Ferdinand Hiller

[JimL]

Well, I have been mightily impressed by both the Hiller chamber works I've downloaded, in fine performances by Oliver Treindl and the Minguet Quartet.  I've started this thread to discuss the works in question and the possibility of getting them on CD.  I'd also like to see a thread on Triendl - his name has popped up a lot around here.  Is he the Ponti of our times?

[JimL]

Well, since we seem to be starting threads with Wiki entries, here's mine:

Ferdinand (von) Hiller (24 October 1811 – 11 May 1885) was a German composer, conductor, writer and music-director.

Ferdinand Hiller was born to a wealthy Jewish family in Frankfurt am Main, where his father Justus (originally Isaac Hildesheim) was a merchant in English textiles – a business eventually continued by Ferdinand's brother Joseph. Hiller's talent was discovered early and he was taught piano by the leading Frankfurt musician Alois Schmitt, violin by Hofmann, and harmony and counterpoint by Vollweiler; at 10 he performed a Mozart concerto in public; and two years later, he produced his first composition.

In 1822 the 13-year old Felix Mendelssohn entered his life. The Mendelssohn family was at that time staying briefly in Frankfurt and the young Hiller visited them where he was immensely impressed by the playing of Felix (and even more so by that of his sister Fanny Mendelssohn). When their acquaintance was renewed in 1825 the two boys found an immediate close friendship, which was to last until 1843. Hiller tactfully describes their falling out as arising from "social, and not from personal susceptibilities." But in fact it seems to have been more to do with Hiller's succession to Mendelssohn as director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1843.

From 1825 to 1827 Hiller was a pupil of Johann Nepomuk Hummel in Weimar; while he was with Hummel at Beethoven's deathbed, Hiller secured a lock of Beethoven's hair. This lock is now at the San Jose State University, after having been sold at Sotheby's in 1994.

From 1828 to 1835 Hiller based himself in Paris, where he was engaged as teacher of composition at Choron's School of Music. He eventually gave up his position so that he might better equip himself as a pianist and composer.[1] He spent time in Italy, hoping that this would assist him to write a successful opera (a hope which was never fulfilled). In 1836, he was in Frankfurt devoting himself to composition. His abilities were recognized, and although but 25, he was asked to act as conductor of the Cäcilienverein during the illness of Schelble.

In addition to Mendelssohn, he attracted the attention of Rossini who assisted him to launch his first opera, Romilda (which was a failure), at Milan. Mendelssohn obtained for Hiller an entrée to the Gewandhaus, and afforded an opportunity for the public presentation of Hiller's oratorio Die Zerstörung Jerusalems (The destruction of Jerusalem, 1840). After a year of study in Church music at Rome, Hiller returned to Leipzig, and during the season of 1843-44 conducted the Gewandhaus concerts. By this time his position in the musical world was established, and honors and appointments were showered upon him. He became municipal kapellmeister of Düsseldorf in 1847, and in 1850 received a similar appointment at Cologne, where he founded Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln that year and remained as Kapellmeister until 1884. During this time, he was twelve times festival director of the Lower Rhenish Music Festival, and conducted the Gürzenich concerts. He worked in Dresden as well. Thus he played a leading part in Germany's musical life. And he was conductor at the Italian Opera in Paris during the season of 1852-53.

During Hiller's long reign in Cologne, which earned him a 'von' to precede his surname, his star pupil was Max Bruch, the composer of the cello elegy Kol Nidrei, based on the synagogue hymn sung at Yom Kippur. Bruch incidentally was not Jewish, although he has often been claimed as Jewish; his knowledge of the theme of Kol Nidrei came through Hiller, who introduced him to the Berlin chazan, Lichtenstein. Hiller's regime at Cologne was strongly marked by his conservative tastes, which he attempted to prolong by recommending, as his successor in 1884, either Brahms or Bruch. The appointment went however to a "modernist", Franz Wüllner, who, according to Grove "initiated his term [...] with concerts of works by Wagner, Liszt and Richard Strauss, all of whom Hiller had avoided."

Hiller was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Berlin, in 1849, and in 1868 received the title of doctor from the University of Bonn.

Personality

Hiller's affability was one of his strongest assets; he made innumerable friends and his very extensive correspondence with all the leading musicians in Europe, still only partly published, is an important source for the musical history of his era. Yet another asset was his very beautiful wife Antonka, by profession a singer, whom he married in Italy in 1840, and who made their home a magnet for the intelligentsia wherever they settled.

