Schneider, Alexander

▪ 1994

      Russian-born U.S. violinist and conductor (b. Oct. 21, 1908, Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]—d. Feb. 2, 1993, New York, N.Y.), for many years a member of the famed Budapest Quartet, was especially known for the passion of his music making and for his devotion to teaching. He entered the Vilna Conservatory at age 10 and at age 16 went to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to continue his studies. In 1932 Schneider became second violinist in the Budapest Quartet (two years after his elder brother, Mischa, had become the group's cellist). He was a member of the quartet until 1944 and again from 1955 until it disbanded in 1964. In the late 1930s the quartet settled in the U.S. In 1950 Schneider persuaded cellist Pablo Casals to end his retirement, in protest against the Spanish government, which was the beginning of collaborations between the two at festivals in France, Puerto Rico, Israel, and elsewhere. Also in the 1950s Schneider founded his own string quartet, which performed and recorded the Haydn quartets, and he later helped found the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and other musical organizations. His New York String Orchestra, founded in 1968, offered workshops for students and gave concerts at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.

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