Fritz Brun

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Fritz Brun (born August 18, 1878 in Lucerne ; † November 29, 1959 in Grosshöchstetten ) was a Swiss composer , pianist and conductor .

Live and act

Fritz Brun graduated from high school in Lucerne and received regular piano lessons. From 1896 to 1901 he studied composition and conducting with Franz Wüllner and piano with Max van de Sandt at the Cologne Conservatory . In 1897 Brun received a scholarship thanks to the composers Friedrich Hegar and Hans Huber . In Cologne, Brun made friends with Volkmar Andreae , who also studied in Cologne, and in Gaienhofen with Hermann Hesse . The friendship with Othmar Schoeck and the examination of his work is reflected in the instrumentation of three songs by his colleague ( On my child's death , the three gypsies , commemoration of youth ). 1901–1902 he was employed by Prince Georg of Prussia in Berlin as a private musician. After the prince's death in May 1902, Brun stayed briefly in London and made his way as a répétiteur and chamber musician. In October 1902 he took up a position as a piano and theory teacher at the Dortmund Conservatory . He was also a teacher of Italian for singers.

In 1903 Brun became a piano teacher at the Bern Music School .

From 1909 to 1941 he was the conductor of the symphony concerts of the Bernese Music Society. He also took over the management of the "Cäcilienverein" and the "Berner Liedertafel". With these choirs, Brun also undertook concert tours to neighboring countries. Volkmar Andreae premiered Brun's second, fourth, fifth and ninth symphonies, Hermann Scherchen the sixth, seventh and eighth symphonies in Winterthur .

In the spring of 1911 he accompanied Hermann Hesse on a trip to Italy. In 1912 Fritz Brun married Hanna Rosenmund. He had three children with her.

From 1926 to 1940 he was Vice President of the Swiss Music Society Tonkünstlerverein.

On November 13, 1862, the Cäcilienverein of the city of Bern was founded by Walther Munzinger and like-minded people. The anniversary concerts for the 75th anniversary of the association were held under the direction of Fritz Brun in November 1937.

At the end of the 1940/1941 season, Brun resigned all public offices and moved to the village of Morcote ( Canton Ticino ) on Lake Lugano to devote himself entirely to composing. There he lived in the 'Villa Indipendenza'. In 1958 Brun was awarded the Lucerne City Music Prize.

Fritz Brun died in Grosshöchstetten . His ashes were buried in Grindelwald , where he particularly enjoyed hiking.

Works

Brun composed ten symphonies , various orchestral works ( From the Book of Job , 1906; Symphonic Prologue, 1944; Overture to an anniversary celebration, 1950; Rhapsody, 1957), a piano and a cello concerto, variations on a theme for string orchestra and piano , divertimento for piano and strings, two works for choir and orchestra , four string quartets, two violin sonatas, choral music and songs .

The inflection of Brun's symphonies ranges from grim to goblin-like, from light to heavy-blooded and threatening. They were written between 1901 and 1953, and the fourth to eighth between the late 1920s and early 1940s. The sound gesture becomes more relaxed and brighter.

During the composer's lifetime, conductors such as Volkmar Andreae , Hermann Scherchen , Carl Schuricht, Felix Weingartner, Robert F. Denzler and Paul Sacher advocated Brun's works.

The heirs of Fritz Brun and private sponsors financed the first complete recording of Brun's orchestral works on CD; the last single release was released in 2016 (label: Guildmusic ). The Zurich conductor, composer, music researcher and arranger Adriano was in charge of this overall project ; he conducted the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra . They were published in April 2019 as a complete box by Brilliant Classics .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Volker Michels (Ed.): Hermann Hesse: Music. Reflections, poems, reviews and letters. With an essay by Hermann Kasack . Suhrkamp, ​​Frankfurt am Main 1976; extended edition ibid 1986, ISBN 3-518-37717-5 , p. 179.
  2. ↑ Volker Michels (Ed.): Hermann Hesse: Music. Reflections, poems, reviews and letters. 1986, p. 179.
  3. ↑ November 1937. 75th years of the Cecilia Society of the City of Bern
personal data
SURNAME Brun, Fritz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss composer and conductor
DATE OF BIRTH August 18, 1878
PLACE OF BIRTH Lucerne
DATE OF DEATH November 29, 1959
Place of death Grosshöchstetten