Early Virtuosity and Training
Born in Częstochowa in 1882, Huberman received training at the Chopin University of Music. His early development involved instruction from Mieczysław Michałowicz, Maurycy Rosen, Isidor Lotto, and Joseph Joachim in Berlin. By the age of ten, he performed works by Louis Spohr and Henri Vieuxtemps. His technical command attracted significant notice, notably when he performed the Johannes Brahms violin concerto in the presence of the composer in 1896.
Orchestral Ambitions and Rescue
In 1929, Huberman began to develop a vision for establishing classical music in the region then known as Palestine. He declined invitations from Wilhelm Furtwängler to return to Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime, choosing instead to write an open letter to German intellectuals. In 1936, he founded the Palestine Symphony Orchestra. By recruiting European Jewish musicians, he provided refuge for nearly 1,000 individuals and their families. The inaugural concert in December 1936 was conducted by Arturo Toscanini, who had refused to perform in Germany in protest of the Nazi takeover.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Stradivarius Theft
Huberman owned a 1713-vintage Stradivarius known as the Gibson. In 1919, the instrument was stolen from a Vienna hotel room and recovered within three days. A second theft occurred on 28 February 1936 at Carnegie Hall in New York. While Huberman performed on a different violin, the Stradivarius was removed from his dressing room. It remained missing for decades, later revealed to have been taken by musician Julian Altman.
Final Years
Following a serious airplane accident in Sumatra in the late 1930s, Huberman suffered broken bones in his left hand, requiring a painful period of retraining before he could return to the stage. During the Second World War, he remained in South Africa, unable to return home to Switzerland. His health declined after the conflict concluded. He passed away on 16 June 1947 in Corsier-sur-Vevey at the age of 64.
Fast facts
- Born: 1882, Częstochowa
- Died: 16 June 1947, Corsier-sur-Vevey
- Citizenship: Poland, Austria, Russian Empire
- Occupations: Violinist, music educator, writer, composer
- Award: Officer of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- Primary Instrument: Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius
- Key Achievement: Founded the Palestine Symphony Orchestra
Questions readers ask
What became of the stolen Stradivarius?
After being taken in 1936, the instrument was kept by Julian Altman for 50 years.
How many lives did Huberman save?
By recruiting musicians for the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, he enabled nearly 1,000 Jewish musicians and their family members to escape countries including Germany, Austria, Poland, and Hungary.
Achievements
- Officer of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- Instruments: violin
- Genres: classical music
