Gustav Jenner
Encyclopedia
Gustav Uwe Jenner, was a German
composer, conductor and musical scholar whose chief claim to fame is that he was the only formal composition pupil of Johannes Brahms
.
Jenner was born in Keitum on the island of Sylt
. His father, a doctor, came from a Scottish family: he claimed descent from Edward Jenner
, the discoverer of smallpox vaccine, and was related to the family who built the eponymous Art-Nouveau style department store
which is one of the landmarks of Edinburgh
’s Princes Street
. While at school in Kiel
, Jenner started to teach himself to write music but, after his father committed suicide in 1884 (he had been accused of abusing female patients), he was befriended and assisted by the poet Klaus Groth
, who arranged for him to study with Brahms’s old teacher Eduard Marxsen
in Hamburg
. Marxsen in his turn handed Jenner over to Brahms, with whom he studied in Vienna
from February 1888 to 1895, also receiving instruction from Eusebius Mandyczewski
. Though Brahms was a merciless critic of Jenner’s compositional attempts, he took great care over his welfare. He had him appointed Secretary of the Vienna Tonkünstlerverein and in 1895 arranged for him to become Musical Director and conductor at the University of Marburg, where he spent the rest of his career despite invitations to assume more prestigious posts in Breslau and Berlin
. It was in Marburg
that he died.
As a composer Jenner concentrated on chamber music (three string quartets, a piano quartet, Trio for clarinet, horn and piano, three violin sonatas, a cello sonata and other works), choral pieces and songs. Though his music is highly conservative for his time and shows a strong Brahmsian imprint he was capable of individual expression and his works are always finely wrought. Other than his works for voice, few of these works were published in his lifetime. Recently his String Quartet No.3 in F Major was published by Schott Music
and his Piano Quartet in F Major was published by Edition Silvertrust
. There is also a serenade for orchestra (1911-2).
Jenner published two volumes of recollections of Brahms, Brahms als Mensch, Lehrer und Künstler (Brahms as Man, Teacher and Artist) (Marburg, 1905) which, viewing Brahms from a unique vantage point, are a valuable biographical source.
Selected passages from Jenner's recollections are available in English translation in Walter Frisch, ed., Brahms and His World (Princeton, 1990, ISBN 0-691-02713-7)
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...
composer, conductor and musical scholar whose chief claim to fame is that he was the only formal composition pupil of Johannes 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...
.
Jenner was born in Keitum on the island of Sylt
Sylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
. His father, a doctor, came from a Scottish family: he claimed descent from Edward Jenner
Edward Jenner
Edward Anthony Jenner was an English scientist who studied his natural surroundings in Berkeley, Gloucestershire...
, the discoverer of smallpox vaccine, and was related to the family who built the eponymous Art-Nouveau style department store
Jenners
Jenners Department Store, now known simply as Jenners, is a department store located in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the oldest independent department store in Scotland until its acquisition by House of Fraser in 2005.- History :...
which is one of the landmarks of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
’s Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
. While at school in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Jenner started to teach himself to write music but, after his father committed suicide in 1884 (he had been accused of abusing female patients), he was befriended and assisted by the poet Klaus Groth
Klaus Groth
Klaus Groth , Low German poet, was born at Heide in Schleswig-Holstein.After studying at the seminary in Tondern , he became a teacher at the girls school in his native village, but in 1847 went to Kiel to qualify for a higher educational post. Ill health interrupted his studies and it was not...
, who arranged for him to study with Brahms’s old teacher Eduard Marxsen
Eduard Marxsen
Eduard Marxsen was a German pianist, composer and teacher. He was a pupil of Ignaz von Seyfried, Simon Sechter, Johann Heinrich Clasing, and Karl Maria von Bocklet....
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Marxsen in his turn handed Jenner over to Brahms, with whom he studied in Vienna
Vienna
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...
from February 1888 to 1895, also receiving instruction from Eusebius Mandyczewski
Eusebius Mandyczewski
Eusebius Mandyczewski was a musicologist, composer, conductor, and teacher. He was an author of numerous musical works and is highly regarded within Austrian, Romanian and Ukrainian music circles.- Family and friends :...
. Though Brahms was a merciless critic of Jenner’s compositional attempts, he took great care over his welfare. He had him appointed Secretary of the Vienna Tonkünstlerverein and in 1895 arranged for him to become Musical Director and conductor at the University of Marburg, where he spent the rest of his career despite invitations to assume more prestigious posts in Breslau and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. It was in Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
that he died.
As a composer Jenner concentrated on chamber music (three string quartets, a piano quartet, Trio for clarinet, horn and piano, three violin sonatas, a cello sonata and other works), choral pieces and songs. Though his music is highly conservative for his time and shows a strong Brahmsian imprint he was capable of individual expression and his works are always finely wrought. Other than his works for voice, few of these works were published in his lifetime. Recently his String Quartet No.3 in F Major was published by Schott Music
Schott Music
Schott Music is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe and is currently the second oldest music publishing house. The company headquarters of Schott Music was founded by Bernhard Schott in Mainz, Germany in 1770.Established in...
and his Piano Quartet in F Major was published by Edition Silvertrust
Edition Silvertrust
Edition Silvertrust is a U.S. publisher of chamber music. Founded by R.H.R. Silvertrust, Editor of The Chamber Music Journal and President of The International Cobbett Association for Chamber Music Research....
. There is also a serenade for orchestra (1911-2).
Jenner published two volumes of recollections of Brahms, Brahms als Mensch, Lehrer und Künstler (Brahms as Man, Teacher and Artist) (Marburg, 1905) which, viewing Brahms from a unique vantage point, are a valuable biographical source.
Selected passages from Jenner's recollections are available in English translation in Walter Frisch, ed., Brahms and His World (Princeton, 1990, ISBN 0-691-02713-7)
Recordings
- CPO CD 999 699-2 containing his three String Quartets, Piano Quartet in F major and Trio E flat major for horn, clarinet & piano
- CRC CD 1133 where his Trio E flat Major for Horn, Cello & Piano is recorded
- Divox CDX-29806 containing his three Violin Sonatas
- MDG 603 1343-2 containing his Trio in E flat major for horn, clarinet & piano and Sonata in G major Op. 5 for clarinet & piano