Julius Stern

In 1832 his parents removed to Berlin, where Stern studied first under Ludwig Wilhelm Maurer, Moritz Ganz, and Saint-Lubin [de], and later under Rungenhagen at the Königliche Akademie der Künste.

As a result of several compositions which he had written while a pupil of the academy, King Frederick William IV of Prussia, who was an ardent lover of art, granted Stern a stipend which enabled him to pursue his studies.

The first performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah (October 1847) established Stern's reputation as one of the foremost conductors of his day, and his choir constantly increased in size and efficiency, so that the repertoire of the society soon embraced not only the standard works of Handel, Haydn, and Bach, but also those of contemporary composers.

In 1872, the Gesangverein celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary amid great enthusiasm; two years later Stern was compelled to resign his directorship on account of ill health.

From 1869 to 1871, he conducted the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, and from 1873 to 1874 the concerts in the Reichshalle, where he found an opportunity of carrying out his favorite idea of bringing the works of talented young musicians before the public.