Gertler, André
Gertler, André
Gertler, André, Hungarian-born Belgian violinist and pedagogue; b. Budapest, July 26, 1907; d. Brussels, July 23, 1998. He was a student of Hubay (violin) and Kodàly (composition) at the Budapest Academy of Music (graduated, 1925). He was only 13 when he began to make tours as a virtuoso. From 1925 to 1938 he appeared in recitals with his friend Bartók, whose music he championed. He was active in Belgium from 1928, and was 1st violinist in his own string quartet from 1931 to 1951. Gertler was a prof, at the Brussels Cons. (1940-54), the Cologne Hochschule für Musik (1954-59), and the Hannover Hochschule für Musik (1964-78). Although he was best known as an advocate of contemporary scores, he also played standard repertoire works and wrote cadenzas for Mozart’s G major Violin Concerto, K.216, and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire