Hans Franke (1882-1971)

[Alan Howe]

Excerpts from the Kleine Suite can be heard here (scroll down as this 3-movement work is last on the CD):  https://barbara-hoelzer.de/cd-musik/

Does anyone recognise the music?

[terry martyn]

So,one of the couplings is a work by our acquaintance, Elke Tober-Vokt

[Ilja]

Excerpts from the Kleine Suite can be heard here (scroll down as this 3-movement work is last on the CD):  https://barbara-hoelzer.de/cd-musik/

Does anyone recognise the music?

I can't say that I do, but it should be relatively easy to identify; it's basically three fugues, and on first glance it sounds a bit more modern than most of the other stuff Franke's appropriated.

[Alan Howe]

I agree, Ilja.

However, I believe I have now got to the bottom of this whole sorry saga. First, though, I will have to check with Mark and other interested parties exactly what we can disclose here at UC.

More news anon.

[Mark Thomas]

I can't say that I do, but it should be relatively easy to identify; it's basically three fugues, and on first glance it sounds a bit more modern than most of the other stuff Franke's appropriated.

Might it be August Halm's Three Fugues for string orchestra?

[Alan Howe]

I can't say that I do, but it should be relatively easy to identify; it's basically three fugues, and on first glance it sounds a bit more modern than most of the other stuff Franke's appropriated.

Might it be August Halm's Three Fugues for string orchestra?

It doesn't sound like the Halm. It's in three movements: fast - slow - fast.

[Mark Thomas]

No, it doesn't. I hadn't spotted the earlier link to the audio extracts.

[Mark Thomas]

I will have to check with Mark and other interested parties exactly what we can disclose here at UC.

Without being too mysterious about developments, we feel on reflection that some of the information Alan has received away from UC cannot yet be disclosed here without the permission of some third parties. We'll do that as soon as we can. However, in the meantime it would be very helpful to know of any contemporary references colleagues might find to Hans Franke himself in journals, newspapers or reference books in the 20th century up to the end of WWII, when the recorded works were supposedly composed and premiered. Thanks.

[John Boyer]

...in the meantime it would be very helpful to know of any contemporary references colleagues might find to Hans Franke himself in journals, newspapers or reference books in the 20th century up to the end of WWII, when the recorded works were supposedly composed and premiered. Thanks.

Do we have a list, perhaps from the notes from the existing recordings, of when these performances allegedly took place? For example, one of the conductors said to Alan the following:

"The score that was made available to me is a handwritten one with 4 entries from performances, 2 of which were in the Berlin Philharmonie (1941 + 1942) supposedly under Wilhelm Furtwängler."

A German speaker with access to the concert records of the Berlin Philharmonic should be able to verify this.  I think specific examples would be the easiest to confirm since there will be a date and place that one can verify. General searches for any reference to the works of a composer named Hans Franke will probably be more difficult, since even information on real composers can be difficult to trace. 

[Alan Howe]

What we need are not references to performances, etc. because these can so easily be forged - rather, we need original sources. So, for example, in the programme notes accompanying the concert given by Golo Berg back in 2006 featuring Rheinberger's Overture "The Taming of the Shrew" masquerading as the finale of Franke's 5th Symphony, we find this passage:

<<Die Uraufführung fand am 7. Juni 1943 im Opernhaus Teplitz mit dem Städtischen Orchester Teplitz unter der Leitung von Bruno C. Schestak statt. Nach dem Krieg fanden Aufführungen in Bad Homburg und Bad Kissingen statt. Richard Pflegshörl beschrieb Frankes Sinfonie in seiner Rezension im ,,Teplitz Schönauer Anzeiger" vom 10. Juni 1943...>>

Translated:

<<The premiere took place in the Opera House in Teplitz with the Teplitz Municipal Orchestra conducted by Bruno C, Schestak on 7th June 1943. After the War performances took place in Bad Homburg and Bad Kissingen. Richard Pflegshörl described Franke's Symphony in his review in the "Teplitz Schönauer Anzeiger" of 10th June 1943...>>

So: can we possibly find any original documentation of these performances and the newspaper review? I have emailed the orchestra, now called the North Czech Philharmonic in Teplce, to see whether they have anything in their archives.

[Ilja]

FWIW, this is the original reference to the A minor symphony (i.e., probably Kauffmann's) that I referred to earlier (link). From: Illustriertes Tageblatt : sächsische Heimatzeitung des Stolle-Verlags; Ausgabe E ; Für das obere und untere Elbtal : (Elbtal-Abendpost, Sächs. Dorfzeitung u. Elbgaupresse), 23 October 1940, p. 5. Not easily forged, I think, unless it was done at the time.

"Gruna. Aus dem Musikleben.
Der Grunaer Kapellmeister und Komponist Hans Franke, Rothermundstraße 3, hat eine Sinfonie in a-moll vollendet, die jetzt in Teplitz-Schönau zur erfolgreichen Uraufführung gelangte"

Translation:
"Gruna. Musical life. The Gruna bandmaster and composer Hans Franke, Rothermundstrasse 3, has completed a symphony in A minor, which has now had its successful premiere in Teplitz-Schönau".

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Ilja, this is just the sort of thing we're looking for. Assuming this is the Kauffmann Symphony, it points to Franke himself being the fraudster rather than someone else embellishing the reputation of an innocent Franke posthumously, which is one of the key issues we're trying to clarify.

[John Boyer]

What we need are not references to performances, etc. because these can so easily be forged - rather, we need original sources.

Alan, that's what I meant.  If the CD notes said "Symphony X was premiered in Leipzig on December 12, 1938, with Holtzer leading the Gewandhaus Orchestra", then one could check the Leipzig papers and the Gewandhaus archives for confirmation of this claim.

[Ilja]

There's also this one, from Die Heimat am Mittag of 18 April 1944, p. 4:

"Der Dresdner Komponist Hans Franke hat eine Sinfonie in F-Dur komponiert, die von dem Städt. Orchester Teplitz-Schönau uraufgeführt wird."

Translation:

"The Dresden composer Hans Franke composed a symphony in F major, which will be premiered by the City Orchestra Teplitz-Schönau".

[Alan Howe]

Note, though, that these took place in Teplitz, at that time in the Sudetenland, in all likelihood under card-carrying Nazi conductor Bruno C. Schestak. Does this make them any more suspicious?