Ludwig Schuncke facts for kids
Christian Ludwig Schuncke (born December 21, 1810 – died December 7, 1834) was a talented German pianist and composer. He was a very close friend of the famous composer Robert Schumann. Sadly, Ludwig passed away from a lung illness called tuberculosis when he was only 23 years old. People usually called him Ludwig, but sometimes his name was written as Louis. His last name can also be found as Schuncke or Schunke.
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Life of Ludwig Schuncke
Ludwig Schuncke was born in Kassel, Germany, in 1810. His father, Johann Gottfried Schuncke, was his first music teacher. Both his father and his uncle, Johann Michael Schuncke, were professional horn players.
Ludwig showed his musical gifts very early. When he was just 11 years old, in March 1822, he performed a difficult piano piece. It was Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Piano Concerto in A minor. He played it with Louis Spohr leading the orchestra. After this, Ludwig went on a concert tour around Germany. Even the famous composer Carl Maria von Weber praised Ludwig's early music.
In 1828, Ludwig was one of four pianists who played a special version of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. This version was arranged for eight hands (four pianists playing together!). The other pianists included Franz Liszt, who would become very famous.
Ludwig later moved to Paris to study music. His main teachers there were Friedrich Kalkbrenner, Anton Reicha, and Henri Herz. He also became friends with other important musicians like Hector Berlioz and Sigismond Thalberg. In Paris, he earned money by showing off Duport pianos.
After his studies, Ludwig returned to Germany. In Stuttgart, he met Frédéric Chopin after hearing him play his Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor. Ludwig admired Chopin greatly and dedicated his Caprice in C minor, Op. 10, to him.
Ludwig then traveled to Vienna, Prague, and Dresden to perform concerts. Finally, in December 1833, he settled in Leipzig. He lived in a boarding house right next door to Robert Schumann. They became very close friends.
Ludwig was one of the people who started the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (New Journal for Music). He also wrote articles for it using the pen name "Jonathan." He was also part of Schumann's Davidsbund, a group of artists who supported new music.
On January 27, 1834, Ludwig performed as a solo artist at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, a famous concert hall. Robert Schumann even wrote an article comparing Ludwig's playing to that of the rising star Franz Liszt, praising both.
Ludwig dedicated his Grande Sonate in G minor, Op. 3, to Schumann. Schumann loved this piece. In return, Schumann dedicated his Toccata in C major, Op. 7, to Ludwig when it was published in 1834. Schumann once wrote that his most valuable treasures were three people: Henriette Voigt, Ernestine von Fricken, and Ludwig Schuncke.
Schumann's famous work, Carnaval, Op. 9, started with variations on a waltz by Franz Schubert. Ludwig had also written a piece for piano and orchestra based on the same waltz (his Op. 14). Schumann felt Ludwig's version was too grand for the gentle waltz. So, Schumann decided to write his own, more personal variations for solo piano. He worked on it in 1833 and 1834, but never finished the full set of variations. However, he used the first 24 measures for the beginning of Carnaval.
Robert Schumann took care of Ludwig during his final illness. Ludwig Schuncke passed away on December 7, 1834, just two weeks before his 24th birthday. He died from tuberculosis. He is buried in the Alter Johannisfriedhof cemetery in Leipzig. Schumann kept Ludwig's deathbed portrait in his study, hanging above his piano, as a reminder of his dear friend.
Schuncke's Music Style
Ludwig Schuncke and Robert Schumann greatly influenced each other's music. Even though they sometimes had different ideas, you can see their connection in their works. For example, a part from Ludwig's Grande Sonate in G minor sounds very similar to a part from Schumann's Piano Concerto in A minor.
Recordings of Schuncke's Music
Jozef De Beenhouwer was the first person to perform Ludwig Schuncke's Grande Sonate in G minor, Op. 3. Other pianists like Mario Patuzzi, Gregor Weichert, and Sylviane Deferne have also recorded this piece.
One of his songs, Gretchen am Spinnrad, has also been recorded.
List of Schuncke's Works
Piano Solo Music
- Scherzo Capriccioso, Op. 1
- Variations on a brilliant original fantasy theme, in E-flat major, Op. 2
- Grande Sonata in G minor, Op. 3 (1832, dedicated to Robert Schumann)
- Fantasie brillante in E major, Op. 5
- Allegro Passionato in A minor, Op. 6
- Divertissement brilliant, Op. 7
- 1st Caprice in C major, Op. 9 (dedicated to Clara Wieck)
- 2nd Caprice in C minor, Op. 10 (dedicated to Frédéric Chopin)
- Rondeau brilliant in E-flat major, Op. 11
- Divertissement brilliant on German tunes, in B-flat major, Op. 12
- 2 Characteristic Pieces in B-flat minor and C minor, Op. 13
- Rondeau in D major, Op. 15
- Air suisse varié (Swiss Air with Variations)
- Six Preludes
- Rondino preceded by an Introduction
- Adagio and Rondo in G major
- Capriccio
- Due Divertimenti (Two Divertimentos)
- Fantasy
- Marcia funebre (Funeral March)
- Variations VII
- Quick Waltz
Piano Duet Music (for two players at one piano)
- Petit Rondeau in C major
- Rondo brilliant in G major
- Deux Pièces caractéristiques pour piano à quatre mains, Op. 13 (published 1834):
- No. 1 in B minor, Andante con moto
- No. 2 in C minor, Presto
Music for Piano and Orchestra
- Variations brillantes on the Sehnsuchtswalzer by Franz Schubert in A-flat major, Op. 14
- Piano Concerto (this piece is now lost)
Chamber Music (for small groups of instruments)
- Duo Concertante for piano and horn
- Petites variations for piano and violin in C major
Vocal Works (Songs)
- Mother's love
- With golden string full of sounds, for 3 voices and piano
- The slumbering love
- Four Songs:
- Spring song
- The young man at the brook
- The child's wish
- Gretchen's song
- Seven Songs:
- Lullaby
- Song of the Shepherdess
- Craving
- The Bethe ends
- First Loss
- Erlkönig
- Farewell
- Five songs, Op. 8:
- Gretchen's song
- The expectation
- The arbor
- I want to tell you well
- The young man at the stream
Images for kids
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Schumann: Piano Concerto, Bars 402-405
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Schuncke: Grande Sonate, Bars 78-81
See also
In Spanish: Ludwig Schuncke para niños
