Bernhard Stavenhagen facts for kids
Bernhard Stavenhagen (born November 24, 1862 – died December 25, 1914) was a talented German musician. He was a pianist, a composer who wrote music, and a conductor who led orchestras. His music style was inspired by the famous composer Franz Liszt. As a conductor, he was known for supporting and performing new, modern music.
A Musician's Life
Bernhard Stavenhagen was born in a town called Greiz in Germany. He started learning to play the piano in 1868 when he was just six years old.
In 1874, his family moved to Berlin. There, he continued his piano studies with a teacher named Theodor Kullak. A few years later, in 1878, he went to university in Berlin. While studying there, he also took private lessons in composing music with Friedrich Kiel.
A big moment in Stavenhagen's life came in 1885. He became a student of the legendary composer and pianist Franz Liszt in Weimar. He even traveled with Liszt to many cities like Rome, Budapest, Paris, London, and Bayreuth.
After Liszt passed away in 1886, Stavenhagen began a ten-year journey of piano concert tours. He performed all over Europe and in North America. In April 1890, he was given the special title of court pianist to the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar. The next July, he married Agnes Denninghoff, who was a singer at the Weimar Court Opera. In 1893, he composed his Third Piano Concerto in B minor.
Conductor and Teacher
Stavenhagen also became a successful conductor. In Weimar, he was appointed court Kapellmeister, which means he was the main music director. He led the first performances of six new operas there in just eighteen months. From 1898, he had a similar important role in Munich.
In 1907, he moved to Geneva, Switzerland. There, he taught advanced piano classes at the Conservatoire until he passed away in 1914. In his concerts, he conducted the first performances of works by many important composers. These included Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel.
After his death, his body was brought back to Weimar, where he was buried.
His Music and Legacy
Bernhard Stavenhagen made some piano roll recordings. One of these is a performance of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12. He wrote notes on this recording, suggesting it was how he remembered Liszt playing it himself.
Today, a music school in his hometown of Greiz is named Bernhard Stavenhagen in his honor.
Images for kids
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Stavenhagen with Liszt in 1885
See also
In Spanish: Bernhard Stavenhagen para niños
