Ferdinand Griebel

Griebel, Ferdinand

Griebel, Ferdinand. Violinist, b Berlin ca.1819, d Toronto 18 Feb 1858. He came from a family of musicians and studied violin with the concertmaster of the Königstadt theatre orchestra, and also with Charles-Auguste de Bériot and Wilhelm Ernst, probably during their visits to Berlin. He joined the Königstadt orchestra and in 1842 gave concerts in Sweden, Denmark, and England. In 1848 he joined an orchestral cooperative of Berliners, the Germania Musical Society, formed to settle and perform in the USA. The Germanians' tours included triumphant concerts in Toronto, Kingston, Montreal and Quebec in 1850. Griebel is said to have visited Toronto with the Jenny Lind concert troupe in 1851; by 1853 he had become a resident of the city. From then until his death he participated in at least 36 concerts, which included solos of his own composition and concertos by de Bériot. He was concertmaster in the Toronto premiere of Messiah in 1857. As late as 1878 he was considered the greatest violinist ever to have resided in Toronto. 'He was equally skilful in playing a solo, in leading the orchestra, or in interpreting chamber music, and had a remarkable talent for directing amateurs in their performance' ('Music in Toronto,' Toronto Mail, 21 Dec 1878).