Arnold Josef Rosé (Rosenbaum) (born Iasi, Romania, Oct 24, 1863; died London, Aug 25, 1946), Austrian violinist of Romanian birth. One of the leading violinists of his age, Rosé began his career with studies at the Vienna Conservatory under Carl Heißler (1874-77). After four years spent on tour as a soloist, Rosé was appointed concertmaster of the Vienna Hofoper (where he worked closely with Mahler, to whom he was related by marriage, during the latter's directorship) and Vienna Philharmonic orchestras in 1881, remaining until 1938, and was also concertmaster at Bayreuth 1888-96. In 1882, he founded the Rosé Quartet with his brother Eduard, a cellist. Later, Rosé taught violin at the Vienna Conservatory from 1893 to 1901 (when he left in protest against the introduction of the Meisterklassen) and 1908-18 (Tittel; MGG: 1908-1924). In 1938 he moved to England. The Rosé String Quartet was one of the leading chamber ensembles in Europe. It gave many first performances, notably of works by Brahms, Pfitzner, Korngold, Reger, Schoenberg, and Webern. These included the premières of Schoenberg's First String Quartet, Op.7 (February 5, 1907) and First Chamber Symphony, Op.9 (February 8, 1907), both of which Schenker attended (Schoenberg having drawn his attention to them), commenting caustically in his diary, and his Second String Quartet, Op.10 (December 1908). Rosé's and his quartet's commitment to the German/Austrian Classical repertory and its personal association with Brahms disposed Schenker favorably to them in the 1890s (see early reviews: Federhofer (1990)); however, their increasing advocacy of new music aroused his disapproval. In 1908, he described Rosé's playing as "oppressed by the dark and somber power of school pedantry, ungainly and monotonous, lacking color and warmth, like a nag in harness that sits and broods, waiting dully for the coachman's signal." (OJ 1/7, pp. 80-81: February 28, 1908). There is no known correspondence between Schenker and Rosé. He is mentioned frequently in correspondence with others, in Schenker's diaries and lessonbooks. Sources: |
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