Walter Wachsmuth

Walter Wachsmuth (born May 4, 1882 in Königsberg , East Prussia , † May 2, 1964 in Braunschweig ) was a German composer , violinist , music teacher and concert organizer of the music epoch between late romantic and modern times .

Life

Walter Wachsmuth was the only child of the master baker Paul Wachsmuth and his wife Marie in Königsberg / Ostpr. (today: Kaliningrad / Russia) - and moved to Braunschweig together with his mother shortly after his birth and the death of his father. On March 4, 1909, Wachsmuth married the concert singer Margarethe Richter, whose marriage resulted in two sons.

The musical talent of Wachsmuth, who came from a humble background, was discovered early and encouraged by Countess Margarethe von der Schulenburg-Hehlen, née. Freiin von Waldenfels (mother of the Nazi resistance fighter Friedrich Werner Graf vd Schulenburg, who was executed in Plötzensee in 1944), the writer Hans von Reinfels and the banker Carl Magnus-Oppenheim. A scholarship from the Georg Westermann Foundation enabled qualified musical training at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin from 1899 to 1905 - with lessons from Gustav Hollaender and Joseph Joachim , who at times had close personal and professional contacts with Johannes Brahms , Robert Schumann and Clara Schumann , Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy , Franz Liszt and Max Bruch entertained. In a diary entry by Walter Wachsmuth from August 1907, on the occasion of the death of Joseph Joachim, it was stated: “On August 15, at 1 p.m., the famous violinist Joseph Joachim died at the age of 76. Everything is in deep mourning for this true greatness. I myself was allowed to play him the Tartini Sonata in G minor in full about four years ago, and I told myself back then that this was the last time you saw him. "

From 1907 to 1947 Walter Wachsmuth was violin principal and later also deputy concertmaster member of the ducal court orchestra, later of the Braunschweig State Theater Orchestra. In addition, he taught violin playing at various Berlin and Braunschweig conservatories as a so-called main teacher (Boehmert's Conservatory of Music in Berlin-Pankow, Plock, Wegmann, Ottmer in Braunschweig). Before the First World War, Wachsmuth often undertook concert tours of several months, especially in summer, such as in 1907 to Valkenborg / Holland, in 1911 to Riga / Latvia as concertmaster of the Riga Symphony Orchestra, and in the same year to Karlsbad / Bohemia.

From 1909 to 1917 Walter Wachsmuth led a permanently ensemble string trio, which in 1917 merged into a string quartet named after him ("Wachsmuth Quartet"). From 1917 to 1928, Wachsmuth organized regular chamber music concerts as part of what he called the concert series “Musical Eduction Hours” - ten times a year on late Sunday mornings with selected musical themes, and in the presence of composers such as Arnold Schönberg , Paul Hindemith , Max Reger and others. In addition, Wachsmuth created a large number of late romantic compositions of chamber music, especially for strings and for instrumentally accompanied lieder, the salon music belle époque with a small orchestra ensemble, as well as symphony orchestral music with violin concerts, etc. a.

Encounters

It was a special honor for Wachsmuth to be allowed to give a concert in the presence of “Braunschweig's highest rulers” - that is, under the eyes of the monarch, Duke Ernst August III. , the last ruling Guelph Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg and his wife, Princess Victoria Luise, only daughter of the last German Emperor and King of Prussia Wilhelm II.

Walter Wachsmuth's lively concert and composition activity also led to numerous contacts and encounters with other musical personalities of the time who inspired him. So concerted Wachsmuth on 6 April 1908 as a violin virtuoso at the piano together with Max Reger Suite in the Old Style , op 93. The diary of the then 25-year Wachsmuth also be strong and emphatic character of Max Reger clearly. "Now is also Finally the eventful day that brought me the honor of making music with one of our most important composers, Mr. Max Reger, is over. He was very satisfied with me and still admired my handwritten notes. The suite in the old style op. 93 is a powerful work - as powerful as the master himself. He is a primal man, also in his essence. We spent the day in a cozy get-together, and there he showed himself to be an excellent storyteller. As soon as we turned to music, he became a prehistoric man again - his words stormed out of his mouth like an untamed animal, and he despised the cliques and pecking in music. He also said that he openly combats this through word and deed, but nobody openly confesses to him - only at the regulars' table someone says now and then 'Reger, you did that well'. For me this evening was an evening of honor, the hall was sold out. "

Music was also played together with Paul Hindemith, who was in 1925 for rehearsals and performances with the Staatstheaterkapelle in Braunschweig, and with the Italian pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni, a patron and friend of Jean Sibelius.

