Martin Pierre Marsick

Martin Pierre Marsick
Marsick photographed by Otto Wegener (before 1895)
Marsick photographed by Otto Wegener (before 1895)
Background information
Born
Martin Pierre Joseph Marsick

(1847-03-09)9 March 1847
Jupille, Belgium
Died21 October 1924(1924-10-21) (aged 77)
Paris, France
EducationRoyal Conservatory of Liège
Royal Conservatory of Brussels
Conservatoire de Paris
Occupations
Instruments
Spouse
Adolphine Adrienne Berthe Mollot
​
​
(m. 1872, divorced)​

Martin Pierre Marsick (1847–1924), was a Belgian violinist, organist, singer, composer and teacher. Marsick was the owner of the Marsick Stradivarius.

Early life and education

Martin Pierre Joseph Marsick was born on 9 March 1847α in Jupille (part of present-day Liège) to Pierre Joseph Marsick, a Tinsmith, and Anne Marie Bevers. At the time of his birth, Marsick was the youngest of 5 children and by 1868 was one of 18 children. Through his brother Louis François, Marsick was the uncle of the Belgian composer and conductor Armand Marsick [fr]. As a child Marsick was a member of the choir at St. Martin's Basilica in Liège, and was a member of the choir school at Liège Cathedral.

Education

On 2 December 1854, Marsick enrolled at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, where he studied music composition, piano and the organ alongside the violin. Marsick would study violin under Rodolphe Massart, Auguste Dupont and from 1857 onwards with Désiré Heynberg [de]. In 1865, Marsick graduated with the Premier Prix in violin, a shared Second Prix in the organ and the Médaille en vermeil, the highest distinction for “exceptional merit”.

From 1865 to 1867, Marsick continued his music education at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, studying violin under Hubert Léonard and composition under Hubert Ferdinand Kufferath [de]. With the financial backing of patrons, Marsick studied violin under Lambert Massart at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1868 to 1869. Marsick was awarded the 1st prize for violin in 1869. From 1870 to 1871, a scholarship from the Belgian Government enabled Marsick to study in Berlin under Joseph Joachim.

Career

In 1871, Marsick joined the newly established Société Nationale de Musique.[citation needed]

In 1873, Marsick made his Paris début at the Concerts Populaires (present-day Pasdeloup Orchestra). Marsick formed the Quatuor Marsick string quartet with Guillaume Rémy [fr], Louis van Waefelghem and Jules Delsart in 1877.

Between 1875 and 1895, he performed in concerts in collaboration with the leading conductors in Paris - Charles Lamoureux, Jules Pasdeloup, and Édouard Colonne, while also touring the rest of Europe and the United States. In 1895, Marsick made his American début. He played additionally with Joseph Joachim and in a trio with the cellist Anatoliy Brandukov and the pianist Vladimir von Pachmann.

In 1892, Marsick replaced Eugène Sauzay as a violin teacher at the Conservatoire de Paris. Marsick students included Carl Flesch, Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Simon Pullman and Cécile Chaminade.

In 1900, Marsick left both his wife and the Conservatoire de Paris in order to live abroad with his mistress. However, in 1903 Marsick returned to Paris but was unable to regain his previous success.

Violins

From 1904, Marsick owned a Stradivarius crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1715, which later became known as the Marsick Stradivarius.

Marsick also owned the 1705 Marsick Stradivarius during 1879–1880. From 1902–c. 1907 Marsick owned what was later named the Schneiderhan violin.

Personal life and death

Marsick's grave at the Cimetière de Robermont [fr], Liège

On 23 February 1872, Marsick married Adolphine Adrienne Berthe Mollot (1848– 1923) in Chatou. The couple later divorced.

On 21 October 1924, Marsick died aged 77 in Paris. Marsick is buried at the Cimetière de Robermont in Liège.

Selected works

Marsick published a series of finger exercises entitled Eureka in 1906 and his La Grammaire du violon appeared in 1924. Besides these, he composed the septet Souvenir de Naples for strings, flute, and clarinet; a piano quartet; and a lyric drama, Le Puits.[better source needed]

Stage
Chamber music
  1. Adagio
  2. Scherzando
3. Capriccioso in A minor
  1. Adagio et Capriccio
  2. Pastorale, Scherzo, Habanera
  1. Captivante
  2. Exaltation
  3. Attente
  4. Valse triomphe
Pedigogical

Notes

^α Often miscited as 1848.

References

  1. 1 2 Wier, Albert E., ed. (1938). "Marsick, Martin Pierre Joseph". The Macmillan Encyclopedia Of Music And Musicians, In One Volume. New York City: Macmillan. p. 1129. Retrieved 22 November 2025. Marsick, Martin Pierre Joseph, Belgian concert violinist, organist, singer and composer, born Jupille, near Liege, Mar. 9, 1848; died Paris, Oct. 21, 1924; pupil at the Liege Conservatory and of Joachim at Berlin; organist at Liege Cathedral. After a brilliant debut at Paris, he made long tours in Europe and one in the United States. He became professor of violin at the Paris Conservatoire. His works include three violin concertos and other music for his instrument.
  2. 1 2 3 "Marsick, M. P. (Martin Pierre), 1848-1924". Library of Congress Name Authority File. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. 4 August 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Haig-Whiteley, Jean Marion (1999). "MARSICK, MARTIN PIERRE JOSEPH". Biographical Dictionary of Violinists. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Peire, Patrick; Tardif, Cécile (2001). "Marsick, Martin Pierre". Grove Music Online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.17871.
  5. 1 2 Fishman, Elly (17 January 2023). "The Violin Doctor". Chicago. Chicago, Illinois: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1705, the 'Marsick' (41175)". Tarisio. New York City: Tarisio Auctions. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Martin Pierre Joseph Marsick". État-Civil 1792-1902 (in French). 16e arrondissement: 1924: Décès: ALL: 1376-2484. Paris, France: Archives de Paris. 1924.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tardif, Cécile (1998). "Martin Pierre Marsick, violoniste liégeois". Revue de la Société liégeoise de Musicologie (in French). 11: 37–57. ISSN 1371-6735. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  9. ↑ Vanhulst, Henri (2001). "Marsick, Armand (Louis Joseph)". Grove Music Online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.17870.
  10. 1 2 3 Hall, Charles J, ed. (1989). A Nineteenth-Century Musical Chronicle, Events 1800-1899. Westpoint, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 221, 278, 287. ISBN 031326578X. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  11. ↑ Dümling, Albrecht (2016). "'Muss i denn, muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus?'" Persecution and Flight". In Meyer, Franziska (ed.). The Vanished Musicians: Jewish Refugees in Australia:. Exile Studies Vol.14. Bern: Peter Lang. pp. 89–128. ISBN 3034319517. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1715, the 'Marsick' (40667)". Tarisio. New York City: Tarisio Auctions. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1715, the 'Schneiderhan'". Tarisio. New York City: Tarisio Auctions. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "Martin Pierre Joseph Marsick and Adrienne Berthe Mollot". État Civil 1792-1916 (in French). 45. Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France: Archives départementales des Yvelines. 1872.
  15. 1 2 "Adolphine Adrienne Berthe Mollot". État-Civil 1792-1902 (in French). 14e arrondissement: 1923: Décès: ALL: 4162-5553. Paris, France: Archives de Paris. 1923.
  16. ↑ "List of works by Martin Pierre Marsick - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 18 December 2025.