August Klughardt (1847-1902): Catalogue, biographical sketch & discography

[Mark Thomas]

August Friedrich Martin KLUGHARDT
(30.11.1847-03.08.1902)

Klughardt was born in Cothen and studied there, in Dessau and finally in Dresden (1866–7). After conducting posts in Posen (1867–8), Neustrelitz (1868–9) and Lübeck (summer 1869), he moved to Weimar in 1869 and came within the orbit of Liszt. He met Wagner in 1873. His music became influenced by the New German School: in particular his Symphony No.1 Lenore and his Second Symphony in F minor. He returned to Neustrelitz in 1873 as music director and then to Dessau in 1882 as a greatly respected Hofkapellmeister. His music gradually lost its overt New German characteristics and became a conscious mix of the current radical and conservative styles. Klughardt's main areas of composition were orchestral music (his symphonies and the Violin Concerto were admired), opera (he composed four, all of which were produced), choral music (of which his great success was his oratorio The Destruction of Jerusalem) and, towards the end of his life, some high quality chamber music.

The catalogue is based upon a Work List appearing at the end of the 1902 biography of Klughardt written by Gerlach. It in turn is based upon a handwritten list of his compositions prepared by Klughardt himself. The work list contains no composition dates and the biography is seldom of much use, so in many cases the date of first publication (from Hofmeister) is given. The work list has the note: "In the final handwritten list the numbers 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 15, and 36 were missing.  Presumably these places were originally taken by a few remaining unpublished works from the early days: Dornröschen (Little Briar Rose), Mirjam, Das Leben ein Traum (Life is a Dream), Serenade for Orchestra, a Mazurka for Piano, three Male Choruses, Four Lieder and the Nonet for Wind Instruments.."

ORCHESTRAL:
WoO - Symphony in C major (1865? Lost?)
WoO - Festival Overture (1868? Lost?)
Opp.6/7 - Marches for Orchestra, Music for a Festival Play
Op.8 - Overture to Geibel's Sophonisbe (original version)
Op.11 - Incidental Music: Life is a Dream
Op.13 - Overture to Geibel's Sophonisbe (final version - 1869, p.1897)
Op.16 - Spring Joy: Humoresque for Orchestra (p.1898)
Op.17 - Serenade for Orchestra
Op.18 - Concert Piece for Oboe and Orchestra (c.1870)** ##
WoO - Symphony: Forest Life (1871 - Lost?)
Op.24 - Homage Overture (p.1873)
Op.26 - The Watch on the Rhine: Victory Overture (1871)
Op.27 - Symphony No.1 Lenore (1872,  p. as a Symphonic Poem in 1874)
Op.30 - Concert Overture: In The Spring (c.1872, p.1875)
Op.33 - Festival March for Orchestra (p.1874)
Op.34 - Symphony No.2 in F minor (1876, p.1884)
Op.37 - Symphony No.3 in D major (1879, p.1883)*
Op.40 - Suite for Orchestra (p.1883)
Op.45 - Concert Overture in G minor (p.1884)**
Op.54 - Festival Overture in A major (p.1900)
Op.57 - Symphony No.4 in C minor (1890, p.1892)
Op.59 - Cello Concerto in A minor (p.1892)**
Op.67 - Orchestral Suite: Wandering About (also for piano - p.1896)** #
Op.68 - Violin Concerto in D major (p.1895)*
Op.69 - Jubilee Festival March for Orchestra
Op.70 - Music for the Anhalt Jubilee Festival
Op.71 - Symphony No.5 in C minor (1897, p.1900)
Op.73 - Festival March for the 500th Aniversary of the Zerbst Shooting Guild
Op.78 - Festival Overture for the 100th Aniversary of the Dessau Court Theatre (1898, p.1899)
Op.83 - Romance for Violin & Orchestra  (p.1900)
Op.87 - Capriccio, Gavotte & Tarantelle for Orchestra

