Amadeus Wandelt (1860-1927)

[Wheesht]

Amadeus Arthur Viktor Louis Wandelt was born in Breslau (Wrocław), on 19 August 1860, as the son of Karl Louis Eduard Wandelt, music pedagogue and music director. He got his first musical training at the conservatoire run by his father. Later he was a conductor in Gumbinnen (today called Gusev, in the Kaliningrad oblast in Russia) and then a teacher at the conservatoire of Königsberg (Prussia). In both places he had the opportunity to perform his own larger works (symphonic and choral). From 1900 he was in Berlin, working as a teacher at the "Konservatorium des Westens" and as a composer. In 1905 he founded his own conservatoire in Groß-Lichterfelde West (since 1920 a part of Berlin), where he lived. He died in Berlin at Christmas 1927.

Works:

"Das begrabene Lied" for choir, soloists and orchestra in D major. First performed 1905. (No opus number)

[Overture to] "Die versunkene Glocke", after the fairy drama by Gerhart Hauptmann, for large orchestra. (no opus number)

"Der Spielmann von Deutlingen", genannt "Der Galgenstrick", opera in three acts. Königsberg, 1896. (No opus number)

"Odysseus bei Polyphem", humoresque for orchestra. (No opus number)

Ständchen (serenade) for small orchestra. (No opus number)

Three String Quartets: C major 1883 (no opus number), G major 1883 (no opus number) and D minor, op. 15, 1884.

Piano Trio C minor, op. 14, 1884

Piano Quartet F major, op. 16 (?), 1885

Piano Concerto in F major (no opus number)
Piano Concerto in F major, op. 16 – these may be one and the same.
Also in an arrangement for string quintet.

Symphony in A major (no date, op. 15 or 17)

Symphony in D minor, op. 17, 1890-1891

"Durch Wald und Feld" (Through Wood and Vale), [13] instructive pieces [for piano solo] op. 24, publ. by Kaun, Berlin and Milwaukee

Over 100 songs, a few of which are listed here.

The German pianist Henriette Gärtner played three of his "Instructive Pieces" (no. 2 "Springtimes Greeting" in B-flat major, no. 3 "Sunset" in D-flat major and no. 5 "The Nibbling Witch" in G minor) in concert in 2018 and has also released a CD that is available on her website.

[Alan Howe]

"Durch Wald und Feld" = Through Wood(s) and Field(s)

[Wheesht]

Through Wood and Vale is what it says on the title page of the published work, I merely copied the original wording.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for the explanation. It's a mistranslation, though. Vale = Tal.

[Wheesht]

Thanks. I was aware of that of course when I saw the original sheet music cover. Perhaps  I ought to have added quotation marks and  [sic!] to make clear that I hadn't mistranslated. I  could try to find out more about the publisher, Kaun. They may well have started business in Milwaukee as German immigrants with less than perfect English.
Let's see if there's any interest in Wandelt's music here.

[eschiss1]

Kaun?

Richard Kaun. They started business in Berlin and one of Richard Kaun's brothers William moved to Milwaukee. You may be familiar with -another- member of the family, name of Hugo. (Kaun of Berlin is not the same as Kaun of Milwaukee, just owned by brothers: Richard Kaun of Berlin and William Kaun of Milwaukee.)

[Wheesht]

Thanks. I hadn't got round to making the connection with Hugo Kaun. The title page of Wandelt's op. 24 lists all 13 pieces in German as well as English and has Richard Kaun, Berlin and William Kaun, Milwaukee as publishers at the bottom. A jointly published work it would appear. Here is some information on William Kaun's Milwaukee publishing activities.

[Wheesht]

I should have added that for once there is no mystery as to the whereabouts of the manuscripts. The works I have listed are in the possession of the family.

There is also another composer named Wandelt, also born in Breslau, Bruno Wandelt (1856-1933). He could have been Amadeus's elder brother, but I have been unable to find out anything. Pianist Philipp Sear has played four of his short pieces for his Youtube channel.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I would be very interested to see the ms. of the piano concerto(s). Do you have contact details for the family, please?

[Wheesht]

I do indeed. I'll PM you later today.