There were also personal encounters, work contacts and correspondence with Arnold Schönberg, Leo Blech and Anton Beer-Walbrunn - but also with artists who are now less well-known such as Franz Mikorey from the Hofoper Vienna under Gustav Mahler, Karl Pohlig, who performed with Sergei Rachmaninov, the late romantic Georg Schumann, who was in contact with Franz Liszt, Anton Rubinstein, Carl Halir and Max Bruch, Max Scheunemann , Edgar Wollgandt , son-in-law of Arthur Nikisch, Paul Graener , Hans Sommer , pupil of Franz Liszt and friends with Richard Strauss and Rudolf Hartung .

Wachsmuth's closeness to nature, especially to coastal landscapes of the Baltic Sea and low mountain ranges such as the Harz and the Black Forest, finds its sound input and expression in numerous compositions such as his symphonic works Am Quell (1937), Träumerei am Meer (1938) and Waldmärchen (Andante f. Violin and piano, 1935).

Walter Wachsmuth died shortly before his 82nd birthday - with his beloved cigar in hand. His grave is in the central cemetery in Braunschweig.

Awards

On February 20, 1918, Walter Wachsmuth was awarded the War Merit Cross on the yellow-blue ribbon by Duke Ernst August of Braunschweig and Lüneburg - although one year after his recruitment on March 22, 1915 he was a member of the 92nd Infantry Regiment because of "general uselessness" was discharged from military service. The award recognized the unselfish musical work of Walter Wachsmuth on the home front in the form of benefit concerts for the traumatized and needy population.

Works

Song singing

• The Ring , ballad with piano accompaniment, F major (1907)
• The ring cracked in two , song with piano accompaniment, D flat major, Op. 9 (1906)
• Sleeping Child , lullaby from wartime with piano accompaniment, D flat major, Op. 27, (1918)
• A Summer's Day , Prize Song with Piano Accompaniment, B minor (1954)
• Lullaby , for voice and piano, D major, (1954)
• Your hands , song for voice, violin and piano, A minor, (1955)
• The Homecoming , song with piano accompaniment, B flat minor, Op. 19, (1910)
• When will the night come , song and Valse Boston with piano accompaniment, F major, (1930)
• Pain , song with piano accompaniment, G major, Op. 32
• Only you live in my dreams , love song with piano accompaniment, G major (1938)
• Meine Welt , lyrical interlude for voice, violin a. Piano, D major, (1957)

