Heinrich von Herzogenberg facts for kids
Heinrich von Herzogenberg (born June 10, 1843 – died October 9, 1900) was an Austrian composer and conductor. He came from a noble French family.
Heinrich was born in Graz, Austria. He went to school in places like Feldkirch, Munich, and Dresden. Later, he studied law and philosophy at the University of Vienna. But his true passion was music. He took composition lessons until 1864. At first, he liked the music of Richard Wagner. However, after studying the works of J. S. Bach, he became a big fan of classical music. He also strongly supported the music of his friend, Brahms.
In 1866, Heinrich married Elisabeth von Stockhausen. She was a piano student of Brahms. Brahms wrote many interesting letters to both Heinrich and Elisabeth. These letters show how close they were. The Herzogenbergs lived in Graz until 1872. Then, they moved to Leipzig.
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A Champion of Bach's Music
In 1874, Heinrich helped start the Leipzig Bach-Verein. This group worked to bring back and perform the old church songs, called cantatas, by J. S. Bach. Heinrich was the artistic leader of this group for ten years. During this time, the famous composer Ethel Smyth was one of his students.
From 1885, Heinrich became a professor of composition. He taught at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. He even advised a young Ralph Vaughan Williams to study with another famous composer, Max Bruch.
Heinrich died suddenly in Wiesbaden when he was 57 years old. In his last years, he used a wheelchair because of a health problem with his joints.
His Music and Friendship with Brahms
Heinrich von Herzogenberg was a very skilled composer. He wrote many beautiful pieces. In 1876, he wrote Variations on a theme of Brahms. This piece was for two pianos played by four hands. Even though Elisabeth tried to convince him, Brahms rarely praised Heinrich's music. Some people think Brahms might have been a little jealous that Heinrich married Elisabeth, whom Brahms liked very much.
However, near the end of his life, Brahms finally admitted Heinrich's talent. He wrote, "Herzogenberg is able to do more than any of the others."
Some people thought Heinrich just copied Brahms's style. But many of his compositions show his own unique sound. For example, his two string trios, Op. 27, sound very different from Brahms. Some of Heinrich's early works, written before he even met Brahms, also had similar features to the older composer. This shows he had his own ideas.
Towards the end of his life, Heinrich focused on writing music for church services. He was inspired by Friedrich Spitta, a theology professor in Strasbourg. Heinrich wrote pieces like Bach's oratorios and passions. These included songs for the churchgoers to sing, accompanied by a small group of instruments. He also wrote a large Mass to remember Philipp Spitta, Friedrich's brother. Many of Heinrich's important works were thought to be lost during World War II. But luckily, they were found again in the 1990s!
Some of His Musical Works
Heinrich von Herzogenberg wrote many different kinds of music. Here are some examples:
Choral Works
These are pieces for choirs to sing.
- Columbus, a cantata (a story told with music and singing)
- Psalm 116
- Requiem, a piece for a funeral service
- Mass in E minor for singers and orchestra
- Oratorio Die Geburt Christi (The Birth of Christ)
- Die Passion (The Passion)
Vocal Works
These are songs for a single singer with piano or other instruments.
- Five songs for high voice and piano
- Geistliche Gesänge (Spiritual Songs) for high voice, violin, and organ
Orchestral Works
These are pieces for a full orchestra.
- Nine symphonies (large musical works for orchestra)
- Cello Concerto (a piece for cello and orchestra, now lost)
- Violin Concerto in A major, dedicated to Joseph Joachim
- Serenade for various wind and string instruments
Chamber Music
This is music for a small group of instruments, usually one player per part.
- Piano quintet in C major (for piano and four string instruments)
- String quintet in C minor (for five string instruments)
- Piano trios (for piano, violin, and cello)
- String trios (for three string instruments)
- Five string quartets (for two violins, viola, and cello)
- Quintet for winds and piano
- Trio for piano, oboe, and horn
- 2 piano quartets (for piano and three string instruments)
- 3 Legenden (3 Legends) for viola and piano
- Sonatas for violin and piano, and for cello and piano
Piano Music
These are pieces for solo piano or piano duets.
- Eight variations
- Four fantasy pieces
- Fantastic Dances
- Variations on a Theme by Johannes Brahms for four hands (two players on one piano)
- Waltzes for piano duet
- Variations on the Minuet from 'Don Juan'
Organ Works
These are pieces written for the organ.
- Orgel-Phantasie (Organ Fantasy) on "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland"
- Orgel-Phantasie "Nun danket alle Gott"
- Six choral preludes
