Josef Gruber (composer)

Josef Gruber (born April 18, 1855 in Wösendorf in the Wachau , † December 2, 1933 in Linz ) was an Austrian organist and composer .

Life

Josef Gruber grew up in Wösendorf, a collegiate parish of St. Florian . Therefore he came into contact with church music at an early age and became a choirboy in the Augustinian Canons' Monastery , where he received his first musical impulses from the then collegiate bandmaster Ignaz Traumihler (1815-1884). Gruber also studied harmony with Anton Bruckner , who was the monastery organist at the time. From 1906 he took composition lessons with Johann Evangelist Habert . In 1878 Josef Gruber became a monastery organist in St. Florian. From 1906 until his retirement he was professor of music at the teacher training institute and at the same time church musician at the Capuchin Church in Linz.

Act

In the early days of his work, Gruber's compositions were strongly influenced by the strict Cecilianism due to the influence of Ignaz Traumihler . Later on, his work was increasingly influenced by Bruckner and Deubler, Traumihler's successor. This is how pragmatic church music emerged, as it was developed at the beginning of the 20th century. His works are a synthesis of Austrian Cecilianism and a classical concertante direction. His music is characterized by easy singability and formal clarity. Therefore, according to statistics, Gruber's works are sung in more than 1200 Austrian churches. In southern Germany the number is many times higher.

As a teacher, Gruber imparted the tools for church music service to almost two generations.

Works

Gruber created over 300 church music works, including 58 masses and 17 requias . He also left behind numerous Proprien , German masses, German songs, litanies , organ works and a manual for the organ in three parts as well as an organ school and a book of preludes.

A cappella works

• Requiem Es, op.3
• Thomas Mass, op.83, 7 parts
• Missa “Salve Regina”, op. 197

With organ accompaniment

• Theresienmesse, op.31
• Aloysius Mass, op.76
• Family Mass, op.117

With orchestra accompaniment

• Missa St. Petri, op.14
• Requiem d, op.20
• Elisabeth Mass, op.36
• Jubilee Mass, op.40
• Missa Papae Leonis, op.151
• Missa in honorem St. Cäciliä , op.79

literature

• Karl Weinmann: History of Church Music. Kempten 1913. [Episcopal Central Library, Sig. 9995 / Mus.th. 378.]
• Alois Hartl: Johannes Ev. Habert. Kirsch, Vienna 1900. [Episcopal Central Library, Sig. 9995 / Mus.th. 353.]
• Josef Gurtner: Austrian Catholic Church Music in the Light of Numbers. Rohrer, Baden near Vienna 1936. [Thurn- u. Taxis-Hofbibliothek / Magazin, Sig. 9993 / Sbn5 G981.]
• Elisabeth Th. Hilscher / Christian Fastl: Gruber, Josef (pseud. J. Wösendorfer). In: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon . Online edition, Vienna 2002 ff., ISBN 3-7001-3077-5 ; Print edition: Volume 2, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2003, ISBN 3-7001-3044-9 .

Web links

• Short CV and sheet music from Josef Gruber at Musicalion

Individual evidence

1. ↑ in the Austrian Music Lexicon