Carl Fuchs

Carl Fuchs was a cellist first and foremost but this took his life in many different directions. He was born in Germany in 1855, to a family of music lovers and amateur musicians. He met famous composers and musicians of the day including Schumann, Brahms and Tchaikovsky. He performed in different orchestras before meeting Adolph Brodsky in Leipzig, a well know violin teacher and performer. They struck up a friendship. In 1887 Fuchs came to Manchester to perform with the Gentlemen's Concerts as a soloist at the request of Charles Hallé, before returning to Germany to complete military service. Later in the year he returned to the UK, this time touring Scotland before settling in Manchester in 1888 with the Hallé Orchestra.

On the founding of the Royal Manchester College of Music in 1893, Fuchs was invited to become the Cello Professor, remaining in post until his retirement in 1942. In 1895 Adolph Brodsky (Fuch's old pal) became Principal (having arrived in Manchester two months earlier to lead the Hallé Orchestra) and formed the Brodsky Quartet with Fuchs, Christopher Rawdon Briggs (2nd violin) and Simon Speelman (viola).

In 1896 Richter (conductor of the Hallé Orchestra) invited Fuchs and other members of the Hallé orchestra to take part in the Jubilee performances at Bayreuth Festival. Fuchs also performed with Saint-Säens, Richard Strauss, and Joachim, often at the Schiller-Anstalt (the German club founded in Manchester in 1859; the Eye Hospital now stands on its site).

In July 1914 Fuchs and his wife and sons (aged 15 and 11) visited his mother in Jugenheim. Sadly she died during their visit, in September, and in November all able-bodied British subjects were interned because of the start of the First World War. Fuchs spent a few months at the internment camp at Ruhleben. It didn't stop him performing and he helped from an orchestra in the camp. As he had done military service in Germany, Fuchs was soon released although he was restricted in his movements for the duration of the war. His wife and sons were permitted to return to England in January 1915, whilst Fuchs lived with his sister at Jugenheim. 

During the war and enforced separation from his family Fuchs' health gave way, and he was admitted to the Alsbach Sanatorium for a time. Following the Armistice, Fuchs was allowed to return to England in March 1919, resuming work in 1920, although the anti-German sentiment in the city made his work uncomfortable and he left briefly to work at the Newcastle Conservatoire.

He remained Professor of the Cello at the RMCM until his retirement in 1942, and was a member of the Board of Professors. In 1945 he was elected Professor Emeritus in recognition of his services to the College since its opening. He died in 1951.