Anton Heiller
Encyclopedia
Anton Heiller was an Austrian organist, harpsichordist, composer, conductor.
. After undergoing his initial church music training with Wilhelm Mück — organist at the Stephansdom
(St. Stephen's Cathedral) — he combined work as répétiteur and choirmaster at the Vienna Volksoper
, with further study at the Vienna Music Academy under Bruno Seidlhofer (piano, organ, harpsichord) and Friedrich Reidinger (music theory and composition). Meanwhile he carried out his military service, mostly as a medical aide. Graduating from the Academy in 1945, he became in the same year an organ teacher at that institution. From 1957 he held the title of professor.
Heiller's career after World War II
is an uninterrupted list of concerts, lectures, records, jury service at contests, and professional honors. In 1952 he won the International Organ Competition in Haarlem
, The Netherlands, and he toured the United States as well as Europe, his organ recitals at Harvard (on the then-new Fisk at Memorial Church) — available on a boxed 4-CD set compact disc
s — having been particularly appreciated. A few years before the first of them, he had released an astonishing set of recordings for Vanguard
of many of the larger Bach pieces; the instrument was a majestic Marcussen in Sweden
.
Successive Austrian governments bestowed on him every artistic award in their power, including the Vienna Culture Prize (1963), the Vienna Cross of Honor for Arts and Science (1968), and the Grand Austrian State Prize
(1969). Offered the conductorship of the Vienna State Opera
, Heiller rejected the post, because he wanted to concentrate on his keyboard playing, although later on he was looking forward to more conducting.
Heiller recorded most of his large repertory, which ranged from Giovanni Gabrieli
and Dieterich Buxtehude
through Bach
to Max Reger
and Heiller's good friend Paul Hindemith
; Romantic works interested him somewhat less than Baroque and 20th-century material. In whatever he performed, he displayed formidable technique: of immense rhythmic strength and, in particular, showing a rare talent for clarifying and maintaining the momentum of the most complex polyphonic passages, such that they gave listeners no hint of the difficulties to be overcome.
From his teens onward, Heiller also composed. His pieces, hermetic in style (albeit with nods to Hindemith and Frank Martin
), and often enough exhibiting dodecaphony, never achieved anything like the same renown as his performances. Still, they are numerous, and include a good deal of music for his own instruments, including an organ concerto (1963) and what appears to be the only concerto ever written for organ and harpsichord (1972).
He died unexpectedly in Vienna, when only 55 years old: he collapsed, probably of a cardiac event, after choking on food.
His pupils included Monique Gendron
, Bernard Lagacé, Wolfgang Karius
, Jan Kleinbussink
, Brett Leighton
, Michael Radulescu
, Judy Glass and David Sanger
.
Biography
Heiller was born at ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. After undergoing his initial church music training with Wilhelm Mück — organist at the Stephansdom
Stephansdom
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP...
(St. Stephen's Cathedral) — he combined work as répétiteur and choirmaster at the Vienna Volksoper
Vienna Volksoper
The Vienna Volksoper is a major opera house in Vienna, Austria. It gives about three hundred performances of twenty-five productions during an annual season running from September through June....
, with further study at the Vienna Music Academy under Bruno Seidlhofer (piano, organ, harpsichord) and Friedrich Reidinger (music theory and composition). Meanwhile he carried out his military service, mostly as a medical aide. Graduating from the Academy in 1945, he became in the same year an organ teacher at that institution. From 1957 he held the title of professor.
Heiller's career after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
is an uninterrupted list of concerts, lectures, records, jury service at contests, and professional honors. In 1952 he won the International Organ Competition in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, The Netherlands, and he toured the United States as well as Europe, his organ recitals at Harvard (on the then-new Fisk at Memorial Church) — available on a boxed 4-CD set compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s — having been particularly appreciated. A few years before the first of them, he had released an astonishing set of recordings for Vanguard
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
of many of the larger Bach pieces; the instrument was a majestic Marcussen in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Successive Austrian governments bestowed on him every artistic award in their power, including the Vienna Culture Prize (1963), the Vienna Cross of Honor for Arts and Science (1968), and the Grand Austrian State Prize
Grand Austrian State Prize
The Grand Austrian State Prize is a decoration given annually by Austria to an artist for exceptional work. The recipient must be an Austrian citizen with a permanent residence in Austria....
(1969). Offered the conductorship of the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
, Heiller rejected the post, because he wanted to concentrate on his keyboard playing, although later on he was looking forward to more conducting.
Heiller recorded most of his large repertory, which ranged from Giovanni Gabrieli
Giovanni Gabrieli
Giovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist. He was one of the most influential musicians of his time, and represents the culmination of the style of the Venetian School, at the time of the shift from Renaissance to Baroque idioms.-Biography:Gabrieli was born in Venice...
and Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude was a German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period. His organ works represent a central part of the standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed at recitals and in church services...
through Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
to Max Reger
Max Reger
Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger was a German composer, conductor, pianist, organist, and academic teacher.-Life:...
and Heiller's good friend Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
; Romantic works interested him somewhat less than Baroque and 20th-century material. In whatever he performed, he displayed formidable technique: of immense rhythmic strength and, in particular, showing a rare talent for clarifying and maintaining the momentum of the most complex polyphonic passages, such that they gave listeners no hint of the difficulties to be overcome.
From his teens onward, Heiller also composed. His pieces, hermetic in style (albeit with nods to Hindemith and Frank Martin
Frank Martin (composer)
Frank Martin was a Swiss composer, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands.-Childhood and youth:...
), and often enough exhibiting dodecaphony, never achieved anything like the same renown as his performances. Still, they are numerous, and include a good deal of music for his own instruments, including an organ concerto (1963) and what appears to be the only concerto ever written for organ and harpsichord (1972).
He died unexpectedly in Vienna, when only 55 years old: he collapsed, probably of a cardiac event, after choking on food.
His pupils included Monique Gendron
Monique Gendron
Monique Gendron is a Canadian organist of international renown. She won first prize at the St Albans International Organ Festival in England and at the Grand Prix of Chartes in France. She has recorded sonatas by Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel with oboist Bernard Jean and has...
, Bernard Lagacé, Wolfgang Karius
Wolfgang Karius
Wolfgang Karius is a German conductor, organist and harpsichordist.-Biography:Karius was born at Gummersbach.He attended the Hochschule für Musik Köln where he studied organ under Wolfgang Stockmeier and Michael Schneider and the harpsichord under Hugo Ruf...
, Jan Kleinbussink
Jan Kleinbussink
Jan Kleinbussink is a Dutch classical musician who specializes in the performance of old music. He is the cantor-organist of the Central Church in Deventer, also known as the Lebuïnus Church. He is also well known for his contributions as an instrumentalist and conductor to recordings of J.S....
, Brett Leighton
Brett Leighton
Brett Leighton is a musician with some notability in Europe. His expertise is the organ and harpsichord.-Career:Leighton is Professor of Organ and Harpsichord at the Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität in Linz, Austria...
, Michael Radulescu
Michael Radulescu
Michael Radulescu is a Romanian-German composer, organist, and professor.He was born to a Romanian father and a German mother. He studied with Anton Heiller and Hans Swarowsky at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria....
, Judy Glass and David Sanger
David Sanger (organist)
David John Sanger was a concert organist, professor and president of the Royal College of Organists.- Biography :Sanger was educated at Eltham College and the Royal Academy of Music...
.