) to correct him by playing it himself, Mazzurana gave him a poem, which he had written to explain the master's intentions. With this aid Lipinski mastered the sonata, and in consequence endeavoured for the future to embody some poetical idea in his playing—the secret of his own success, and of that of many others who imitated him in this respect. In 1829 Paganini and Lipinski met again in Warsaw, but unfortunately a rivalry was excited between them which destroyed the old friendship. In 1835 and 36, in the course of a lengthened musical tournée, he visited Leipsic, then becoming the scene of much musical activity owing to Mendelssohn's settlement there; and there he made the acquaintance of Schumann, which resulted in the dedication to him of the 'Carneval' (op. 9) which was composed in 1834. In 1836 he visited England and played his military concerto at the Philharmonic Concert of April 25. In 1839 Lipinski became Concertmeister at Dresden, where he entirely reorganised the royal chapel, thus doing very much the same service to Dresden that Hellmesberger subsequently did to Vienna. He retired with a pension in 1861, and died on December 16, of sudden paralysis of the lungs, at Urlow, his country house near Lemberg.

His compositions (now forgotten) are numerous, and his concertos, fantasias, and variations, are valuable contributions to violin music. One of the best known was the 'Military Concerto,' which for years was much played and was the object of the ambition of many a student of the violin. It is even now occasionally heard in public. In conjunction with Zalewski, the Polish poet, he edited an interesting collection of Galician 'Volkslieder' with pianoforte accompaniments.

[ F. G. ]

The most prominent qualities of Lipinski's playing were a remarkably broad and powerful tone, which he ascribed to his early studies on the cello; perfect intonation in double stops, octaves, etc.; and a warm enthusiastic individuality. But the action of his right arm and wrist were somewhat heavy. He was an enthusiastic musician, and especially in his later years played Beethoven's great quartets and Bach's solos in preference to everything else.

[ P. D. ]