Raimund von zur-Mühlen
Encyclopedia
Baron Raimund von zur-Mühlen (sometimes "Raymond", "Raimund von Zur Mühlen") (born in the Gut (manor of) Neu Tennasilm bei Fellin, 10 November 1854; d. Wiston
, near Steyning
, England
, 11 December 1931) was a celebrated tenor
Lieder singer who also became a famous teacher of singing, instructing many famous artists. His Lieder-interpretations are legendary.
He was a student of Auguste Hohenschildt, Felix Schmidt, Adolf Schulze, Julius Stockhausen
and Clara Schumann
. He made his debut in 1878, together with Hans Schmidt, in Riga
. After this he continued working on his capabilities as a singer, above all with Manuel Garcia
, Beniamino Carelli
and Pauline Viardot.
He is recognised as a founder of the Lieder-abend or evening recital of the German concert Lieder as a distinct performance entity. His interpretation of Lieder and his specialist study of Lieder interpretation were of the utmost importance in the evolution of the Lieder genre itself. He gave Schumann Lieder-recitals with Clara Schumann. She set him on the path to London
, where he gave his first concert in 1883. At one of his concerts, Johannes Brahms
shouted out, 'Endlich, endlich habe ich meinen Sänger gefunden!' (At last, at last, I have found my singer).
Thereafter he spent much time in London. In 1907 he emigrated to England, with homes in London and Steyning. His last stay in Germany must have been in 1913-1914 in Berlin, where he gave a course of Masterclasses. Thereafter he lived in England for the remainder of his life. Here he met for the last time Monika Hunnius, authoress and singing-teacher, who had regularly studied with him in 1904-1911 at the Schloss Fellin at Neuhäuser, and developed a deep friendship with him.
In his younger days he usually appeared with his habitual accompanist and kindred spirit Hans Schmidt. Among his later accompanists were Victor Biegel and Coenraad Van Bos. Van Bos mentions him in his book: the singer gave his young accompanist no encouragement, but criticized him severely. After their fifth concert together he was told 'You must have played well today, for I did not notice you.' He was the teacher of Lula Mysz-Gmeiner (who taught Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
), of Mark Raphael, Hans Lissman, Eva Jekelius-Lissman, Rose Walter, Eide Norena, Martha Lipton
, Georg A. Walter, Fanny Opfer and Hermann Weissenborn, among many others.
He was considered an ideal Lieder singer. He is also described as an eccentric. He was born of an aristocratic family. His valuable collection of documents, musical and artistic papers were destroyed in 1930 in a great fire at his house near Steyning.
Wiston, West Sussex
Wiston is a scattered village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the A283 road northwest of Steyning.The parish covers an area of...
, near Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 11 December 1931) was a celebrated tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
Lieder singer who also became a famous teacher of singing, instructing many famous artists. His Lieder-interpretations are legendary.
He was a student of Auguste Hohenschildt, Felix Schmidt, Adolf Schulze, Julius Stockhausen
Julius Stockhausen
Julius Christian Stockhausen was a German singer and singing master.- Life :Stockhausens' parents, Franz Stockhausen Sr...
and Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann was a German musician and composer, considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era...
. He made his debut in 1878, together with Hans Schmidt, in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. After this he continued working on his capabilities as a singer, above all with Manuel Garcia
Manuel Garcia
Manuel Garcia may refer to:*Manuel García , singer & voice pedagogue; son of Manuel García *Manuel García , Spanish singer and composer, father of Manuel Patricio Rodríguez García...
, Beniamino Carelli
Beniamino Carelli
Beniamino Carelli was a celebrated Italian singing teacher and composer.Carelli was born and died in Naples, where he spent many years teaching at the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella...
and Pauline Viardot.
He is recognised as a founder of the Lieder-abend or evening recital of the German concert Lieder as a distinct performance entity. His interpretation of Lieder and his specialist study of Lieder interpretation were of the utmost importance in the evolution of the Lieder genre itself. He gave Schumann Lieder-recitals with Clara Schumann. She set him on the path to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he gave his first concert in 1883. At one of his concerts, 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...
shouted out, 'Endlich, endlich habe ich meinen Sänger gefunden!' (At last, at last, I have found my singer).
Thereafter he spent much time in London. In 1907 he emigrated to England, with homes in London and Steyning. His last stay in Germany must have been in 1913-1914 in Berlin, where he gave a course of Masterclasses. Thereafter he lived in England for the remainder of his life. Here he met for the last time Monika Hunnius, authoress and singing-teacher, who had regularly studied with him in 1904-1911 at the Schloss Fellin at Neuhäuser, and developed a deep friendship with him.
In his younger days he usually appeared with his habitual accompanist and kindred spirit Hans Schmidt. Among his later accompanists were Victor Biegel and Coenraad Van Bos. Van Bos mentions him in his book: the singer gave his young accompanist no encouragement, but criticized him severely. After their fifth concert together he was told 'You must have played well today, for I did not notice you.' He was the teacher of Lula Mysz-Gmeiner (who taught Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, DBE was a German-born Austrian/British soprano opera singer and recitalist. She was among the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century, much admired for her performances of Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, and Wolf.-Early life:Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike...
), of Mark Raphael, Hans Lissman, Eva Jekelius-Lissman, Rose Walter, Eide Norena, Martha Lipton
Martha Lipton
Martha Lipton was an American operatic mezzo-soprano.-Biography:Lipton was born in New York City. She won a scholarship to the Juilliard School and made her debut as Pauline in Tchaikovsky's opera The Queen of Spades for the New Opera Company in Manhattan in 1941...
, Georg A. Walter, Fanny Opfer and Hermann Weissenborn, among many others.
He was considered an ideal Lieder singer. He is also described as an eccentric. He was born of an aristocratic family. His valuable collection of documents, musical and artistic papers were destroyed in 1930 in a great fire at his house near Steyning.
Sources
- Dorothea von zur-Mühlen, Der Sänger Raimund von zur-Mühlen (Hannover, Harro von Hirschheydt 1969).
- Monika Hunnius, Mein Weg zur Kunst.
- W. and R. Elwes, Gervase Elwes, The Story of his Life (Grayson and Grayson, London 1935).
- Gerald MooreGerald MooreGerald Moore CBE was an English pianist best known for his career as one of the most in-demand accompanists of his day, accompanying many of the world's most famous musicians...
, Am I too Loud (Harmondsworth 1966). - H. Arnold Smith, 'Baron Raimund von zur-Mühlen: The Passing of a great Artist', Musical Times Vol 73 no 107 (1 April 1932), 316-320.
- Obituary, in Music and Letters 1932, pp. 215–217.