Friedrich (Frederick) Niecks - son of an orchestral musician, teacher and conductor - was born in Duesseldorf, Germany, on 3 February 1845. He was educated privately in Duesseldorf and at the age of thirteen he made his first appearance as a violinist at a concert of the Musikverein in the city. Until 1868 he was a violinist and teacher of music, still in his home city, and then on the encouragement of the Scottish composer and conductor Alexander Mackenzie (1847-1935) he settled in Scotland where he played viola in Mackenzie's Edinburgh quartet. Niecks was also an organist and teacher of music in Dumfries. By 1875 he had begun writing music and contributing to music journals and between 1877 and 1878 he studied at Leipzig University. In 1880 he took British nationality. In 1891 Niecks became Reid Professor of Music, and Dean of the Faculty of Music, at Edinburgh University. In 1907 he married Christina Struthers. His publications include A Concise Dictionary of musical terms (1884), Chopin as a man and musician (1888), and Programme music in the last four centuries (1907), and Struthers edited his Robert Schumann for posthumous publication in 1925. He retired in 1914. Professor Frederick Niecks died on 24 June 1924.
From the guide to the Papers of Professor Frederick Niecks (1845-1924), 1890-1901, (Edinburgh University Library)
