Figure 1.--This is Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) and the very young Franz von Vecsey. Joachim was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer, and in this case teacher whose international career was based in Hanover and Berlin. He was a close collaborator of Johannes Brahms and is regarded as one of the most important violinists of the 19th century and is passing his impact on to the 20th century. Because of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Hungary was tied into the German music world. Franz was a Hungarian child music prodigy. The photograph is not dated, but was probablt=y taken about 1902. Franz loks to be about 9 years old.

This is Franz von Vecsey born in Budapest, Hungary (1893). He was also known as Frenc de Vecsey / Vecsey Ferenc is the Hugarian form of his name. Hungary at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The image suggests that he was a rather self-assured boy. He looks to about 10 years old here, perhaps at the time of his Berlin debut (1903). He was a was a Hungarian child violin prodigy who became a composerand popular virtuoso in Europe during the early-20th century. Franz's father, Lajos Vecsey, cognizing his son's phenomenal capabilities began violin studies. He then entered the studio of Jenő Hubay at age 8 years (1901). Two years later at age 10 years, he played under the supervision of Joseph Joachim. one of the great masters, in Berlin (1903). He made his début at '"Beethoven Halle' (1903). He immediately became known as a child virtuoso. His parents seem partial to sailor suits. As a boy he wore knee pants sailor suits, including a white suits with a striped dickey. On the previous page he wears a knee pants suit with short socks, more commonly he wore long stockings. Here he wears a plain dark sailor suit. As a boy, he toured with Béla Bartók who did the piano accompanying. At only 12 years of age. He became the re-dedicatee of Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D minor (1905). The original dedicatee, Willy Burmester, refused to play the work after he was unable to appear at the premiere of the revised version. Vecsey proceeded to champion the Sibelius concerto which he performed when he was only 13 years old. Franz took a serious interest in composing from a very early age. He composed a number of virtuosic salon pieces for the violin. He would emerge as one of the pre-eminent European violinists of the early-20th century (1910s-20s). he lived with his wife in Venice (1926). , at the "Palazzo Giustinian de'Vescovi" on Canal Grande. His career steadily faltered after the World War I, as he grew tired of constant touring and wanted to concentrate more on conducting. He began to focus on his composing dream. Tragically his composing swas cut short. He became seriously ill with a pulmonary embolism that haad been growing since childhood (1935). He found doctors in Rome who operated on him. Surgery was unsuccessful, and Vecsey died of the disease (1935).

Created: 1:50 PM 11/11/2023
Last updated: 1:50 PM 11/11/2023