# Bernhard Cossmann

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{{Short description|German cellist}}
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'''Bernhard Cossmann''' (17 May 1822 – 7 May 1910) was a German [cellist](/source/cello). Born in [Dessau](/source/Dessau), he first studied under [Theodore Muller](/source/Theodore_Muller). During his life, he worked for the [Grand Opera](/source/Grand_Opera) in [Paris](/source/Paris) and became acquainted with [Franz Liszt](/source/Franz_Liszt), with whom he went to [Weimar](/source/Weimar). In 1866, Cossmann was appointed professor of cello studies at the [Moscow Conservatory](/source/Moscow_Conservatory). However, in 1878, Cossmann helped found the [Hoch Conservatory](/source/Hoch_Conservatory) in [Frankfurt](/source/Frankfurt), where he occupied the post of teacher of cello.

Cossmann was not only a frequent soloist and quartet member, but was also a composer. His works include three [fantasia](/source/fantasia_(music))s, ''[Tell](/source/Tell_(Cossman))'', ''[Euryanthe](/source/Euryanthe)'', and multiple solo works for various instruments. In addition, he composed many [etude](/source/etude)s and studies for the cello, many of which are still used today.

In 1890 Cossmann adapted Schubert's ''[Erlkönig](/source/Erlk%C3%B6nig_(Schubert))'' for solo cello for the exclusive use of his student [Heinrich Kiefer](/source/Heinrich_Kiefer). He wrote this in his score on ''Frankfurt 28. Nov. 1890 by B. Cossmann''.

Bernhard Cossmann, author of many original works and of diverse “Phantasien” on motifs from operas (such as Freischutz, Euryanthe, etc.) as well as on well-known pieces (also for solo cello such as “Paraphrase sur une chanson populaire allemande [Ach, wie ist’s möglich dann](/source/Ach%2C_wie_ist%E2%80%99s_m%C3%B6glich_dann).  Thüringen Volkslied”), had formerly dedicated his Fünf Neue Concert Etuden to Heinrich Kiefer.

The transcription of ''Erlkönig'' was given to Kiefer in manuscript, for his exclusive use, because with his great talent he would be able to explore the possibilities of the piece and bring it to life; we know that in reality Kiefer studied the'' Erlkönig'' prepared by his maestro very carefully and wrote another copy (now in a private collection) with many alterations.

Cossmann’s transcription reveals a truly deep knowledge of the cello and of its peculiar potential: nowhere does it show, for example, any influence of the transcription for violin of H.W. Ernst; and in it we can see the reasons for the special admiration that Bernhard Cossman and the Italian virtuoso Alfredo Piatti had for each other, as Carl Fuchs tells us:  “Alfredo Piatti was one of the great ‘cellists.  He dedicated to my master Cossmann his Twelve Caprices, beautiful studies.  The admiration of these two great ‘cellists was mutual, for Cossmann dedicated his five great Concert Studies (op.10) to Piatti.”.<ref>[Musical and other Recollections of Carl Fuchs ‘cellist, Sherratt and Hughes, The Saint Ann’s Press, 1937, pages 51-52].</ref>

He died in [Frankfurt](/source/Frankfurt).

One of Crossman's sons, [Paul Nikolaus Cossmann](/source/Paul_Nikolaus_Cossmann) (born 1869), author of a brief book on Hans Pfitzner (1904), died of typhus at [Theresienstadt](/source/Theresienstadt) in 1942.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.tchaikovsky-research.net/pages/Paul_Cossmann|title=Tchaikovsky Research|accessdate=June 21, 2015}}</ref> Crossman's niece [Pauline Volkstein](/source/Pauline_Volkstein) was also a musician and composed over 1,000 songs.

==References==
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==External links==
*[http://hdl.handle.net/1802/4742 Fünf Concert-Etuden für Violoncell. Op. 10.] From Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection
*{{IMSLP|id=Cossmann, Bernhard}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cossmann, Bernhard}}
Category:1822 births
Category:1910 deaths
Category:German classical cellists
Category:German male composers
Category:German composers
Category:Academic staff of Hoch Conservatory
Category:Musicians from Dessau-Roßlau
Category:19th-century German musicians
Category:19th-century German male musicians
Category:Academic staff of Moscow Conservatory

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bernhard Cossmann](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Cossmann) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Cossmann?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.