About Nikolaus Baldenecker

Born and baptized on March 27, 1783, in Mainz (Sankt Emmeran), Baldenecker died in 1858 in Frankfurt am Main. He was a violinist and theater conductor. In his youth, he led the vaudeville orchestra at the French Theater in Mainz and, from 1801, played in the newly formed orchestra of the Frankfurt theater.

He co-organized the Liebhaber-Concerte with Scheible and later founded the choral society Caecilia. On October 1, 1851, he celebrated his 50th anniversary as concertmaster and choir director with a performance of his Symphony in E-flat major. Louis Spohr honored him with a matinée in Kassel.

Baldenecker was the first to publicly perform Spohr’s violin concertos in Frankfurt, showcasing his virtuosity in Spohr’s celebrated winter quartets. Under Heinrich Anton Hoffmann’s interim leadership (1819–1821), Baldenecker rebuilt the opera choir, later renowned under Carl Guhr, and often conducted major works in Guhr’s absence.

He married Maria Anna Carolina Rosina Bournay in 1808, a pianist who performed publicly in Frankfurt that same year. He became a citizen of Frankfurt in 1818. Nikolaus was the son of composer Ulrich Baldenecker and brother to Johann Baptist Sr., Conrad I, and Johann Baptist Jr.—all composers. His son, Johann Daniel Baldenecker, also became a composer.

Note: Fétis mistakenly listed his birth year as 1760 in 1860.