Adalbert Hämel (composer)

Adalbert Hämel (born April 1, 1860 in Alburg ; † October 21, 1932 in Regensburg ) was a German pedagogue and composer .

Life

Adalbert Hämel was born on April 1st, 1860 in Alburg near Straubing . His father Franz Xaver Hämel (1812–1878) and his two grandfathers were teachers. They all had large families to support in very modest circumstances. The father Franz Xaver was one of the four first photographers in Bavaria and as such he traveled from market to market in the autumn holidays to improve his meager income. A great merit from him was that he took care of the musical education of the children. Despite the technical talent of the young Adalbert, the father decided to train his son at the teacher training college in order to encourage the son's pronounced musicality more. In the music teachers of the Straubing Seminar, Gresbeck and Edenhofer, Adalbert found understanding educators, so that he decided to study music in more depth. However, the early death of his father forced him to earn his living as an assistant teacher in the Bavarian Forest. After six years he returned to Straubing, where he soon became a teacher, then a senior teacher and district school councilor. After 47 years of school service in Straubing, he moved in with his daughter, a teacher for music in Regensburg, and died there on October 21, 1932.

Working as a musician

As a young teacher he gave piano concerts in Straubing, conducted the Liedertafel, gave numerous private lessons, and soon became organist in the collegiate church of St. Jakob as the successor to his teacher Edenhofer. He held this post for 25 years alongside his school service. His organ playing, especially his free improvisations, have made his name widely known. Music and religiosity combined with him in a wonderful harmony. And contemplation of the liturgical texts gave him the deepest and most sonorous preludes.

“Whenever there was an opportunity for a free interlude or for a generously designed prelude, then he knew how to convince his musical thoughts not only through a technically brilliant game, but also through a clear formal structure, through the logic of its implementation. He preferred to use themes from Gregorian chant for free improvisation. Complete concentration on his task was an expression of his attitude at the organ console. Nor did she leave him when the organ was silent. Then he picked up the prayer book that was lying next to him on the organ bench. "

- Dr. August Scharnagl

Works

He left around 90 compositions, but not all of them were printed. Musically, a change in style can be clearly seen. He started from the strictly Cecilian style, but over the years worked more and more into modern forms, even if he rejected exaggerations and great freedom. A first highlight was the composition of the oratorio "Petrus Canisius" for soloists, choir and large orchestra, which was performed at home and abroad in 1897, also in the USA. Various choirs from it were also performed repeatedly later. He has composed a number of masses. The strictly Cecilian Franz Xaver Mass for male choir dates from the early days, while the later, the Missa de pace and the Maximilian Mass are held in a modern style and have great sound beauties. Numerous smaller works, offertories, Tantum-ergo collections and, above all, compositions for polyphonic female choirs, such as the often heard "Seele Christi, Heilige mich" (with organ and violin), have made his name known in wider circles. A three-volume theory of harmony preserved in the manuscript, which shows his rich experience and great pedagogical skills, is still awaiting publication. The baseline in Hämel's life was his deep religiosity, which had an impact on his compositional work as well as on his work as a schoolboy and musician.

“Hämel's harmony theory is primarily a work for elementary teaching. This is indicated by the structure and presentation of the material. Having emerged from the experience of practical teaching, it is intended to serve practice again. The fact that the author of the so popular aesthetic remarks refrains from being wise is a great advantage for the work and its teaching use. On the other hand, his explanatory words are so simple and clearly understandable that the book can also be used for self-teaching. The work should not remain a manuscript. The work is as vivid as it is thoroughly worked out, the material has been compiled with real bee diligence. "

- Markus Koch

• Oratorio "Petrus Canisius"
• Franz Xaver Mass
• Missa de pace
• Maximilian Mass

literature

• August Scharnagl. Adalbert Hämel (1860-1932). in: Straubinger Calendar 1976, page 62 ff.
• Manuscripts from the estate of Adalbert Hämel, made available by the nephew Josef Hämel, Deggendorf