CHORAL & VOCAL:
Op.1 - Four Lieder (p.1898)
Op.4 - Fairy Tale: Little Briar Rose for Soloists, Choir & Orchestra (1866-67? Lost?)
Op.12 - Three Lieder (p.1870)
Op.14 - Two Songs
Op.15 - Opera: Mirjam (1871)
Op.20 - Love's Dream: A Cycle of Six Lieder with Piano Accompaniment
Op.21 - Four Lieder (p.1876)
Op.22 - Two Lieder (p.1872)
Op.23 - Three Cradle Songs
Op.25 - The Rearrangement of the Border for Male Choir (1871)
Op.29 - Four Songs (p.1883)
Op.31 - Three Lieder (p.1876)
Op.32 - Three Lieder for Three Women's Voices (p.1884)
Op.35 - Opera: Iwein (1879, p.1881)
Op.38 - Opera: Gudrun (1881, p.1882)
Op.39 - Three Lieder (p.1883)
Op.41 - Four Lieder for Four Women's Voices (c.1883)
Op.46 - Song: "And were I a King's Son" (p.1885)
WoO - Bismarck-Lied for Male Choir (p.1885)
Op.48 - Opera: The Friar's Wedding (p.1886)
Op.49 - Aschenputtel (Cinderella) for Soloist, Choir and Piano (p.1886)
Op.50 - Cantata: The Burial of Christ for Soloists, Mixed Choir & Orchestra (p.1889)
Op.51 - Two Lieder (p.1888)
Op.52 - Music for a Festival (Choral?)
OP.53 - Three Songs for Men's Choir (p.1888)
Op.55 - Song: Spring (p.1893)
Op.56 - Two Songs for Men's Choir
Op.58 - Drinking Chorus for Mens' Choir (p.1887)
Op.60 - Two Little Lieder (p.1893)
Op.63 - Three Lieder (p.1895)
Op.64 - Hiking for Men's Choir (p.1895)
Op.65 - Psalm 100 for Soloist, Choir & Orchestra (p.1900)
Op.66 - Three Motets (p.1899)
Op.75 - Oratorio: The Destruction of Jerusalem (p.1898)
Op.76 - Fairytale Poem: The City Musicians of Bremen for Soloists, Women's Choir & Piano
Op.77 - The Holy Night for Soloists, Women's Choir, Piano & Harmonium
Op.80a - From the 51st Psalm
Op.80b - Love Song (p.1900)
Op.81 - Cantata: The Sea for Mixed Choir & Orchestra (p.1899)
Op.82 - Woodruff and Vine Blossom for Soloits, Women's Choir & Piano
Op.84 - Christmas for Mixed Choir & Orchestra (p.1900)
Op.85 - Oratorio: Judith (1901)
Op.86 - Festival Motets for Mixed Choir & Three Solo Voices
Op.88 - Pilgrims' Song of the Crusaders for Male Choir & Orchestra (1870)
Op.89 - The 23rd Psalm
Op.90 - In Praise of Peace for Women's Choir and Piano

CHAMBER:
Op.28 - Reed Songs for Piano, Oboe & Viola (1871)~ ~~ ###
Op.36 - Nonet for Wind Instruments (1876)
Op.42 - String Quartet No.1 in F major (p.1883)
Op.43 - Piano Quintet in G minor (p.1884)***
Op.47 - Piano Trio in B flat major (p.1885)
WoO - String Sextet in C sharp minor (1892)
Op.61 - String Quartet No.2 in D major (p.1898)
Op.62 - String Quintet in G minor (2 vl, va & 2 cl. - p.1894)***
Op.79 - Wind Quintet (fl, ob, cl, horn & bassoon - c.1900)^ ^^ ^^^ %

INSTRUMENTAL:
Op.2 - Notturno & Round Dance for Piano  (p.1872)
Op.3 - Mazurka for Piano
Op.5 - Wild Roses for Piano (1866? p.1884)
Op.9 - Valse élegante for Piano (p. 1867)
Op.44 - Dance of the Mercenaries for Piano (1884)
Op.72 - Three Piano Pieces
Op.74 - Three Piano Pieces (p.1897)
Op.91 - Andante & Toccata for Organ

UNKNOWN:
Opp.10 & 19.