Chamber music, character pieces

• Spanish Dance , Capriccio for Violin and Piano, A minor, Op. 8th
• Forest fairy tale , Andante for violin and piano, C major, (1935)
• Ein Sommertag , Idyll for String Quartet, G major, (1932)
• Cleopatra , Nocturne for violin and piano, D flat major, Op. 28, (1918)
• Vision , Andantino for violin and piano, E flat major, (1960)
• Misericordia , Adagio for violin and piano, B minor, Op. 37, (1923)
• Valse impromptu , for violin and piano, G major, (1932)
• Andante religioso , for violin and piano, C major, (1941)
• Twilight , mood picture for violin and piano, D minor, (1949)
• Venetian Gondola Song , for violin and piano, B flat major, (1961)
• Impromptu , for violin and piano, B flat major, (1959)
• Waldmärchen , Andante for string quartet, C major, (1935)
• Faded Melody , Serenade for Violin and Piano, B minor, (1942)
• In the evening , mood picture for violin, cello and piano, D minor, (1952)
• Meditation , Prelude for Violin, Cello and Piano, C minor, (1958)
• Nuit solenelle , for violin, cello and piano, B flat major, (1956)
• Ave Maria von Bach / Gounod, arranged for organ (piano) and violin, C major, (1958)
• Your song , melody for cello and piano, B flat major
• Dreams by Richard Wagner , arranged for string quartet and horn, D flat major, (1930)
• Ave Maria by Franz Schubert , arranged for violin and organ (piano), D major, (1955)
• Illusion , Serenade for Violin and Piano, D major, (1955)
• Vision , Andantino for violin and piano, E flat major
• Addio , Grave for violin and piano, E major, (1957)
• Your portrait , Intermezzo for violin and piano, E flat major, (1943)
• Wiener Nocturne , for violin and piano, E flat major, (1957)
• Idyll , for violin and piano, D major, (1961)
• Poem , Adagio sostenuto for string quartet, B flat major
• Minuet (from ancient times) , arranged for string quartet, A major, (1932)
• Traumbild , for violin and piano, E major, (1940)
• Intermezzo , for oboe and string quartet, F major, (1938)
• Meditation (on the Weser) for string quartet, E flat major, (1931)
• Wesermenuett , for string quartet, A major
• Forgive us our guilt , Adagio molto espressivo for string quartet, D major
• Largo by Georg Friedrich Händel , arranged for organ / piano, violin and cello, G major, (1949)

Salon music

• Chatting by the fireplace , Andante for violin with piano accompaniment, string quartet or instrumental ensemble, F major, (1951)
• Die Verliebten , serenade for violin with piano accompaniment, string quartet or instrumental ensemble, D major, (1943)
• Gypsy Festival , for string quartet or instrumental ensemble, G major
• Puck , dance scene for string quartet or instrumental ensemble, E flat major
• Spanish Gardens , for string quartet or instrumental ensemble, in F major
• Galant Play , for string quartet or instrumental ensemble, D major,
• Myra , danced vision for string quartet or instrumental ensemble
• Chant d'amour , Serenade for String Quartet, G major, (1931)
• Listen , Dance Intermezzo for Violin and Piano, D Flat Major, (1951)
• Gypsy tunes , for instrumental ensemble, B minor, (1938)
• Intermezzo , for instrumental ensemble, F major, (1938)

Symphonic works

• Violin Concerto , for violin and orchestra or violin and piano, E flat major, Op. 24, (1916)
• Csarda's scenes , for violin and orchestra, F major, (1916)
• Mazurka , for violin and orchestra, B flat major, (1906)
• Träumerei am Meer , concert waltz for orchestra, G major, (1937)
• My love song , instrumental work, G major
• A Midsummer Night's Dream , concert waltz for orchestra or violin and piano, E flat major, (1939/40)
• Happy Hours , Concert Waltz for Violin and Orchestra or Violin and Piano, D major, (1938)
• Am Quell , Waltz Idyll for Orchestra, F major, (1930)

literature

• Short biography of Walter Wachsmuth in Braunschweiger Stadtlexikon (supplementary volume), ed. on behalf of the city of Braunschweig, 2nd edition, 1997 - ISBN 3-926701-30-7

Web links

• Concert announcement on February 16, 2014 Musikschule Lage, ( [1] )
• Concert announcement “Works from the Belle Epoque v. Walter Wachsmuth "from LIPPE aktuell [2]
• "The grandfather's notes should become sounds" / The estate of a thoroughbred musician ( [3] )
• Biographical details of Walter Wachsmuth, ( [4] )
• Orchester Reto Parolari offers sheet music for compositions by W. Wachsmuth, ( [5] )
• www.walter-wachsmuth.de presents the composer Walter Wachsmuth and his complete works
• www.bnote.de is a music publisher of classical oeuvres that has taken on an edition of Walter Wachsmuth's complete works
• www.doblinger.at is a music store in Vienna and a source of sheet music for works by Walter Wachsmuth