Franz Xaver Neruda

Franz Xaver Neruda (or František) (3 December 1843 – 19 March 1915) was a Czech-Danish cellist and composer of Moravian origin.

[1][2][3] Franz Xaver Neruda was born in Brno into a musical family.

After engagements in London and Manchester, he moved back to Copenhagen until he became appointed by Anton Rubinstein as a successor of cello professor Karl Davydov at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.

After his death, Carl Nielsen succeeded him as a director of the Copenhagen music society and he composed a Prologue for recitation and orchestra In memoriam Franz Neruda.

He wrote also many small pieces for piano, organ, cello, violin and some songs.

66 were premiered in May 2005 by cellist Beate Altenburg and Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau under Golo Berg.