Wilhelm Berger

[Alan Howe]

Another, later unsung German composer of real stature is Wilhelm Berger. Here's what Wikipedia says to kick off the thread:

Wilhelm Berger (9 August 1861 - 16 January 1911) was a German composer, pianist and conductor.

Berger's father, originally a merchant from Bremen, worked in Boston (where Berger was born) as a music shopkeeper and made a name for himself as an author after the family had returned to Bremen in 1862. Early on, his son showed signs of musical interest and aptitude. By the time of his first concert, age fourteen, Wilhelm had already composed a large number of songs and works for the piano. Between 1878 and 1884, Berger studied at the Royal Conservatory in Berlin, under Ernst Rudorff (piano) and Friedrich Kiel (counterpoint). From 1888 to 1903, he was a teacher at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory, a function which he combined, from 1899, with the chief conductorship of the Berlin Musical Society. In addition, he was very active as a concert pianist. In 1903, Berger was made a member of the German Royal Academy of Arts, and in the same year he was appointed 'Hofkapellmeister' in Meiningen as successor of Fritz Steinbach. In 1911 he died at Jena, aged 49, due to complications after a stomach operation.

Musical style

Like most of the composers from the circle of the 'Berlin Academics', Berger developed a great mastery of music theory. Stylistically, his music is very close to that of Johannes Brahms, even though it almost hints at the later works of Max Reger (who was to become Berger's successor as Meiningen Kapellmeister) through its preference for dissonant harmony and counterpoint techniques.
Berger was a prolific composer - his oeuvre numbers well over a hundred works, a large body of works considering the fact that he died so young. The Piano Quintet, Op. 95, the Second Symphony and the late compositions for choir are generally considered to be his masterpieces. Long after his death, his work was rated very highly, particularly among musical conservatives. Wilhelm Altmann wrote very positively about Berger in the third volume of his influential Manual for String Quartet Players (Handbuch für Streichquartettspieler).

Selected works

Choral Music:

Sechs Gesänge für gem. Chor op. 25
Es schleicht um Busch und Halde
Im Fliederbusch
Leise rauscht des Lebens Welle
Ständchen
Trost der Nacht
Wie nun alles stirbt und endet
Drei Gesänge für gem. Chor op. 44
Ach in diesen blauen Tagen
Lenzfahrt
Niss Puk
Vier geistliche Lieder und Gesänge op. 54
Mitten wir im Leben sind
Müde, das Lebensboot weiter zu steuern
Groß ist der Herr
Gebet
Drei Gesänge für 6- und 8-stimmigen Chor op. 103
Karfreitag
Sturmesmythe
Von ferne klingen Glocken
(all recorded 2006, Berlin)

Orchestral:

Symphony No. 1 in B flat major op. 71
Symphony No. 2 in B minor (H-moll) op. 80
Variations and Fugue on an own Theme, op. 97
Serenade for Twelve Wind Players, op. 102

Chamber music:

Violin Sonata, op. 7
Piano Quartet in A major, op. 21
Cello Sonata in D minor, op. 28
String Trio in G minor, op.69 (1898)
String Quintet in E minor, op. 75 (1899)
Clarinet Trio in G minor, op. 94 (1903)
Piano Quintet in F minor, op. 95

Piano Music:
Sonata B major
Four Fugues, op. 89

[Alan Howe]

Incidentally, the leading Berger scholar in the UK is almost certainly Professor Robert Pascall of Nottingham University who gave a paper titled 'Berger The Symphonist' at the Wilhelm Berger Conference held in Meiningen last June.

[albion]

Incidentally, the leading Berger scholar in the UK is almost certainly Professor Robert Pascall of Nottingham University who gave a paper titled 'Berger The Symphonist' at the Wilhelm Berger Conference held in Meiningen last June.

After leaving Nottingham in 1998 to become Professor of Music at Bangor, Robert Pascall retired in 2005 and is now based primarily at Bangor as Research Professor and is also honorary Professor at Cambridge. In 1978 he founded the International Conference on 19th-century Music, has advised Roger Norrington on HIP in Brahms and "believes in joined-up and useful musicology".

[albion]

he [...] "believes in joined-up and useful musicology".

So don't expect any Victorian animal paintings.

[Alan Howe]

<<In 1998 he was appointed Professor of Music and Head of the School of Music at Bangor University, retiring in 2005, since when he has been delighted to work for both his universities, at Bangor as part-time Research Professor and at Nottingham as part-time Professor of Music.>>

(Quote from staff profile at Bangor University, emphasis added.)

[albion]

Yes, we are certainly very lucky to have him as an Emeritus Professor here in Nottingham, in addition to his other commitments.

[Alan Howe]

Anyway, back to the music....

In his paper given at Meiningen Professor Pascall characterised Berger's style in his 2nd Symphony - a masterpiece of the first rank, by the way - as Wagnerian. Very interesting, especially as Berger is often described as a successor of Brahms.

[eschiss1]

Additional comment about Berger- early this year a book,


Wilhelm Berger (1861-1911) Komponist Dirigent Pianist, by Irmlind Capelle and Maren Goltz
was published by Allitera Verlag, Munich. Haven't read it, but this seems other things being equal a good thing.

[John H White]

I wonder if there is any chance of one of the more adventurous record companies like CPO getting out a recording of his symphonies. By the way, many thanks, Albion, for that photo of Professor Pascall, from his tie, I can see he was in the same branch of the armed forces as I was, namely the RAF!

[Alan Howe]

Who knows, John? They ought to, as they've put a lot of effort into recording distinctly inferior composers of the same period.

[eschiss1]

another thread suggests the question (I forget if it's been asked and answered)- anyone know of a recording, broadcast or otherwise, of his piano sonata? I think I've only heard the 3rd violin sonata and a symphony, maybe one or two other works, but not the B major piano sonata, though the score is uploaded and presumably in performable shape... (not by me, but like the patient in the joke, I can't play piano anyway.)

[Amphissa]

Anyway, back to the music....

In his paper given at Meiningen Professor Pascall characterised Berger's style in his 2nd Symphony - a masterpiece of the first rank, by the way - as Wagnerian. Very interesting, especially as Berger is often described as a successor of Brahms.

Hmmm ... I like Berger's 2nd, but Wagnerian? Really? My opinion of the distinguished professor just fell through the floor.

[semloh]

I admit that I don't really hear much that could be called "Wagnerian" in the 2nd symphony - sounds more Brahmsian to my ear.  The description does sound rather odd, coming from a music Professor.

Perhaps it's worth bearing in mind that the term could have a variety of meanings. After all, Wagner's music is by no means characterized by a single style, and many people use the word to refer simply to anything that has moments of intense passion, or that is on a grand scale. Maybe he was thinking of Wagner's early orchestral compositions....?

[Gauk]

It's a sobering thought that this time last year I would not have known that, on reading such a discussion, I could go and hear Berger's 2nd Symphony on demand, which I have just done. A very nice piece, but it most certainly is thoroughly imbued with Wagner's musical language, especially the first movement. It is shot through with echoes of the Ring, and even traces of Tristan here and there. That said, there are also Brahmsian touches, so both opinions are right. But Prof Pascall knows whereof he speaks.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed. It's not Brahmsian in musical language at all.