Page 34 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

32  INTRODUCING GERM AN Y A POR TR AIT OF GERM AN Y  33

Music in Germany Beethoven (1770–1827) was whose “Wedding March” from
born in Bonn, although he A Midsummer Night’s Dream
German composers have made an enormous contribution worked mainly in Vienna. accompanies wedding
to the world’s cultural heritage. Many great musical Among his best-known celebrations around the
geniuses were born and worked here, including Johann works are his nine world. As well as this,
Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. Today their symphonies, as well as however, Mendelssohn’s
legacy includes five
piano and violin
work, and that of other German composers, continues to concertos, two symphonies, piano
be performed to enthusiastic new generations of music- masses, various music, chamber
lovers in concert halls and opera houses around the world. chamber works and music and oratorios.
In Germany, their work is celebra ted regularly at hugely the opera Fidelio. In 1843, he founded
popular music festivals. The life of this great Germany’s first music
Renowned composer, Johann Sebastian composer is shrouded conser vatory, Composer and musician Clara
Bach (1685–1750) in legend. Succeeding in Leipzig. Schumann (1819–96)
Pachelbel (c.1653–1706), who gener ations have The master of
Early Music worked in Vienna, Stuttgart, Johann Sebastian Bach who, been fascinated not chamber music was 2001: A Space Odyssey.
During the early Middle Ages, Erfurt and Nuremberg as a until 1717, was associated just by his music, but Robert Schumann Johannes Brahms (1833–97)
music evolved in the courts church organist. He is best with the Weimar court. From also by the fact that (1810–56), a poet and composed in traditional forms
and monasteries of Europe. known for his organ work 1723 until his death, he was he began to lose his composer whose and was unsympathetic to the
The basis of sacred music was Canon, a set of variations on associated with Leipzig, hearing at the age of miniature works for progressive ideas of Wagner
the Gregorian chant, which a theme. where he was the choir 30. During his final Statue of Ludwig van piano, violin sonatas and Liszt. From 1872 to 1875,
was introduced by Pope The first German opera, master at the church of St years, when totally Beethoven and song cycles all Brahms was the musical
Gregory I in the late 6th century. Dafne, was composed by Thomas. Bach’s output as a deaf, he composed remain popular. director of the Gesellschaft
An influential role in medieval Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672). composer is vast and embraces from memory. His wife, Clara Schumann der Musikfreunde (Society of
court music was played by Completed in 1627, the opera most of the musical forms (1819–1896) was also a famous Friends of Music).
roving poets (Minnesänger), has unfortunately been lost. known at that time. His Passions musician and composer, and
who sang love verses to a lute are today performed in many The 19th Century was the first person to publicly The 20th Century
accompani ment. From the countries during Holy Week, Romanticism brought about perform work by the
14th century, German singing The 18th Century and his Brandenburg the flowering of opera in Schumanns’ friend Brahms. During the 20th century, many
guilds known as Meistersinger A huge flowering of Concertos are among Germany. One of the leading The Hungarian composer contemporary composers
emerged. Unlike the musical talent took his most frequently creators in this tradition was Franz Liszt, who worked continued the traditions
Minnesänger, these artistes place in Germany performed works. the composer Ernst Theodor in Weimar from 1848 of the earlier masters.
adopted a settled lifestyle. during the 18th His sons – Wilhelm Amadeus Hoffmann (1776– to 1861, also One renowned
In the succeeding centuries, century, when Friedemann, Carl 1822), whose opera Undine significantly figure was Paul
both vocal and instrumental divisions both in Philipp Emanuel, was staged for the first time in contributed to Hindemith (1895–
music continued to evolve, with German politics and Johann Christoph 1816 in Berlin. Carl Maria von the evolution of 1963), whose work
many new forms appearing. religion led to the Friedrich and Weber (1786–1826) rose to German music. includes opera,
In the second half of the development Johann Christian – prominence following the In the second half ballet and concertos.
17th century, interest in organ of several important also became success of his opera Der of the 19th century, His music was banned
music developed and organ artistic and cultural Georg Friedrich Händel acclaimed com­ Freischütz, which was the first Richard Wagner was by the Nazis in 1933 and
schools were established in centres. The most (1685–1759) posers and opera in the German Romantic the major influence Richard Wagner in 1939, Hindemith
many towns. One of the renowned figure in made significant tradition. Another major figure on German opera. (1813–83) emigrated to the USA.
best was in Nuremberg. German music in the 18th contributions to German from this time was Felix During his early years, he Another important
This was directed by Johann century was undoubtedly classical music. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, composed traditional operas figure was Carl Orff (1895–1982)
Georg Friedrich Händel was such as Tannhäuser. He later whose best-known work is the
another great composer of late developed his own creative oratorio Carmina Burana, based
Music Festivals Baroque music. Before forging synthesis, integrating lyrics on 13th-century Latin and
Germany is a country of a prestigious career in England, with the music. This found its German poems found in
musical festivals, which are usually he began as the cathedral finest expression in his Ring a Benedictine monastery
held in the summer and early organist in Halle, from where cycle, which was based on in Bavaria.
autumn. Among the most popular he transferred to the opera medieval sagas. The Austrian composer
are the festivals dedicated to the house in Hamburg. A friend of Wagner’s ideas about Arnold Schönberg (1874–1951)
works of a single composer, such as Händel and another important musical theatre, including lived in Berlin during the 1920s
Wagner in Bayreuth, Bach in various composer, Georg Philipp his use of leitmotifs (recurring and exerted great influence on
cities of Thuringia, Händel in Halle Telemann (1681– 1767) was phrases), were adopted by German music.
and Beet hoven in Bonn. Apart from employed as conductor at Richard Strauss (1864–1949), Among the most important
these specialized festivals, opera many German courts. His work who composed many operas, composers living and working in
festivals with a broader repertoire includes chamber music, symphonies and songs. Germany today, mention should
are also popular. These include the operas and church music. The first bars of his symphonic be made of Dieter Schnebel,
outdoor opera festival in Berlin and
The Bach festival in Leipzig’s Church Son of a court musician and poem Zarathustra became Helmut Lachenmann, Manfred
of St Thomas the Sommerfestspiele in Xanten. arguably the greatest figure in Composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy a guiding musical motif in Trojahn, Wolfgang Rihm and
classical music, Ludwig van (1809–47) Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film Jörg Widmann.

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