Having performed successfully in publc at the age of six, Molique was given a few lessons by Spohr and eventually studied at Munich under Rovelli. He travelled with his instructor to Vienna where he performed a successful debut and subsequently joined the orchestra of the Theatre an der Wien in 1817. He took Spohr's position in Munich in 1820 and concurrently served as the director of the Stuttgart orchestra from 1826 to 1849. In 1849 Molique settled in London after, building the deserved reputation of the Stuttgart orchestra, giving concert tours throughout Europe -- including Russia, and composing concertos, quintets and other instrumental pieces. The first performance of an oratorio composed by Molique was in 1860. The premiere of "Abraham" helped to land him the position of a professor of composition in the RCM. His violin playing was that of a virtuoso who demonstrated extreme skill, sensitivity and masterful technique. He was admired by Schumann, Mendelssohn and Berlioz. As a composer Molique maintained a conservatism in his music, evident in his "Studies in Harmony," and his six violin concertos established Molique as one of the staple composers for violin music in the nineteenth century. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi