Marc-André Souchay

Marc-André Souchay (born February 4, 1906 in Stuttgart , † February 21, 1991 in Norwich ) was a German composer of serious music .

life and work

Marc-André Souchay grew up in Stuttgart and attended the Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium from 1912 to 1924. He learned to play the piano at an early age and received lessons from Anton Enz , Johann Theodor Viehmeyer and Hermann Keller . After finishing school, Marc-André Souchay went to Berlin and studied music at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität . His teachers included Hermann Abert , Friedrich Blume , Arnold Schering , Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Johannes Wolf . In 1927 Marc-André Souchay received his doctorate with his dissertation The Subject in the Fugue of Bach. Further studies with Oscar Rees (vocals) and Paul Juon (composition) followed.

After completing his studies, Marc-André Souchay first worked as a concert singer. He had to end this career as early as 1935 for health reasons. In the next few years Marc-André Souchay worked as a lecturer in musicology at the adult education center and the Technical University in Stuttgart. In 1933 the Württemberg State Theater organized a composition competition. Marc-André Souchay won this competition with his opera Das Stuttgarter Hutzelmännlein . The first performance of the work then followed on December 1, 1935. In the following years Marc-André Souchay composed for the stage with numerous world premieres ( Alexander in Olympia , Faust and Helena , Kampfwerk 39 ). From 1941 to 1945 Marc-André Souchay worked as a dramaturge at the Württemberg State Theater .

After the war, Marc-André Souchay worked as a freelance composer first in Kilchberg and from 1951 in Gmund am Tegernsee . In 1953 Marc-André Souchay went to Hanover and worked there as a lecturer in music theory and head of the orchestral class at the Academy for Music and Theater in Hanover. In 1963 he stopped teaching and from then on devoted himself entirely to his compositions. In 1981 he moved to Norwich (England) for family reasons, as one of his two daughters was living there at the time. He stayed there until his death.

Most of the composer's estate is in the Hanover City Library .

The violinist Adelheid Souchay is the composer's daughter.

Compositions

Stage works

• Das Stuttgarter Hutzelmännlein , opera (premiered December 1, 1935 in Stuttgart under Richard Kraus )
• Stabat Mater (1935), opera (the text is an adaptation of the Christ legends by Selma Lagerlöf )
• The recovery of Caesar Tiberius (1935), opera
• Master Tobias (1936), opera
• Alexander in Olympia , Opera (premiered April 20, 1940 at the Cologne Opera House under Alexander Spring )
• Faust and Helena , Opera (Premiere November 5, 1940 in Halle / Saale)
• Kampfwerk 39 , scenic cantata (premiered May 5, 1940 in Stuttgart under Herbert Albert ), later received the title We wait ...
• Wieland (1943), opera
• The pharaoh dreams , opera
• Scandal (1970), opera
• Placidia , opera

Orchestral music

• Symphonic suite for orchestra
• Violin Concerto (1943, rev. 1956, premiered December 17, 1956 in Hanover with Vittorio Brero (violin))
• Midsummer Night's Dream
• Piece lyrique Vol au soleil
• Music for 15 string instruments

Chamber music

• Sonata piccola for violin and piano
• Sonata for cello and piano
• Italian trio, for violin, cello and piano
• Archery , for string sextet
• Sonata for cello solo (1948)
• Bauer Variations for Piano (1924)
• The March from Kilchberg to Bühl , for piano
• To my mother , for organ (1923)
• Trio sonata for organ (1929)
• Choral sonata for string trio and piano (1934)
• Sonata for violin solo
• Suite for 2 pianos
• Spätlese , for clarinet and piano (or string quartet)
• Violin Solo d , for violin solo
• Prelude and Fughetta , for solo viola

Choral and vocal works

• Death wedding , oratorio (1934)
• 4 Goethe chants , for baritone and string orchestra
• The parable of the violin , for baritone and violin
• Greetings to Germans Abroad , for voice and string quintet
• Fourth Quartet , for strings, choir and solos
• The Seven Days , Oratorio (1952)
• 5 evening songs , for soprano and string quartet
• To my beloved , for soprano and string quartet
• Jesulein, beautiful child , for voice, recorder and violin
• Songs of two lovers , for voice and piano
• Stuttgart , for mixed choir
• Tal-auf, Tal-ab , for baritone, flute, 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos (1959)
• From the life of a good- for- nothing , for baritone and orchestra
• Wonderful as on the first day , oratorio (1955)
• Symphony of Sehnsucht , cantata for solo soprano, choir and orchestra
• As wonderful as the first day , for two choirs a cappella
• The art of archery , for soprano and strings

literature

• Sabine Buss (1991): The deposit of the composer and music writer Marc-André Souchay in the Hanover City Library . Hanover: Diploma thesis