JOACHIM, JOSEPH. (1831-1907). Austro-Hungarian violinist, composer, conductor, and teacher. SP. (“Joseph Joachim”). 1p. Cabinet. N.p., N.d. An elegant bust portrait of Joachim by Nottingham photographer Alfred Cox & Co., signed on the photographer’s blind-embossed mount.

A musical prodigy who studied at Leipzig with Felix Mendelssohn, Joachim began his professional career as concertmaster under Franz Liszt at Weimar in 1850. In 1852, he was appointed violinist to King George V of Hanover. Throughout his life, Joachim toured regularly, often with his wife, mezzo-soprano Amalie Weiss. “He was accepted as one of the great violinists of his generation; there were many critics who felt that no other violinist could equal the depth and profundity of his performances of the Bach solo sonatas and the concertos of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Brahms [and] he was a potent force in music pedagogy and in chamber music,” (Composers of Yesterday, Ewen).

In extremely fine condition.