Wolfgang von Bartels

Wolfgang von Bartels von born on 21 July 1883 in Hamburg (Germany) into an artistic family with the father Hans von Bartels (who was a famous painter) and his mother Wanda von Bartels (a well-known writer). Wolfgang von Bartels studied first in Munich under Anton Beer-Wallbrunn (1901-1903), but finished his studies in Paris with Andre Gedalge (1904-1909). He then moved back to Munich and worked there for different newspapers as a music critic with a special focus on the topic "radio broadcasting". In his last years Wolfgang von Bartels worked as an editor for the Broadcasting Station in Munich. He died there on 19 April 1938.

Beside his work as a critic, for which he was most popular, Wolfgang von Bartels composed music in all genres. He placed an emphasis on songs, but also composed for chamber ensembles (String trio, String quartet, Sonatas for violin and for cello, etc) and orchestra (Viola concerto, Triple concerto for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, Symphony, Concerto for string orchestra, Frauentanz-Kantate for baritone, chorus and orchestra, etc), also an opera („Li-I-Lan“) and music for stage.

The Violin concerto op.17 was composed in 1927. It was premiered in the same year by the „Städtisches Orchester Flensburg“ under the baton of Kurt Barth. Soloist was the concertmaster of the orchestra, Rudolf Schöne. The work is dedicated to Anton Beer-Walbrunn.