Theodor Albin Findeisen

Theodor Albin Findeisen (born October 1, 1881 in Zeitz ; † March 3, 1936 at his country house in Rasberg near Zeitz) was a German double bass player , composer and teacher.

Life

Little is known about Findeisen's life and work. His school is still in use, The Teacher of the Double Bass, and other practice literature such as his 25 technical studies . He wrote solo literature and chamber music for double bass, although this has largely been forgotten. The list of works goes up to opus 34, of which about 10 titles are known today, the scores of which are difficult to find because the publisher was closed.

Findeisen was the son of the businessman Theodor Findeisen and attended the public school in Zeitz from 1888 to 1896. In Ronneburg he attended the music school until 1900 and then played in the Köthen City Orchestra. In the following two years he received lessons from Hugo Keyl in Dresden and Franz Simandl in Vienna. He then did his military service from 1902 to 1904 with the music corps of the 96th Infantry Regiment in Gera. From 1904 to 1906 he worked with Oswald Schwabe in Leipzig, who gave him an excellent diploma. He then became solo bassist in Breslau, in 1907 he was second first double bass player in the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, in 1920 he was first first double bass player there. In 1922 he also took on a teaching position at the Leipzig Conservatory . He held both positions until his early and sudden death in 1936. In between he was twice (1914 and 1924) a member of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra . He left a wife and two children.

The republication of his first double bass concerto opus 15 in autumn 2006 may help to redistribute his work. A reprint of the work, the Carnival scenes opus 12 for double bass and orchestra, is also planned.

Works

Teaching material

• School for double bass , op. 17, Schott

• The teacher of the double bass game - a primary school for the higher register, bow and finger technique, in 4 volumes, Verlag Carl Merseburger, Leipzig; New edition in five volumes, Hofmeister publishing house

• 25 major technical studies for double bass through all keys as an introduction to modern rhythm, harmony and performance, op. 14, 4 volumes; CF Schmidt, Heilbronn; International Music Company, New York

• Concert Etudes for Double Bass , 20 Etudes by Storch and Rabe, arranged by Findeisen; later published as 57 Studies for String Bass, International Music Company, New York

Solo pieces

• Nixenreigen-Fantasy , op. 9, for double bass and piano, CF Schmidt, based on a poem by Ludwig Ankenbrand and a picture of a bass player playing in the forest, who is danced around by nymphs

• Carnival scenes , op. 12, for double bass and orchestra, PRObass Musikverlag

• Concerto No. 1 , op. 15 for double bass with large orchestra, PRObass Musikverlag

• Elegy (Am Grabe des Freundes), op. 19, CF Schmidt

• Concerto No. 2 , Op. 25 in one movement for double bass with chamber orchestra, CF Schmidt

Further works for double bass with other instruments

• Romantic Suite , op. 10, for double bass and violin, PRObass Musikverlag

• JS Bach: 10 Inventions , op. 16, arranged for double bass and violin, CF Schmidt

• Quartet Suite, op. 26, for 4 cellos or double basses, PRObass Musikverlag

• Cadenza for the Simandl Concerto , op. 34, CF Schmidt

Other works

• Male choirs , op. 1-8 (manuscript)

• Impromptu eroico , op. 13 for piano, CF Schmidt

• 5 Sehnsuchtslieder , op.18, Dora Schellenberg CF Schmidt

• 4 piano fantasies , op. 20-24, based on Gerhart Hauptmann: The sunken bell , CF Schmidt

• Croquet waltz , for piano "The ladies of the southern suburban" Schrebervereincroquetclub 1907 "dedicated, CF Schmidt

Music educational contributions

Findeisen also wrote articles ("Das Vibrato", "A reform of the pedagogy of the double bass playing", "German or French bowing" (2 articles) and "My work" The teacher of the double bass "") for the magazine "The double bass", which but only reached 5 issues in 1929–1931.

Web links

• Sheet music and audio files by Theodor Albin Findeisen in the International Music Score Library Project