Hiller and Wagner

Hiller's time in Dresden marked his initial encounters with Richard Wagner, who had become deputy Kapellmeister there in 1843, following the success of the premiere of his Rienzi (staged in Dresden the previous year). In his autobiography, written during 1865-70 when he was settling scores, real and imaginary, following the death of Giacomo Meyerbeer, Wagner is typically patronising about Hiller at this period, who, we are told, "behaved in a particularly charming and agreeable manner during those days." Antonka is described as "an extraordinary Polish Jewess who had caused herself to be baptised a Protestant together with her husband"; she is later shown as "enlist[ing] the support of a large number of her compatriots [...] for the opera of her husband." (The opera was Hiller's Konradin).

Wagner's dismissive remarks on Hiller throughout his autobiography Mein Leben and in his later review of Hiller's autobiography are not however representative of his relationship with Hiller as revealed through other documents. Wagner features quite frequently in Hiller's diary for the period. Amongst such notes are:
"    [30.11.1844] Wagner dropped by to my room [...] [15.1.1845] With Wagner at the Liedertafel [...] [24.2.1845] Wagner came to discuss his affairs. Discussion on religion with Wagner [...] [28.4.1845] Went through last two acts of Tannhäuser with Wagner [...]    "

and so forth. Hiller assisted with the staging of Tannhäuser in Dresden in October 1845. In November 1846 Hiller went to see Tannhäuser and notes "Mendelssohn is sitting in front of us" (but presumably no conversation took place). In 1847 he discusses his draft of Konradin with Wagner.

The discussion about Wagner's "affairs" and religion in 1845 must have been interesting; we know from correspondence that in the same month, Wagner attempted to borrow 2,000 thalers from Hiller; Hiller's apparent demurral did not however prevent Wagner recommending Hiller in June to the Dresden Court official Klemm as a potential composer to a libretto.

Work

Hiller's vast musical output is now more or less forgotten. It contained works in virtually every genre, vocal, choral, chamber and orchestral. Musically he is perhaps best remembered as the dedicatee of Schumann's Piano Concerto. He is also the dedicatee of the three Nocturnes, Op. 15, by Chopin.

He composed among other works six operas between 1839 and 1865, and a violin concerto.[2][3]

His large output of chamber music includes several quartets for strings with and without piano beginning with his piano quartet opus 1 in B minor, published by Haslinger of Vienna in the 1830s, and at least three string quartets, a string trio his opus 207 published in 1886 as (Nachgelassenes Werk No. 2) by Rieter-Biedermann of Leipzig, sonatas for solo piano (opus 47, published in 1852 by Schuberth of Hamburg) and opus 59 and for piano with cello (at least two - opus 22, published by Simrock and opus 174, published by Cranz ), and a piano quintet (opus 156), among other works. The fourth of his piano trios has been recorded along with the early piano trio of Max Bruch.

Hiller's three piano concertos have been recorded by Hyperion with Howard Shelley as pianist/conductor and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. They are No. 1 in F minor, Op. 5 (Allegro moderato; Adagio; Allegro moderato e con grazia), No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 69 (Moderato, ma con energia e con fuoco; Andante espressivo; Allegro con fuoco), and No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 170 ('Concerto Espressivo': Allegro con anima; Andante quasi adagio; Allegro con spirito).

Hiller wrote at least two symphonies;Im Freien in G major, given in London in 1852, and one in E minor published by Schott as his opus 67 in Mainz in 1865.

He was also a very successful lecturer and a forceful writer, his contributions to reviews and newspapers having been since collected in book form. He also published among others: Musikalisches und Persönliches (1870), Wie hören wir Musik? (How do we hear music?, 1880); Goethes musikalisches Leben (Goethe's musical life, 1880); and Erinnerungsblätter (Reminiscences, 1884). He published an account of his friendship with Mendelssohn in 1874. Part of his vast correspondence with other musicians and artists of his period, which is in itself an important historical archive, has been published in seven volumes.

There seems to have also been an early Symphony in A minor dating from the Paris years.

