A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Swert, Jules de

by George Grove

SWERT, DE, Jules. An eminent violon-cellist, born Aug. 16, 1843, at Louvain, where his father was Capellmeister at the Cathedral. He was grounded in the cello and in music by his father, and afterwards took lessons from Servais in preparation for the Brussels Conservatoire. After gaining the first prize there, at 15, he went to Paris, made the acquaintance of Rossini, and was much applauded. He then began a lengthened tour through Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, South Germany, Switzerland, etc., in which his programmes embraced both classical and modern pieces. Two, on which he gained great fame, were cello arrangements of the violin concertos of Beethoven and Mendelssohn. In 1865 he took a post as leader at Düsseldorf, then in the Court band at Weimar, and next at Berlin. He did not however retain the last of these long, but gave it up for concert tours, which have since occupied him. In the intervals of these he has resided at Wiesbaden and Leipzig. His first opera, 'Die Albigenser,' was produced at Wiesbaden in 1878, with much success. A second, 'Die Grafen von Hammerstein,' is announced for publication. De Swert has a Primer for the Cello in preparation for Messrs. Novello. He visited England in the spring of 1875, and appeared at the Crystal Palace on April 24.

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