Martin Pierre Marsick

Martin Pierre Joseph Marsick was born on 9 March 1847 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. 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 . 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 . 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. In 1873, Marsick made his Paris début at the Concerts Populaires (present-day Pasdeloup Orchestra). and Cécile Chaminade. In 1900, Marsick left both his wife and the Conservatoire de Paris in order to live abroad with his mistress. Marsick also owned the 1705 Marsick Stradivarius during 1879–1880. From 1902– Marsick owned what was later named the Schneiderhan violin. == Personal life and death ==

On 23 February 1872, Marsick married Adolphine Adrienne Berthe Mollot (1848– 1923) in Chatou. The couple later divorced. 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. ;Stage • Le Puits, Lyric Drama (c.1900); libretto by Auguste Dorchain ;Chamber music • Rêverie in B major for violin and piano, Op. 4 (1879) • 2 Morceaux for violin and piano, Op. 6 (1879) :# Adagio :# Scherzando • Pater noster, Prière for violin and piano with organ ad libitum, Op. 7 (1882) • 3 Pièces for violin or cello and piano, Op. 8 (1882) :: 3. Capriccioso in A minor • Airs de Ballet de Françoise de Rimini de Ambroise Thomas, 2 Transcriptions for violin and piano (1883) :# Adagio et Capriccio :# Pastorale, Scherzo, Habanera • Rêverie No. 2 for violin and piano or string quartet, Op. 15 (1885) • Songe for violin and piano, Op. 16 (1891) • Tarentelle for violin and piano, Op. 19 (1897) • Nocturne for violin and piano, Op. 20 (1897) • ''Poème d'été'' for violin and piano, Op. 24 (1900) :# Captivante :# Exaltation :# Attente :# Valse triomphe • Fleurs des cimes for violin and piano, Op. 25 • Valencia (au gré des flots) for violin and piano, Op. 26 • Les Hespérides for violin and piano, Op. 27 • ''Petites fleurs musicales de l'âme'' for violin and piano (1901) • Petite romance expressive for violin and piano, Op. 32 (1901) • Souvenir de Naples for 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, flute and clarinet, Op. 33 • Piano Quartet for violin, viola, cello and piano, Op. 43 • Au pays du soleil, Poème for violin and piano ;Pedigogical • Eureka!, Mécanisme nouveau pour "se mettre en doigts" en quelques minutes (Eureka!, New Technical Exercises), Op. 34 (1905) • La Grammaire du violon (1924) ==Notes==