Hermann Wunsch
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Hermann Wunsch (9 August 1884 – 21 December 1954) was a German composer, conductor,
music theorist Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. '' The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory": The first is the " rudiments", that ...
and
lecturer Lecturer is an academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. They may also conduct re ...
in composition.


Life and career

Born in
Neuss Neuss (; written ''Neuß'' until 1968; ; ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf. Neuss is the largest city within the Rhein-Kreis Neuss district. It is primarily known for its ...
, Wunsch was born in Neuss, Rhineland, in 1884, the son of the railway works master Balthasar Wunsch and his wife Amalie Hafels.''Wunsch, Hermann'' In Erich H. Müller (ed.): ''Deutsches Musiker-Lexikon'' Limpert, 1929, retrieved via Deutsches Biographisches Archiv, . He began his education with a
teachers' seminar Teachers' seminars were seminars (not to be confused with "seminary") for elementary school teacher education. Usually it was a boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instructio ...
. He then attended conservatories in
Krefeld Krefeld ( , ; ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its c ...
, where he studied composition with Theodor Müller-Reuter,
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
, where he was taught by Frank Limbert, and Cologne.''Wunsch, Hermann'' In Friedrich Jansa (ed.): ''Deutsche Tonkünstler in Wort und Bild.'' 2nd edition, Leipzig 1911, retrieved via Deutsches Biographisches Archiv, . Wunsch then settled in Krefeld. There he first worked for a year as an associate teacher at the conservatory. From 1907 to 1910 he conducted the local philharmonic choir and also worked as a private music teacher. He then took over the direction of the newly founded conservatoire in
Viersen Viersen (; ) is the capital of the Viersen (district), district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Viersen is situated approximately 8 km north-west of Mönchengladbach, 15 km south-west of Krefeld and 20 km ...
. From 1911 to 1912 Wunsch studied at the
Berlin University of the Arts The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the second largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research uni ...
with Engelbert Humperdinck. He then spent a year as music director in
Wattwil Wattwil is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Toggenburg (Wahlkreis), Toggenburg in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of St. Gallen (canton), St. Gallen in Switzerland, located along the Thur (Rhi ...
, Switzerland. During the First World War Wunsch served on the Eastern Front. After the end of the war he lived in Berlin. From 1919 to 1920 he taught at the
Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory The Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory () was a music institute in Berlin, established in 1893, which for decades (until 1960) was one of the most internationally renowned schools of music. It was formed from the existing schools of music of Xaver ...
. Afterwards he worked as a freelance composer. He was financially supported by
Heinrich Schenker Heinrich Schenker (19 June 1868 – 14 January 1935) was an Austrian music theory, music theorist #Theoretical writings, whose writings have had a profound influence on subsequent musical analysis. His approach, now termed Schenkerian analysis ...
, who granted him a scholarship for destitute musicians from the Sofie-Deutsch-Fond in 1924. From 1930 to 1931 Wunsch served as choral director of the
Stern Conservatory The Stern Conservatory (''Stern'sches Konservatorium'') was a private music school in Berlin with many distinguished tutors and alumni. The school is now part of Berlin University of the Arts. History It was founded in 1850 as the ''Berliner Mu ...
. In 1937 he began teaching composition at the Berlin Musikhochschule, from 1945 as professor.''Wunsch, Hermann'' In Walther Killy (ed.): ''Deutsche Biografische Enzyklopädie'' vol. 10, K. G. Saur Verlag, Munich 1999, retrieved via Deutsches Biographisches Archiv, . Wunsch was married to Paula Augusta, ''née'' Peschken. The marriage produced a son, Hans Wolfgang Wunsch (* 1913). Wunsch died in 1954 in Berlin at the age of 70. His grave is located at the
Waldfriedhof Dahlem The Waldfriedhof Dahlem (Dahlem (Berlin), Dahlem forest cemetery) is a cemetery in Berlin, in the district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf on the edge of the Grunewald (forest), Grunewald forest at Hüttenweg 47. Densely planted with conifers and design ...
.


