Max Lewandowsky 1874-1906

[matesic]

Does anyone have any info on this German composer resident in Berlin, not to be confused with the Jewish composer Louis Lewandowski (1821-1894) or the eminent neurologist Max Lewandowsky (1876-1916) who were also Berliners? According to Cobbett he published 2 piano trios (1900 and 1903), a piano quintet (1901), a string sextet (1904) and, posthumously, a violin sonata (1907), a cello sonata (1909) and two string quartets (1910). The sextet is a slightly old-fashioned but well crafted piece that I hope to be uploading a rendition of to imslp in a few days. Worldcat also has 2 pieces for cello and piano and 3 sets of songs, two of them posthumously published. The only other information I can find on him is a concert programme from April 1906 (4 months before his death), described as a "Compositions-Abend von Max Lewandowsky" and featuring the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, or members of.

[eschiss1]

I thought I'd seen a thread here in which he'd been discussed re his works for harmonium but maybe that was someone else? Anyhow, a 1906 issue of The Strad has a brief obituary (actually, part of a concert report from Oct. 22 1906, first orchestral concert of the season of the Hamburg Philharmonic Society) noting his death from a boating accident... Max was born and died in Hamburg, by the way, even if he was resident in Berlin. "To celebrate his memory it was appropriate that Herr Max Fielder open this year's concerts with the 'Andante expressivo' from Lewandowsky's Serenade for Orchestra..." (re that Oct. 22 1906 concert).

[matesic]

Well I never! Tragic of course, aged just 32, but another one in the great tradition of falling bookcases etc. Someone must have compiled a list. Hamburg might be a helpful lead to track down the Serenade and any other unpublished works, although I expect a lot of material there was lost during WWII. 

[Balapoel]

Hofmeister and rec music lieder foundation provides a few more pieces:

10 songs, op. 6
5 songs, op. 9
5 songs, op. 10
5 songs, op. 11
4 songs, op. 12
7+? songs, Op. 16

I've also seen reference to the Op. 2 piano quintet as b minor, not Bb.

[eschiss1]

Balapoel: you don't have to trust me. It's in B-flat major. Have a look at the score and parts of the work at IMSLP: 2 flats, not 2 sharps, opens on a solid -thump- of a B-flat major chord in the piano

One of his other chamber works of the time is in B-natural minor, though (piano trio, Op.4.)

I think his op.1 was also a piano trio, in C minor, published by Wolf (without opus number) in 1900 (see HMB, again - 1900, p.382). Ah. That would be the one mentioned in Cobbett - which gives the publication date as though it were a composition date (1900). I see. Yep!

[Balapoel]

I understand it is in Bb - and I've looked at the score. What I mean is that folks should know there is another reference to the quintet being in b minor (which it's not) (potentially leading to confusion).

here:
https://urresearch.rochester.edu/viewContributorPage.action;jsessionid=83E2489E8888559E549469C1D71FD191?rowStart=0&startPageNumber=1&currentPageNumber=1&sortElement=title&sortType=desc&personNameId=1465

[eschiss1]

ack, my bad. and the thing you point to does seem to happen a lot, and thanks for pointing it out...

[Wheesht]

There are three reviews of works of his that a search on archive.org produced from "Die Musik": Vol. II, 1903, no. 19 discusses his Zehn Gesänge op. 6 (published by Süddeutscher Musikverlag, Strassburg i. E. = Alsace). In his compositional style he is referred to as showing a smooth mastery of form, but lacking depth. The second review (Vol. VII, 3rd quarter, vol. 27, 1907-08) is of the Piano Sonata op. 8, published by Peters, Leipzig. The reviewer, one Wilhelm Altmann, starts out by writing that the young composer is no longer among the living and goes on to wonder whether one really ought to say 'de mortuis nil nisi bene now'. The reviewer sees good ideas but also a lack of restraint and depth. In vol. VII, no. 16, one Albert Schmattmann reviews "Lieder und Gesänge" op. 9-16 (40 lieder) and gives a guarded recommendation, saying that it would have been better if fewer of these songs had been published.

According to a German antiquarian music catalogue, Lewandowsky committed suicide on 27 August 1906.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The key confusion happens because many people (who ought to know better) don't seem to realise that in German, B = Bflat, while H = B.

[matesic]

I wonder if Cobbett's reticence (he just describes him as "German composer", no comment, no dates even) might be explained by the stigma of suicide? Likewise Altmann's delicacy?

[Balapoel]

The key confusion happens because many people (who ought to know better) don't seem to realise that in German, B = Bflat, while H = B.

True enough, but 'moll' vs. 'dur' is quite clear - and that website has the incorrect key (h-moll vs. B-dur).

[eschiss1]

I think that may come of a writer at some point (then or now) having trouble believing a Romantic could possibly write a piece in B major or B-flat minor (probably not the reason; if so, that's rather foolish though also not surprising ignorance either, somehow...)

[matesic]

I just posted my rendition of Lewandowsky's string sextet of 1904 on imslp, here:
http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Sextet,_Op.5_(Lewandowsky,_Max)#IMSLP348272
It probably won't be cleared until tomorrow. As regards execution, the usual apologies and excuses apply.
Clearly he wasn't exactly at the cutting edge (Mendelssohn seems to be his chief model) but he knew his business and the first movement does have plenty of propulsion.

[eschiss1]

Me, earlier:
"I thought I'd seen a thread here in which he'd been discussed"

I was thinking of Max _Laurischkus_. Sorry!!

To matesic:
Thanks for the upload. Have downloaded, will listen soon- looks promising in those parts...