Schroder, Carl

1848-

Distinguished cellist and conductor; was born at Quedlinburg, Germany.Studied music under Concertmaster Drechsler at Dessau and under F. Kiel, a noted composer of Berlin. After having filled satisfactorily the position of conductor at Kroll's Theatre, Berlin, from 1871 to 1873, he entered the orchestra of the Court Theatre at Braunschweig as first cello player. In 1871 he formed with his brothers, Hermann, Alwin and Franz, a traveling quartet party, which was broken up in 1873, when he received the appointment of principal cellist in the Court band at Brunswick. He was called to Leipsic in 1874 to become solo cellist at the Gewandhaus and theatre orchestras, and remained in that city till 1881, also teaching at the Conservatory. Going to Sondershausen in 1881 he founded there a conservatory, and also conducted the Court orchestra. From 1886 to 1891, Schroder consecutively held positions as conductor for the opera at Rotterdam, Berlin and Hamburg, then returned to his former position at Sondershausen, which he resigned in the spring of 1907 to go again to Leipsic, where he is at present one of the conductors of the Philharmonic concerts. Schroder has composed chiefly pieces for the cello, but also has to his credit, a number of orchestral works;   some string   quartets; songs and pieces for the piano. Of the numerous instruction books that he has written, one entitled Conductors' Catechism has been translated into English.