[eschiss1]

and an earlier one still- Hyperion refers to the symphony in A minor as no.2 and says it was performed in the concert in which the concerto in F minor opus 5 was premiered (December 4 1831) (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67655&vw=dc). I gather there were several later ones also, making the E minor one one of - 5?? 8??... not sure...
I recall vaguely I may have written that bit about "at least two symphonies" myself and like much else it needs revision

[eschiss1]

Schumann, in a 1849 letter to Hiller, writes that he hears favorable accounts of "your" (Hiller's) symphony from all quarters (and thanks him for conducting a symphony of Schumann's own). Whether this refers to Im Freien (which then was ready before its London performance in mid-1852), or to the A minor symphony, or to some other work, I have of course no idea... (though- hrm. I seem to recall vaguely now that the E minor symphony was composed and perhaps performed -quite- awhile before it was published... - yep, 1857 if not earlier, but published in 1865- maybe earlier in reduced score, though I don't think it was- should see if I can turn up anything along those lines. There are (I presume reliable ) reports of 1857 performances, anyway... hrm. And there is that performance conducted by Liszt which may be earlier still... 1852. Hrm. So Im Freien and Es muss were given performances in the same year, totally bollixing any attempt at approximating chronology that way- not that that's definite anyway...)

[eschiss1]

FLP has Hiller's cello concerto in manuscript score and parts. That would be a nice thing to hear...

[JimL]

I didn't even know there was a cello concerto.  The violin concerto I know about, and I hope it's in somebody's works.  Hyperion, maybe.  It might make a good companion to the Brüll.

[Peter1953]

The double CD of his piano music (on Genesis), which includes the 24 Etudes, op. 15, and the 3 short Piano Sonatas opp. 47, 59 & 78, is impressive, not so much because of Hiller's music, but... IMHO it demonstrates once again that Adrian Ruiz is really an outstanding pianist.
I have to try some of Hiller's chamber music though.

[Alan Howe]

Works
(printed works published in Leipzig unless otherwise stated)

Operas
all published in vocal score
Romilda (os, G. Rossi), Milan, Scala, 8 Jan 1839, selected pieces (Milan, c1839)
Der Traum in der Christnacht (3, C. Gollmick, after E. Raupach), Dresden, 9 April 1845 (c1845)
Konradin, der letzte Hohenstaufen (R. Reinick), Dresden, 13 Oct 1847
Der Advokat (komische Oper, 2, R.J. Benedix), Cologne, 21 Dec 1854
Die Katakomben (ernste Oper, 3, M. Hartmann), Wiesbaden, 15 Feb 1862 (Cologne, 1867)
Der Deserteur (komische Oper, 3, E. Pasqué), Cologne, 17 Feb 1865 (Mainz, 1865)

Vocal

Die Zerstörung Jerusalems (orat, S. Steinheim), op.24, vs (1840)
Saul (orat, Hartmann), op.80, vs (Düsseldorf, 1858)

Works for solo vv, chorus, orch

incl. Ps xxv, op.60 (Mainz, 1854); Palmsonntagsmorgen, op.102 (?c1865); Ostermorgen (E. Geibel), op.134 (Bremen, 1868); Nala und Damajanti (S. Hasenclever), op.150 (London, 1872); Israels Siegesgesang, op.151 (1872); Loreley, op.70 (?1873); Rebecca, op.182 (Cologne, 1878); Prinz Papagei (music to C. Görner's fairy tale), selected choruses and inst pieces, op.183 (1878); Gesang Heloisens und der Nonnen am Grabe Abelards, op.62 (?c1880); Ver sacrum (Die Gründung Roms) (L. Bischoff), op.75 (?1885); Zum neuen Jahr, op.167

Works for chorus, orch

incl. Gesang der Geister (J.W. von Goethe), op.36 (Berlin, 1847); Das Ständchen (J. Uhland), op.68 (Mainz, 1867); Es muss doch Frühling werden, op.136 (Mainz, 1868); Aus der Edda, op.107 (?c1870); Pfingsten, op.119 (?c1873); Bundeslied, op.174 (1876); Es fürchte die Götter das Menschengeschlecht (Goethe), op.193 (1881)

Works for solo vv, orch

incl. Christnacht, op.79 (?1865); Gudruns Klage, op.101; Frühlingsnacht, op.139 (Mainz, 1869)

Other works

c10 pieces, mixed vv, pf; c80 pieces, mixed/male/female vv unacc.; c12 songs, 4 or more solo vv, pf; c32 trios, 24 vocalises, 3 solo vv, pf; c60 duets, pf acc.; c150 lieder

Orchestral

Syms: Es muss doch Frühling werden, e, op.67 (Mainz, ?1860); Im Freien; 2 syms., 1829–34
Ovs.: d, op.32 (?c1845); Concertouvertüre, A, op.101 (Mainz, 1863); Demetrius, op.145 (?c1870); Dramatische Phantasie, sym. prol, op.166 (Mainz, 1874); Faust
Concs: Pf Conc., A, op.5 (Bonn, ?c1835); Pf Conc., f, op.69 (Hamburg, 1861); Konzertstück, op.113, pf (Hamburg, ?c1865); Vn Conc., op.152 (Mainz, 1875); Fantasiestück, op.152b, vn (?c1875)
Other works: Grosser Festmarsch, op.147 (?c1870); Karnevalsgalopp (Cologne, n.d.)