* cpo 777 465
** Sterling CDS 1054
*** MDG 307
^ Simax PSC 1094
^^ Crystal CD250
^^^ Etcetera ETC 1295
~ Cedille CDR 90000 102
~~ Chandos 9990
# Antes BM CD 31.9196
## Campanella CNLL 130168
### Campanella CNLL 130151
% Summit SUM 198

Any corrections or additions would be greatly appreciated.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Struth, Mark, you've had the post up for over 24 hours - and not a response to be had. Shame on all!

Maybe I'm going to propose Klughardt as the most unsung / unrecorded of all. On your catalogue there are close to 100 opus numbers, but only a tiny proportion of them have made it on to disc. And I find that staggering given, in my view, the very high quality of the few recorded works. The Piano Quintet and String Quintet that came out on MDG about a year ago are both a veritable delight from first to last note. My socks have perhaps a reduced propensity to get blown off by orchestral music, but then the Violin Concerto and Symphony 3 on CPO both struck me as quite magnificent music. (I wonder if CPO might have other Klughardt works in their vaults awaiting eventual release?)

And when I note in your catalogue the presence of two String Quartets, a Piano Trio, and a String Sextet well, by golly, the tongue is hanging out.

[jerfilm]

According to my records, his opus 59 is a Cello Concerto in a and I have a cassette recording of it. There is also the opus 79 Quintet for Woodwinds in C.  Also on Cassette.  The opus 67 orchestral suite I have on r2r.   Also the Concert Overture, opus 45 on cassette.

I have no idea if any of these have ever appeared on CDs.

Jerry

[Mark Thomas]

Jerry, all the works you have are now available on CD. The discography gives the details.

Peter, I do agree with you about the quality of Klughardt's music; everything of his which I've heard is impressive, including the  Lenore Symphony, another fine piece which I understand will be coming out on CD soon.

[Dundonnell]

Yes, it was remiss of me not to offer my congratulations on a quite superbly constructed catalogue

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Colin. Yours provided a very impressive template!

[hemmesjo]

amazon lists several others which include one piece only and several are the same pieces already on other labels.  Sorry, but I couldn't find label numbers.  Not positive about all the opus numbers.

Oboe/viola/piano   op 28                 Campanella B000WXJM40
Oboe concerto op 18                       Campanella B0013HFHN4
Suite for orchestra op 40                 Antes B0002DSU2A
Wind Quintet op 79                         Summit B0000038L0

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for the additional CD references, which I've added. Unfortunately, they don't expand the works available on CD. The Antes disk, by the way, is of the Op.67 Orchestral Suite also available from Sterling, rather than the earlier Op.40 Suite.

[hemmesjo]

Mark, 

Thanks for the info on the Orchestral Suite/Suite for Orchestra.  I really wasn't sure about that.  I just accepted them as shown. 

This is like Weinberg.  Naxos have a new 6th symphony coming out.  I already have three 6ths.  How about a recording of 8, 9 11, 13 or 15th?

Dan

[cypressdome]

Steve's Bedroom Band has just posted his recording of Klughardt's String Quartet No.2, Op.61 at IMSLP.  Link: http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No.2,_Op.61_(Klughardt,_August)

Enjoy,
Cypressdome

[Mark Thomas]

Oh, I will, Thanks very much for the heads up! Steve Jones is doing a great, great job.

[Ilja]

I've been wondering if there wasn't some way in which we could support his work. For the not-sightreaders among us, he's opening an awful lot of otherwise-unheard chamber music.

[Mark Thomas]

I think what Steve appreciates more than anything else is feedback. Email me or send me a PM if you want to get in touch with him.

[Elroel]

WoO - Symphony: Forest Life (1871 - Lost?)

According to some sources, Klughardt had this symphony withdrawn.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, I agree. The issue is where the manuscript is now.