Josef Bayer
Encyclopedia
Josef Bayer was an Austria
n composer
and the director of the Austrian Court Ballet from 1883 until his death. He was born and died in Vienna
. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory under the elder Josef Hellmesberger
, Anton Bruckner
and Otto Dessoff, and was a violinist in the Wiener Hofoper (the Vienna Court Opera Orchestra), 1870-1898.
Though he created over twenty one-act ballets, he is remembered for Die Puppenfee ("The Fairy Doll") of 1888, which began life as Im Puppenladen ("In the Doll Shop"). It was the definitive Austrian court ballet, and remains in the repertory of the Vienna State Opera
.
Bayer was also friends with the Viennese waltz
composer Johann Strauss II
and it was Bayer who completed the unfinished Strauss Cinderella ballet
, Aschenbroedel
in 1900, Strauss having died in 1899 leaving a completed draft of the work lacking its orchestration
. Earlier, Bayer commemorated Strauss' golden anniversary as conductor and composer
with Bayer's specially composed ballet "Rund um Wien" in 1894, which was performed at the Vienna State Opera.
Bayer also composed several operettas including Der Chevalier von San Marco (1882), Mister Menelaus (1896),Fräulein Hexe (1898), Der Polizeichef(1904),
Spitzbub & Cie (1907), and Das Damenduell (1907).
He is buried in the Zentralfriedhof
, Vienna.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and the director of the Austrian Court Ballet from 1883 until his death. He was born and died 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...
. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory under the elder Josef Hellmesberger
Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr.
Josef Hellmesberger, Sr. was an Austrian violinist, conductor, and composer.Born in Vienna, he was the son of musician and pedagogue, Georg Hellmesberger, Sr. , was taught violin by his father at the Vienna Conservatoire. Hellmesberger hails from a family of notable musicians including: brother,...
, Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length...
and Otto Dessoff, and was a violinist in the Wiener Hofoper (the Vienna Court Opera Orchestra), 1870-1898.
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...
.
Bayer was also friends with the Viennese waltz
Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
composer Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
and it was Bayer who completed the unfinished Strauss Cinderella ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, Aschenbroedel
Aschenbroedel
Aschenbrödel is a ballet written by Johann Strauss II. He had written all the principal parts of the ballet, and was intending to fill in the orchestration as time permitted...
in 1900, Strauss having died in 1899 leaving a completed draft of the work lacking its orchestration
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
. Earlier, Bayer commemorated Strauss' golden anniversary as conductor and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
with Bayer's specially composed ballet "Rund um Wien" in 1894, which was performed at the Vienna State Opera.
Bayer also composed several operettas including Der Chevalier von San Marco (1882), Mister Menelaus (1896),Fräulein Hexe (1898), Der Polizeichef(1904),
Spitzbub & Cie (1907), and Das Damenduell (1907).
He is buried in the Zentralfriedhof
Zentralfriedhof
The Zentralfriedhof is one of the largest cemeteries in the world, largest by number of interred in Europe and most famous cemetery among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries.-Name and location:...
, Vienna.