Gertrude Pitzinger (15 August 1904 – 15 September 1997) was a German contralto appearing in concert, especially singing ''

Lied In the Western classical music tradition, ( , ; , ; ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary German and Dutch, but among English and French speakers, is often used interchangea ...

er''. She taught at the music universities of Hannover and Frankfurt.

Career

Born in Mährisch-Schönberg, then in Austria-Hungary, Pitzinger studied in Vienna at the Musikakademie. She graduated in 1926 as music teacher. She studied singing ''

er'' with

Julia Culp Julia Bertha Culp (6 October 188013 October 1970), the "Dutch nightingale", was an internationally celebrated mezzo-soprano in the years 1901–1919. "You might describe Julia Culp as a connoisseur’s singer," Michael Oliver wrote in the ''Int ...

, and then moved to Reichenberg (now

Liberec Liberec (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 108,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse River, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preserved and is pr ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

), where she performed in oratorios and in concerts. A first recital of ''Lieder'' at the Berliner Singakademie brought her wider recognition. She performed in

Hans Pfitzner Hans Erich Pfitzner (5 May 1869 – 22 May 1949) was a German composer, conductor and polemicist who was a self-described anti-modernist. His best known work is the post-Romantic opera ''Palestrina'' (1917), loosely based on the life of the ...

s ''Von deutscher Seele''.

Wilhelm Furtwängler Gustav Heinrich Ernst Martin Wilhelm Furtwängler ( , ; ; 25 January 188630 November 1954) was a German conductor and composer. He is regarded as one of the greatest Symphony, symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. He was a majo ...

performed with her as a soloist in London in 1937. She toured in several European countries, and in the United States in 1938 and 1939. Hubert Giesen accompanied her in recitals, including at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

and the New York

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

. In England, the United States, and Canada, she became known as "the German ''Lieder'' singer". She often collaborated with conductors such as

Ferenc Fricsay Ferenc Fricsay (; 9 August 1914 – 20 February 1963) was a Hungarian conductor. From 1960 until his death, he was an Austrian citizen. Biography Fricsay was born in Budapest in 1914 and studied music under Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, Ern ...

Eugen Jochum Eugen Jochum (; 1 November 1902 – 26 March 1987) was a German conducting, conductor, best known for his interpretations of the music of Anton Bruckner, Carl Orff, and Johannes Brahms, among others. Biography Jochum was born to a Roman Catholic ...

Joseph Keilberth Joseph Keilberth (19 April 1908 – 20 July 1968) was a German conductor who specialised in opera. Career Keilberth began his career in the State Theatre of his native city, Karlsruhe, joining as a répétiteur in 1925 and conducting from 193 ...

, Egon Kornauth and Fritz Rieger. In 1940 she performed in the premiere of Franz Schmidt's cantata ' in the

Musikverein The ( or ; ), commonly shortened to , is a concert hall in Vienna, Austria, which is located in the Innere Stadt district. The building opened in 1870 and is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. The acoustics of the building's 'Grea ...

in Vienna, conducted by

Oswald Kabasta Oswald Kabasta (December 29, 1896 – February 6, 1946) was an Austrian conductor. Life and career Kabasta was born in Mistelbach, Austria and later studied with composer Franz Schmidt. In 1931 he became head of conducting at the Vienn ...

. In 1957 he performed the ' by Johannes Brahms on a tour through Germany with

Erna Berger Erna Berger (19 October 1900 – 14 June 1990) was a German lyric coloratura soprano. She was best known for roles such as Queen of the Night and Konstanze. Career Born in Dresden, Germany, Berger spent some years as a child in India and Sout ...

Walther Ludwig Walther Ludwig (17 March 1902 – 15 May 1981) was a German operatic lyric tenor, particularly associated with Mozart roles and Schubert lieder. Biography He was born on 17 March 1902 in Bad Oeynhausen. He first studied medicine in Freiburg befo ...

and

Erich Wenk Erich Wenk (12 August 1923 – 30 March 2012) was a German bass-baritone singer in opera and especially in concert. He was a professor of voice at the . Career Wenk was born in . In 1957 he performed the by Johannes Brahms on a tour through Ge ...

. In 1960 she recorded Mozart's

Requiem A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is ...

with

Elisabeth Grümmer Elisabeth Grümmer (née Schilz; 31 March 1911 – 6 November 1986) was a German soprano. She has been described as "a singer blessed with elegant musicality, warm-hearted sincerity, and a voice of exceptional beauty". Life Elisabeth Schilz was b ...

Helmut Krebs Helmut Krebs (October 8, 1913 in Dortmund – August 30, 2007 in Berlin) was a German tenor in opera and concert, who sang a wide range of roles from Baroque to contemporary works. Professional career Krebs studied at the Dortmund Conservatory and ...

and

Hans Hotter Hans Hotter (19 January 19096 December 2003) was a German operatic bass-baritone. He stood and his appearance was striking. His voice and diction were equally recognisable. Early life and career Born in Offenbach am Main, Hesse, Hotter studied ...

, conducted by

. She appeared regularly at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival () is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer, for five weeks starting in late July, in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart's operas are a focus of ...

, singing in 1934 in Dvořák's

Stabat Mater The Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Christian hymn to the Virgin Mary that portrays her suffering as mother during the crucifixion of her son Jesus Christ. Its author may be either the Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi or Pope Innocent III.Saba ...

, and from 1951 to 1959 in Mozart's Requiem. In 1953, she appeared in Handel's ''

Judas Maccabaeus Judas Maccabaeus or Maccabeus ( ), also known as Judah Maccabee (), was a Jewish priest (''kohen'') and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BCE). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah ("Ded ...

'', conducted by

Joseph Messner Joseph Messner (27 February 1893 – 23 February 1969) was an Austrian musician, composer and priest. Life Joseph Messner, brother of the social ethicist , was born in Schwaz/Tyrol as the son of a miner (in the ) and a tobacco worker. He rece ...

, alongside Tilla Briem, Lorenz Fehenberger and Oskar Czerwenka. From 1955 to 1957 she performed in Beethoven's

Missa Solemnis is Latin for Solemn Mass.Mass
, ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. N.p., Appleton, 1910. 797. and is a genre of < ...

and until 1960 in masses by

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

. From 1956 Pitzinger held a master class for voice at the

Musikhochschule Hannover A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

. In 1960 she was appointed professor of voice at the

Musikhochschule Frankfurt The Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (, HfMDK) is a state Hochschule for music, theatre and dance in Frankfurt and is the only one of its kind in the Federal State of Hesse. It was founded in 1938. At present around 900 student ...

, where she taught until 1973.

Awards

* 1957 '' Sudetendeutscher Kulturpreis''

References

External links

*
Gertrude Pitzinger
Bel Canto Society
Gertrude Pitzinger
(in German) Kulturportal West-Ost {{DEFAULTSORT:Pitzinger, Gertrude German contraltos 1904 births 1997 deaths People from Šumperk Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover Academic staff of the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts 20th-century German women singers