Chamber and other instrumental

Piano Quintet, op.156 (1873)
3 pf qts: op.1 (Vienna, ?1829), op.3 (Bonn, 1830), op.133 (?c1868)
Other qts: 3 str qts: opp.12, 13 (?c1835), op.105 (?c1865); Capriccio, 4 vn, op.203
Trios: 6 pf trios: op.6–8 (Bonn, ?c1835), op.64 (?1855), op.74 (?c1855), op.186 (1879); Str Trio, C, op.2
Vn, pf: Suite in kanonischer Form, op.86 (1860); other works
Vc, pf: Sonata, op.22 (Bonn, ?c1840), Sonata, op.172 (Hamburg, ?c1875), also arr. vn, pf; other works
Pf: c200 pieces, incl. 3 sonatas, e, op.47 (Hamburg, ?1853), g, op.78 (Breslau, 1859), A, op.59 (Mainz, 1863); pieces for pf 4 hands
Arrs./edns, incl. G. Carissimi: Jonas; G.F. Handel: Deborah, Jephtha

...taken from Grove online.

[eschiss1]

Manuscript score to cello concerto, A minor, Op.104 (Allegro moderato -- Intermezzo ; Allegretto ma non troppo -- Finale. Allegro con brio, (scored for cello solo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings) according to Free Library of Philadelphia which also has the parts to the violin concerto opus 152 (I know there are three works "opus 152", but their listing says violin concerto); they also have score and parts to the Fantasiestück for violin opus 152b; vocal and full scores for Lorelei op.70, full score to the overture to Demetrius op.145 and the 2nd concert overture op.101; and score and parts for "Israels Siegesgesang" op.151, among some other things. Their Hiller collection is fairly good...
Above, that should say String trio, C, op.207 (emphasis mine ), not opus 2 which is not a string trio... opus 2 is a duo concertant for cello and piano according to
http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Ferdinand_Hiller. Opus 207 is mentioned in a number of other places as a string trio and is I believe his last published work.

[JimL]

That concerto list is off, at least in the piano department.  The F minor concerto is Op. 5, there is no concerto in A that I've heard about, the Op. 69 is in F# minor, and there is no mention of the A-flat concerto, Op. 170.

[eschiss1]

ah . the Grove Online list I can only shrug about...

[albion]

Well, since we seem to be starting threads with Wiki entries, here's mine:

...taken from Grove online.

ah . the Grove Online list I can only shrug about...

Nice to see some acknowledgement of the great online resources available.

[eschiss1]

I stand by my opinion. Grove Online - mix of good information and bad, and can't fix the bad information. IMSLP and Wikipedia- mix of good information and bad, but you can fix the bad.  I know people (e.g. in the endless debates in newspapers and elsewhere about these things...) do not share my opinion that this is a difference worth noting, but despite the considerable problems I do have with both sites (and I admit to bias and I admit I am an admin at both IMSLP and Wikipedia, though inactive at the last)  - I think that the difference pointed out is in fact a very important difference especially in this context...
And I use at the moment almost entirely online resources (plus a few books in my possession, but almost entirely a variety of online ones) so I'm not deprecating the breed.

[reineckeforever]

About Konzertstück, op.113 for piano and orchestra, there is a vox recording by jerome Rose.
last movement is a wonderful tarantella. bye Andrea

[albion]

I stand by my opinion. Grove Online - mix of good information and bad, and can't fix the bad information. IMSLP and Wikipedia- mix of good information and bad, but you can fix the bad.  I know people (e.g. in the endless debates in newspapers and elsewhere about these things...) do not share my opinion that this is a difference worth noting, but despite the considerable problems I do have with both sites (and I admit to bias and I admit I am an admin at both IMSLP and Wikipedia, though inactive at the last)  - I think that the difference pointed out is in fact a very important difference especially in this context...
And I use at the moment almost entirely online resources (plus a few books in my possession, but almost entirely a variety of online ones) so I'm not deprecating the breed.

It would be unwise to take any secondary source as ultimately authoritative without personally undertaking the requisite primary research - but it is difficult to find the time, command the resources or muster the inclination to do this in any meaningful degree.

Both Grove and Wikipedia, whilst not infallible, are usually more than adequate repositories of fact if not of opinion and deserve acknowledgement - both represent a great deal of labour undertaken by many contributors.