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Eugen Albrecht

Eugen Maria Albrecht, also known as Evgenii Karlovich Al'brekht (Евгнений Карлович Альбрехт), was a Russian violinist, teacher and administrator, born on 4/16 July 1842 in Saint Petersburg, son of the German conductor and composer Karl Albrecht (1807-1863), and brother to the cellist Karl Albrecht (1836-1893).

In 1857 he enrolled at the Leipzig Conservatory, where he studied the violin under Ferdinand David, and following his graduation he became a violinist in the orchestra of the Italian Opera in Saint Petersburg. In 1872 he founded the Chamber Music Society in the Russian capital, and performed actively with both them and with the Russian Musical Society's quartet. He was also chairman of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Society from 1881 until 1886, and composed numerous small chamber pieces and songs. As well as serving as a violin tutor to members of the Russian Imperial Family, he worked extensively in the wider field of music education, and served as inspector of music in the Saint Petersburg theatres from 1877, and as the librarian of the Central Music Library from 1892.

Eugen Albrecht died on 28 January/9 February 1894 in Saint Petersburg, aged 51.