Artist Spotlight: David Popper--Cellist and Composer

David Popper (1843-1913) was born in Prague, the son of a Jewish cantor. He started the violin at age six and entered the Conservatoire in Prague at the age of twelve switching to cello. In addition to playing in orchestras and his own solo career, he was a prolific composer of works for the cello including his Op. 39, "Dance of the Elves" and Op. 73, High School of Cello Playing, the latter an important stepstone to becoming an advanced player. He became the first professor of cello at the new Royal Hungarian Academy of Music in Budapest and played in the original Budapest Quartet with which Brahms performed with and wrote for. A bit of trivia, he was one of the last great cellists who did not use an endpin. He died of a heart attack.