Adolf Busch

Violinist, born in Siegen, WC Germany. In 1919 he formed the Busch Quartet and Busch Trio, with his brother Hermann (1897–1975) as cellist and his son-in-law Rudolf Serkin as pianist. He emigrated to America in 1939. Another brother, Fritz (1890–1951), was an eminent conductor and noted Mozartian.

Busch was born in Siegen in Westphalia.

In 1912, Busch founded the Vienna Konzertvereins Quartet, consisting of the principals from the Konzertvereins orchestra, which broke up before World War I. After the war was over, he founded the Busch Quartet, which consisted of members of his family and Paul Grümmer as cellist.

The additional member of the circle was Rudolf Serkin, who became Busch's duo partner at 15 and eventually married Busch's daughter. The quartet and Serkin became the nucleus of the Busch Chamber Players, a forerunner of the modern chamber orchestras.

With the rise of Adolf Hitler, Busch decided he could not in good conscience stay in Germany, so he emigrated to Basel, Switzerland. Upon the outbreak of World War II, Busch emigrated from Basel to the United States, where he settled in Vermont.

The Busch Quartet was known for its interpretations of Brahms, Schubert, and above all Beethoven.

Busch was a great violinist, as well as a chamber musician.

He was the brother of the eminent conductor Fritz Busch.