Niemann, Rudolf Friedrich

1838-1898

 

Pianist and composer; born in 1838 at Wesselburen, Holstein; son of an organist who gave him his first musical instruction. Later he was a pupil at the Leipsic Conservatory, then at the Conservatory of Paris and finally in Berlin, a pupil of von Bulow and Kiel. He toured Germany, Russia and England from 1873 to 1877 as accompanist to Wilhelmj and so won recognition as a pianist. He lived for some years in Hamburg and later in Wiesbaden. Again he toured with Wilhelmj and taught in Wilhelmj's violin school at Biebrich. Niemann's compositions are mainly songs and small piano-pieces; a gavotte; violin sonata and some variations are his best works.