Pollitzer, Adolphe

1832-1900

Hungarian violinist and teacher; born at Budapest. He early went to Vienna, studied the violin under Bohm, and composition under Preyer, and took the first violin prize at the Conservatory in 1846. He later had instruction from Alard at Paris. In 1851 he went to London and there remained the rest of his life, for many years leading the orchestra of Her Majesty's Theatre; also the New Philharmonic and the Royal Choral Society. His reputation was made, however, as professor of violin at the London Academy of Music, where he was engaged from 1861 to the time of his death, becoming director of that institution in 1890. His original compositions include ten caprices for the violin, and several small works for violin and piano.