Work

Among other works, Wunsch composed eight operas, a
piano concerto A piano concerto, a type of concerto, is a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for piano accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuosic showpieces which require an advance ...
, six
symphonies A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...
, a
mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
and several orchestral works. In total, he created around 60 works of almost all musical genres. While his compositional output received relatively little recognition, he was highly regarded as a pedagogue and theorist. ; Works * ''Violinkonzert.'' einsätzig,
premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the ...
1922 in Berlin. * ''II. Sinfonie.'' Muich 1923. * ''Liederbüchlein für Paula Wunsch: sechs kleine schlichte Weisen für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung. Op. 2.'' Drei Tannen-Verlag, Berlin 1924. * ''III. Sinfonie.'' Trier 1925. * ''IV. Sinfonie.'' Kassel 1927. * ''Bianca.'' einaktiges Kammerspiel für Musik,
Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle Weimar The (DNT), or German National Theater and Weimar State Orchestra, is the most significant arts organization in Weimar. The institution unites the (German National Theater) with the (Weimar State Orchestra). It plays on a total of six stages ...
1927. * ''Don Juans Sohn.'' Kammeroper, Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar 1928. * ''Aus dem Stundenbuch des Rainer Maria Rilke.'' (op. 18, 4 Lieder), Forberg, Leipzig 1924. Trier 1925. * ''Kammerkonzert für Klavier und kleines Orchester: op. 22.'' Schott, Mainz 1925. Kiel 1925, Tonkünstlerfest. * ''Chor der thebanischen Alten: op. 32.'' Gebr. Hug & Co, Leipzig 1930. * with (poem): ''Volk : für dreistimmigen Kinder- bezw. Frauenchor oder vierstimmigen gemischten Chor mit Begl. eines Klaviers oder eines Schülerorchesters ; op. 34.'' Vieweg, Berlin-Lichterfelde 1930. * ''Messe für Männerchor. Soli, Sopran, Alt, Tenor, Bass und Orchester Orgel ad libitum : op. 36.'' Gebr. Hug & Co, Leipzig 1930. * ''Kleine Lustspiel-Suite : op. 37.'' Eulenburg, Leipzig 1930. * ''Irreland.'' Opera. Grosses Haus am Domhof Osnabrück 1930. * ''Fest auf Monbijou : Suite in fünf Sätzen für kleines Orchester ; op. 50.'' Eulenburg, Leipzig 1933. Bonn 1933. * ''Franzosenzeit.'' Opera. Premiere
Mecklenburg State Theatre The Mecklenburg State Theatre () is the principal theatre of Schwerin in Germany. Its main theatre (or ''Großes Haus'') seats 650 people and is used for the performance of plays, opera, musical theatre and ballet. Designed by Georg Daniel, the p ...
1933. * ''Die kleine Passion : Maria, unser Frauen, der träumet ; Wk 56.'' W. Müller, Heidelberg 1957.


Awards

Wunsch was awarded several music prizes. In 1925, he received the Schott Prize and the Prize of the City of
Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
. His symphony ''Hammerwerk'' earned him the Franz Schubert Prize offered by the Leipzig publishing house Hug & Co. In 1928 he was awarded the Franz Schubert Prize for his ''V. Sinfonie'' at the
1928 International Columbia Graphophone Competition The 1928 International Columbia Graphophone Competition was a competition part-sponsored by the Columbia record company in honour of the centenary of the death of Franz Schubert. Its original aim was to encourage composers to produce completions ...
.''Wunsch, Hermann'' In Hugo Riemann: ''Musiklexikon.'' 11th edition, Hesse, Berlin 1929, retrieved via Deutsches Biographisches Archiv., .


References


External links

* *
Kurzbiografie und Korrespondenz mit Heinrich Schenker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wunsch, Hermann 20th-century German classical composers German conductors (music) German music theorists Academic staff of the Berlin University of the Arts 1884 births 1954 deaths People from Neuss 20th-century German musicologists