Philipp Wolfrum (1854-1919)

[albion]

can members add any more unsung names to the German rosta?

there are composers I've seen-but-not-heard I'd like to know more about like Philipp Wolfrum, just to name one.

Wolfrum (1854-1919) was a friend and fellow-student of Humperdinck, also a friend of Richard Strauss and (especially) Max Reger. He doesn't seem to have written a large number of original works and mainly concentrated his efforts on editing the music of others. His largest work appears to be Ein Weihnachts-Mysterium nach Worten der Bibel u. Spielen des Volkes zur Darstellung durch Musik, Op.31 for soloists, chorus, orchestra and organ, with tableaux (published by Breitkopf & Härtel in 1899) - a copy of the full score, previously owned by Henry Wood, is at the RAM.

Grove gives some information and a 'selective' work-list -

(b Schwarzenbach am Wald, Upper Franconia, 17 Dec 1854; d Samaden, Grisons, 8 May 1919). German conductor, concert organizer, teacher and composer. He became an elementary teacher at the Altdorf teachers' seminary. In 1875 he was appointed second music teacher at the Bamberg teacher's seminary. He then studied in Munich at the Königliche Musikschule with Rheinberger and Franz Wüllner. Humperdinck was a fellow pupil, and they became lifelong friends. Wolfrum returned to the Bamberg seminary from 1879 to 1884, when he was appointed to teach music at the University of Heidelberg. He became music director at the university in 1885, and in the same year founded and directed the Akademischer Gesangverein and the Bachverein, which made Heidelberg an important musical centre. Wolfrum was made professor of music history in 1898. His pupils included Fritz Stein, Karl Hasse and Hermann Poppen.

Wolfrum was a champion of the works of Liszt, Bruckner, Strauss and Reger. He conducted all of Reger's works composed between 1898 and 1916, including many premières, and with Reger gave many two-piano Bach recitals. He revived a number of Bach's works which had been neglected for two centuries, including cantatas and oratorios. He gave the first German performances of choral works by Elgar, with whom he corresponded. He also recognized the merit of E.T.A. Hoffmann's Undine long before Pfitzner and anticipated Riemann's championing of J.C. Bach and the Stamitzes. He declined invitations to conduct at festivals in Cologne, Bayreuth and Munich, remaining loyal to Heidelberg until his death: the climax of his 35 years there were the festivals of 1909, 1911 and 1913. In 1911 he was awarded a doctorate for his thesis on evangelical church music. He was also a campaigner for composers' performing rights.

His major composition was the oratorio Ein Weihnachtsmysterium op.31 (1899). The inclusion of a Gregorian melody and several Christmas carols, as well as pastoral melodies of his own, gives the work a folk-like character. It is characteristic of late 19th-century Christmas music.

Wolfrum's brother Karl (b Schwarzenbach am Wald, 14 Aug 1856; d Neustadt an der Aisch, 29 May 1937) was a respected teacher and composer of organ music.


Works (selective list) [opp.1–12 published in Heidelberg, opp.13–32 published in Leipzig]

Choral with orchestra
Das grosse Halleluja (F.G. Klopstock), ode, op.22 (1886)
Ein Weihnachtsmysterium, op.31 (1899)
Festmusik zur Zentenarfeier der Universität Heidelberg, Bar, male vv, orch, op.32 (1903)
Other vocal: Ps xcviii; Der evangelische Kirchenchor; partsongs, op.2, mixed chorus; male choruses, opp.11–12; many solo songs

Orchestral and chamber
Festliche Ouvertüre (after Klopstock: Hermann und Thusnelda), op.19
Cello Sonata in E minor, op.6
String Quartet, op.13
Piano Quintet, op.21
Piano Trio in B minor, op.24

Organ
Sonata in B flat minor, op.1
Sonata in E, op.10
Sonata in F minor, op.14
3 Tone-Poems, op.30
chorale preludes



MDG 6061319-2, favourably reviewed by Jed Distler (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=9245)

[eschiss1]

Belatedly re the Wolfrums, I see there's a recording of Karl Wolfrum's 3 organ sonatas, too... (should this thread be transferred to the Reference forum?)

[eschiss1]

(actually, it seems only to have been just released - the above-mentioned- and appears in the October 2012 Records International.)