Theodor Döhler

[eschiss1]

I've mostly run into a couple of his nocturnes in "editions" (reprints with fingerings, that sort of thing) from a few years after their first (or after later) 19th-century printings, printed in the US and (therefore) scanned by the Library of Congress. Until the new Hyperion Recordings release hadn't otherwise run into his name, I think. Is much of his music recorded, for one thing, can one give me an idea of the most interesting parts of his output aside from the early concerto?

(dates: 1814-1856.)

edit: the English and German brief Wikipedia articles are interesting and do enlighten some here, actually... still interested though.

[thalbergmad]

I do not recall ever hearing any Dohler and it will be more than interesting to hear his PC.

His output seem to be reasonably evenly split between original works and transcriptions that are more in the Herzian mould than Liszt or Thalberg.

Like many of his contemporaries, he composed transcriptions on, Norma, Robert le Diable, Sonnambula, Puritani, Beatrice di Tenda, Lombardi and lord know how many others. Brilliant right hand technique required and much work is done in the higher registers of the piano similar to Czerny.

Way superior to the likes of Hunten and many would be too much for the reasonably talented amateur.

Thal

[eschiss1]

Ah, thanks.

[kolaboy]

Schumann wrote a rather scathing review of Dohler's Piano Concerto in A major...

[eschiss1]

I admit I hope he had enough of a sense of humor about his name, and his Italian origin (German parentage but born in Naples and died in Florence...), to have used a tempo marking somewhere around Andantino dolente somewhere in his body of work... (edit: or Döhler's Veränderungen an Semper Döhler Semper Dolens, to make another title up. Sorry )

[Alan Howe]

Schumann was rude about a lot of people, usually those who were lagging behind in terms of musical progress.

[kolaboy]

Schumann was correct more often than not. His article concerning the Hiller (who was certainly a friend) etudes is a textbook case of damning with faint praise...

In any event, I would still give the Dohler a go...

[thalbergmad]

Schumann was rude about a lot of people, usually those who were lagging behind in terms of musical progress.

Or perhaps those who were selling more sheet music than he was.

Thal

[Alan Howe]

I'll be giving the CD a go - I buy all the RPC CDs except those which are duplications. I'm simply saying that, from what I've heard, the Döhler sounds rather 'duller' than most of the other entries in the series.

[giles.enders]

Theodor Döhler  Born 20.4 1814 in Naples   Died 21.2.1856 in Florence

His parents were Austrian. He initially studied under Benedict and later moved to Vienna where he studied under Czerny.  He spent most of his early years travelling widely as a concert pianist.  Many of his compositions were intended for himself to play. After a period living in St. Petersburg, he married the Russian Princess Chermatev in 1846. 

Orchestral

Piano Concerto in A major Op.7  1833 

Chamber

'Adieu a Copenhagen'  for violin and piano  Op.46/1
'Souvenir de Naples' for violin and piano  Op.46/2

Piano

Variations on an aria from 'I Montecchi e Capuleti' by Bellini  Op.3
Variations on a theme from 'Norma' by Bellini  Op.4
Rondo brillante on an air from 'Zampa' by Herold Op.5
Fantasie on 'Robert le Diable' by Mayerbeer  Op.6
Introduction and variations on a theme 'Ah! non guige' from 'La Sonnambula'  by Bellini  Op.8
Variations Brillantes on a theme 'Ah perche non posso ordiarti'  form 'La Sonnambula' by Bellini  Op.9
Rondino  Op.10
Rondino on a theme from 'Un Avventura di Scaramuccia' by Ricci  Op.11
Variations de Bravura from a motif from Le Bal Masque by d'Auber  Op.12
Variations brillantes et Finale alla Polacca on themes from 'I Puritani' by Bellini  Op13
Two fantasies sur des motifs favoris de l'opera L'Elisir d'Amore  Op.14
Deniere pansee musicale de Bellini  Op.15
Divertissement on themes from 'Le Cheval de Bronze d'Auber'  Op.16
Amusement de Salon sur 'Le cor des Alpes'  Op.18
Rondino sur 'Les Sonnambules'  by Johann Strauss  Op.19
Rondino sur 'La Festa della Rosa'  Op.20
Fantaisie and variations on 'Lucia di Lammermoor'  by Donizetti  Op.21
Nocturne in D flat Op.24
Two Nocturnes  Op.25  No.1 in C major
Valses Brillantes  Op.26
Grand Fantasie on themes from'The Gipsy's Warning' by Benedict  Op.27
Grand Fantasie and variations from 'Guillaume Tell' by Rossini  Op.28
Three Morceaux brillantes de salon  Op.29
Twelve studies  Op.30   30/7 for left hand
Two Nocturnes  Op.31
Andantino in A minor  Op.32
Grande divertiissment on Irish themes.  Op.33
Souvenir de Florence  Op.34
Divertissement sur 'Le Guitarrero' by Halevy  Op.35
Grand Caprice on themes from 'Guido et Ginevra' by Halevy  Op.37
Fantasie on a theme from 'Beatrice di Tenda' by Bellini  Op.38
Tarantella  Op.39
Petite fantasies sur deaux motifs de Norma  Op.40
Ballade  Op.41
Fifty studies  Op.42
Fantasie sur 'Maometto' by Rossini Op.43
Six melodies without words  Op.44
Second Grand Valse  Op.47
Deux fantaisie sur 'Nabucco' by Verdi
Fantaisie on themes fro 'Saffo' by Pacini'
Polka brillante  Op.50
Fantaisie sur 'La Favourite'  by Donizetti
Three Nocturnes  Op.52
Three Mazurkas  Op.53
Andante on theme from 'Don Sebastien' by Donizetti  Op.54
Ballade Op.55
Twelve melodies Italiennes  Op.57
Trois valses brillantes  Op.58
Two Fantaisies sur 'I Lombardi'  by Verdi
Three Russian melodies  OP.60
Grand Galop brillant  Op.61
Cannetella  Op.62
Rondo sur 'Le Postillon'
Grande Fantaisie sur 'La Sonambula'  by Bellini
Valse Dansante's  Op.67
Two Marches, Florentines  Op.68
Eleventh Nocturne  Op.69
Twelfth Nocturne  Op.70
Fantasy on two Neapolitan songs  Op.70
Two Fantaisies sur 'Macbeth'  by Verdi  Op.72
Five Fantaisies sur 'Le Prophete' by Meyerbeer  Op.73

