Gottfried Eschenbach
Encyclopedia
Gottfried Eschenbach (April 4, 1842 – November 19, 1920) was a German
composer
, conductor
and virtuoso
violist
. Although praised in their time for their rhythmic vitality and unusual blend of Wagnerian
chromaticism
and Brahmsian
structural integrity, Eschenbach's works have later fallen into obscurity.
, the son of Karl Eschenbach, an orchestral violist, and Margareta Eschenbach (née Schröder). Although his father taught him to play the viola at an early age, he originally wanted Gottfried to become a lawyer. However, it soon became apparent that the boy was highly musically gifted, and Eschenbach's father eventually agreed to send him to Leipzig, where he studied composition, harmony, viola and conducting under Niels Gade and others. In 1863, he finished his studies, and his graduation piece and op. 1, a symphony in C major, was played at a conservatory concert.
Eschenbach devoted the years after his graduation to his talents as a violist, touring Europe several times with Hungarian pianist Zoltán Kovács
. However, he experienced an epiphany after hearing the Leipzig premiere of Brahms' German Requiem in 1869, and decided shortly thereafter to devote himself entirely to musical composition. For the rest of his life, he rarely held public recitals and restricted his talents as a conductor
largely to his own works.
Eschenbach married soprano
Katrine Jünger (1849–1919) in 1873. Together, they had three children. He died in 1920.
, Schubert
, Schumann
and Brahms
, the first-period works foreshadow many of the hallmarks of the composer's mature style, especially in the area of rhythm (the finale of Eschenbach's First Symphony is one of the first pieces in the canon of Western concert music largely in 5/4 time). The most notable compositions from this period are the Symphony in C major, Eschenbach's opus 1, the first two string quartets and several smaller works for the viola premiered in recital by the composer.
Although the beginning of the second period can be traced to Eschenbach's visit to Bayreuth in 1872, its style only became apparent with the 1875 publication of the song cycle An Der Frühling. The cycle shows the clear influence of the neo-German school of Liszt
and Wagner
in its heavily chromatic harmony and use of leitmotifs. Most of Eschenbach's large-scale works, including six of his nine symphonies, were composed during the second period. Although harmonically adventurous, the second-period works are formally Classical, rarely breaking completely with the conventions of sonata form
.
Unlike many other German composers of the older generation, the aging Eschenbach was intrigued by the innovations of composers such as Schoenberg
, Debussy
and Stravinsky
. This becomes apparent in the works of the third period. Usually said to start around 1900, the third period synthesizes and improves on Eschenbach's earlier innovation while also introducing several new features inspired by the inventions of Germany
's expressionists
and France's
impressionists, including complex non-functional harmonies (the Debussy-inspired Préludes), synthetic scale formations
(the last two symphonies and the orchestral Symphonic Fantasy) and polytonality
(the Concert Study for the Left Hand, his last major work, written for Paul Wittgenstein
).
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
composer
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
violist
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
. Although praised in their time for their rhythmic vitality and unusual blend of Wagnerian
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
chromaticism
Chromaticism
Chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic pitches and chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale. Chromaticism is in contrast or addition to tonality or diatonicism...
and Brahmsian
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
structural integrity, Eschenbach's works have later fallen into obscurity.
Life
Gottfried Eschenbach was born in 1842 to a middle-class family in Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, the son of Karl Eschenbach, an orchestral violist, and Margareta Eschenbach (née Schröder). Although his father taught him to play the viola at an early age, he originally wanted Gottfried to become a lawyer. However, it soon became apparent that the boy was highly musically gifted, and Eschenbach's father eventually agreed to send him to Leipzig, where he studied composition, harmony, viola and conducting under Niels Gade and others. In 1863, he finished his studies, and his graduation piece and op. 1, a symphony in C major, was played at a conservatory concert.
Eschenbach devoted the years after his graduation to his talents as a violist, touring Europe several times with Hungarian pianist Zoltán Kovács
Zoltán Kovács
Zoltán Kovács is a retired Hungarian footballer who used to play as a striker.Kovács was the captain, and fan's favourite for Újpest...
. However, he experienced an epiphany after hearing the Leipzig premiere of Brahms' German Requiem in 1869, and decided shortly thereafter to devote himself entirely to musical composition. For the rest of his life, he rarely held public recitals and restricted his talents as a conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
largely to his own works.
Eschenbach married soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Katrine Jünger (1849–1919) in 1873. Together, they had three children. He died in 1920.
Music
Although well-known for his slow and meticulous craftsmanship, Eschenbach lived long enough to amass nearly 200 opus numbers. His output is often divided into three periods. The first period, sometimes called the Romantic period, is usually said to begin with the publication of Eschenbach's first extant works in the early 1860s. While heavily influenced by the works of BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
, Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
and Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, the first-period works foreshadow many of the hallmarks of the composer's mature style, especially in the area of rhythm (the finale of Eschenbach's First Symphony is one of the first pieces in the canon of Western concert music largely in 5/4 time). The most notable compositions from this period are the Symphony in C major, Eschenbach's opus 1, the first two string quartets and several smaller works for the viola premiered in recital by the composer.
Although the beginning of the second period can be traced to Eschenbach's visit to Bayreuth in 1872, its style only became apparent with the 1875 publication of the song cycle An Der Frühling. The cycle shows the clear influence of the neo-German school of Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
and Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
in its heavily chromatic harmony and use of leitmotifs. Most of Eschenbach's large-scale works, including six of his nine symphonies, were composed during the second period. Although harmonically adventurous, the second-period works are formally Classical, rarely breaking completely with the conventions of sonata form
Sonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
.
Unlike many other German composers of the older generation, the aging Eschenbach was intrigued by the innovations of composers such as Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
, Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
and Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
. This becomes apparent in the works of the third period. Usually said to start around 1900, the third period synthesizes and improves on Eschenbach's earlier innovation while also introducing several new features inspired by the inventions of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's expressionists
Expressionism (music)
,Expressionism as a musical genre is difficult to exactly define. It is, however, one of the most important movements of 20th Century music. The three central figures of musical expressionism are Arnold Schoenberg and his pupils, Anton Webern and Alban Berg, the so-called Second Viennese...
and France's
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
impressionists, including complex non-functional harmonies (the Debussy-inspired Préludes), synthetic scale formations
Synthetic scale
In music, a synthetic scale is a scale which has been derived from a traditional diatonic major scale through the alteration of one degree by a semitone in either direction. Composer Ferruccio Busoni originally explored these scales in his A New Esthetic of Music and their number and variety were...
(the last two symphonies and the orchestral Symphonic Fantasy) and polytonality
Polytonality
The musical use of more than one key simultaneously is polytonality . Bitonality is the use of only two different keys at the same time...
(the Concert Study for the Left Hand, his last major work, written for Paul Wittgenstein
Paul Wittgenstein
Paul Wittgenstein was an Austrian-born concert pianist, who became known for his ability to play with just his left hand, after he lost his right arm during the First World War. He devised novel techniques, including pedal and hand-movement combinations, that allowed him to play chords previously...
).
Further reading
- Honka, Siegfried. The Music of Gottfried Eschenbach. London: J. Derbyshire & Sons LTD, 1975.