Heinrich de Ahna

Ahna, who was born in Vienna probably in 1832 (other sources give his year of birth as 1834 or 1835), received violin lessons from the age of seven.

At the age of ten, he became a pupil of Joseph Mayseder, later receiving lessons from Mildner (1812–1865) in Prague.

In 1851, Ahna joined the Austrian army, soon became an officer and in 1859 took part in the Second Italian War of Independence as Oberleutnant.

[1] After successful art tours through Holland and Germany, Ahna became a member of the royal orchestra in Berlin in 1862 and succeeded the first concertmaster Hubert Ries after his retirement in 1869.

His playing was praised for its "blooming, soul-saturated tone, perfect, never-failing technique, hair-sharp intonation and artistic, noble and stylish conception".