Il Tremolo
Romance sans paroles

Vocal

'La Lontananza'  Op.23

Opera

Tancreda

[eschiss1]

Well, the Andantino (not Andante) Op.32 in A minor ("Déd. à Mdme Belleville-Oury.") was published in 1840 by Schott,

er... anyway, the Salut à Vienne rondo brillante Op.32 published in 1846?... -- according to Hofmeister actually that's by Dreyschock, not Döhler.
also:
Variations sur un Thême fav. de l'Opéra : I Montecchi e Capuleti de Bellini, Op.3 (pub.1833)
Variations de Concert sur un Thême fav. de l'Opéra : Norma, Op.4 (also p1833)
Rondeau brill. sur l'Air : Que la Vague, de Zampa de Herold, Op.5 (p1833)
Fantaisie sur des Motifs de l'Opéra : Robert le Diable, Op.6 (p1834)
Intr. et Variations brillantes sur le Thème favori : Ah! non giunge, de l'Opéra : La Sonnambula de Bellini, Op.8 (p1835)
Variations brillantes sur le Thème favori : Ah perchè non posso odiarti, de l'Opéra : La Sonnambula de Bellini, Op.9 (p1835)
Rondino sur le Trio favori de l'Opéra : Le Pré aux Clercs de Herold, Op.10 (p1835)
Rondino sur un Thème favori de l'Opéra : Un Avventura di Scaramuccia de Ricci, Op.11 (p1836)
Variations de Bravura sur un Motif favori de l'Opéra : Le Bal masqué (Die Ballnacht) d'Auber, Op.12 (p1836)
Variations brillantes et Finale alla Polacca sur deux Motifs favoris de l'Opéra : I Puritani de V. Bellini, Op.13 (p1836)
Divertissement sur des Motifs favoris de l'Opéra : Le Cheval de Bronze d'Auber, Op.16 (p1836)
... ...
La Lontananza. Trennung, Op.23 (vocal item, unlike the others here which are mostly for piano) (Incipit: Warum mich flieh'n, Adele?) (p.1838)
...
Grande Fantaisie sur des Thèmes de l'Opéra : The Gipsy's Warning, de Jul. Benedict, Op.27 (p.1839)
Grande Fantaisie et Variations sur les Thèmes favoris de l'Opéra : Guillaume Tell de Rossini, Op.28 (p.1839)
Grand Divertissement Pour Le Piano Sur des thèmes populaires irlandais, Op.33 (p1841)
Grand Caprice sur des Motifs de Guido et Ginévra de F. Halevy, Op.37 (p1841)
(etc. etc. etc.- will have to attempt to compile a more complete list later.

[Alan Howe]

I have merged your thread, Giles, with the existing one on Döhler.

[Gareth Vaughan]

er... anyway, the Salut à Vienne rondo brillante Op.32 published in 1846?... -- according to Hofmeister actually that's by Dreyschock, not Döhler.

That's right, Eric - and, as we know, it's been recorded by Hyperion on the Dohler/Dreyschock disk.

[JimL]

Sounds like the Salut à Vienne is for string orchestra only.

[eschiss1]

Well, Hofmeister lists, I think, a piano solo version and a version with orchestra accompaniment- do we have a Dreyschock family thread? Not a bad idea...