Berthold Damcke was a composer, violist, organist, and conductor from Hanover, Germany, who also achieved international recognition as a writer and educator. After studying theology, he studied in Frankfurt under Aloys Schmitt, a piano teacher and composer; Ferdinand Ries, a pupil of Beethoven; and, in 1828, J. N. Schelble, who, alongside Mendelssohn, participated in conducting the revival performances of Bach's series of St. Matthew Passion. As a performer, he became a violinist at the Hanover theater in his teens, and from 1834, he served as a violist at the court there.

Damcke eventually traveled through Kreuznach, Potsdam, Königsberg, Berlin, and Saint Petersburg, where he had the opportunity to compose numerous choral works, oratorios, psalm settings, and cantatas for amateur choirs. In 1841, he moved to Russia and spent time as a teacher in Saint Petersburg, participating in a performance of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique in 1845. In the summer of the same year, Damcke visited Paris for the first time but soon returned to Russia, where he remained until the end of 1853. He then lived in Brussels for four years, where he met and married Louise (née Feguine), the sister-in-law of the renowned cellist Adrien-François Servais. Louise was also an excellent piano enthusiast who had studied under Adolf von Henselt.

In 1859, Damcke moved to Paris. Here, he began to gain prominence with the support of the younger, renowned mezzo-soprano and composer Pauline Viardot (née Garcia, 1821–1910). Viardot affectionately called the learned and talented musician Damcke "my little Beethoven." The two were united by their respect for Berlioz and for the works of Gluck, who was frequently performed as a classical master of opera at the time; Damcke later undertook the editing of Gluck's works. His editions were published by Fanny Pelton (to whom he dedicated his Grand Sonata No. 2 for piano four hands, Op. 55).

Besides Viardot, he formed deep bonds with leading musicians in Paris. He deepened his friendship with Berlioz in the 1860s, and a musical circle centered around Damcke was formed (Berlioz named Damcke as his executor). Among the pianists and composers were Stephen Heller (to whom he dedicated his Grand Sonata No. 1 for piano four hands; Heller, in turn, dedicated his Canzonetta, Op. 100, and Three Studies on "Der Freischütz", Op. 127, to Damcke), L. Kreutzer (1817–1868), the violinist Lambert Massart (1811–1892) and his wife Louise-Aglaé Massart (1827–1887), as well as Clara Schumann, Moscheles (to whom he dedicated his Sonata for cello or violin, Op. 43), Anton Rubinstein, the violinist and composer J. Joachim (1831–1907), and the music theorist and critic Dortigue, all of whom gathered at his home.

When the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870, the Damckes fled to Switzerland with Heller. After the turmoil subsided, they returned to Paris, but Damcke began to show symptoms of paralysis agitans and died in Paris in 1875, leaving his wife behind.

Damcke's works include choral pieces, lieder, chamber music, and piano works, with opus numbers confirmed up to Op. 57.

References

• Alexandre Bibeso, Berthold Damcke : étude biographique et musicale, Paris, A. Lemerre, 1894.
• Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger, Stephen Heller Lettres d’un musicien romantique à Paris, Paris, Flammarion, 1981, Fayard, 2003.
• E. Kocevar and J.-M. Fauquet, "Damcke, Berthold," in Dictionnaire de la musique en France au XIXe siècle, Paris, Fayard, 2003, p. 343.