Background
Jan Kubelik was born in Michle (now part of Prague, Czech Republic) on 5 July 1880. His father, a gardener by occupation, was an amateur violinist.
Jan Kubelik was born in Michle (now part of Prague, Czech Republic) on 5 July 1880. His father, a gardener by occupation, was an amateur violinist.
Jan Kubelik's father taught the two sons the violin and after discovering the talent of Jan, who was aged five at the time, arranged for him to study with Karel Weber and Karel Ondříček. Aged eight Kubelík studied at the Prague Conservatorywith Otakar Ševčik, of whose technique he became the most famous representative. As a child, he used to practice 10 to 12 hours a day, or until my fingers started to bleed.
After 1898, Jan Kubelik toured as a soloist, soon becoming renowned for his great virtuosity and flawless intonation, and his very full and noble tone. He played a Guarneri del Gesù and also two Stradivarius violins: he acquired the 1715 Stradivarius Emperor in 1910.
After great success following his debut in Vienna, and in London (where he first appeared at a Hans Richter concert in 1900), Kubelík toured in the USA in 1901 for the first time. In 1902 he brought the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra to London, having assisted it financially in the previous year.
He wrote music, including six violin concertos, and continued to perform in public until his death, with a pause between the end of World War I and 1920, during which period he composed. In 1920 he resumed his concert career, but with the advent of Jascha Heifetz, his career dwindled somewhat.