Hubert Ferdinand Kufferath (1818-1896)

[Alan Howe]

I see what you mean - very subtle. And what a trio! There's grandeur everywhere in this fine work.

[Alan Howe]

I'd say that this is one of the most important symphonies 'on the way to Brahms', and also a very fine work in its own right.

The late Draeseke scholar (and Raff enthusiast) Dr Alan Krueck once told me that he thought one of the most important features of Brahms' compositions was his rhythmic ingenuity. I think this can be heard in Kufferath too.

Interestingly, this source tells us a bit more about his life:

Kufferath, Hubert Ferdinand, German violinist, pianist, conductor, and composer, brother of Johann Hermann Kufferath and Louis Kufferath , and father of Maurice Kufferath , b. Mülheim an der Ruhr, June 11, 1818; d. St. Josse-ten-Noode, near Brussels, June 23, 1896. He studied first with his brothers, then with Hartmann (violin) in Cologne and Schneider in Dessau (1833–36). He subsequently studied violin with David at the Leipzig Cons., where he also took courses with Mendelssohn and Hauptmann. He conducted the Cologne Männergesangverein (1841), then settled in Brussels (1844), where he ultimately served as prof. of counterpoint and fugue at the Cons. (1872–96). He wrote syms., piano concertos, and piano pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire
https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/kufferath-hubert-ferdinand

I note that from 1844 he was living in Brussels and much later taught at the Conservatoire there. So, what other influences might he have encountered there? Fétis, perhaps?

Edit: From 1844 he was actually teaching piano and composition in Brussels:
https://nds.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Ferdinand_Kufferath

[Alan Howe]

I have been in touch with the Brussels Conservatoire and have been sent some interesting biographical information - in French. It might take me a couple of days to pull together all the important points, but it seems that Kufferath's house in Brussels was a meeting-place for musicians of the time - and that he was in contact with Schumann and Brahms. More later...

[tpaloj]

Looking forward to it Alan. What a grand symphony this is. Imslp has the printed set of parts but no full score. The 1st violin part is a so called dirigent's part with cues for other instruments. A very musical rendition, Martin, though some mistakes makes for rough listening occasionally. I hope this thread might reach the attention of any recording companies as this work certainly deserves more attention!

[Alan Howe]

I'm busy today. Back tomorrow...

[Reverie]

Thank you tpaloj. You do sometimes wish these copyists sharpened their pencil from time to time!

Looking forward to the updates on your research Alan.

[Mark Thomas]

Just to underline my agreement with everything which has been written above. The whole work is an impressive composition by any yardstick, especially given its relatively early date, and it deserves to have much wider currency than just UC members and subscribers to Martin's YouTube channel. Hats off to Martin for yet again resurrecting a work of real importance.

[Alan Howe]

The salient points from the French biography - that were unknown to us - are:

- He was an infant prodigy on both violin and piano.
- He was known as 'Ferdinand'. His first name is actually hyphenated: Hubert-Ferdinand.
- It was at a concert where he played his own piano compositions that he met Schumann, who praised his talents
  as both composer and pianist.
- In Brussels he studied under Fétis.
- In Brussels he became a renowned ('renommé') piano teacher.
- There he founded a chamber music ensemble with the violinist Hubert Léonard and the cellist Adrien-François 
  Servais.
- He maintained a correspondence with the Schumanns and Brahms.
- His house in the rue de la Charité was a lively musical centre where music by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and
  Brahms - at that time ignored by the general public - was played.
- His style is described as strongly influenced by Mendelssohn - although, as we know, the evidence of his   
  Symphony in C points away from Mendelssohn towards Brahms.
- The Symphony was first performed under Fétis at one of the Conservatoire concerts in 1847 - i.e. two   
  years before it was published.
- He also wrote a Piano Concerto, a String Quartet, a Piano Trio, songs and piano works including études, études
  de concert, capriccios, berceuses, romances and divertissements.
- Among those who sought his advice on composition were Lassen and de Greef.

[Mark Thomas]

A Symphony + Piano Concerto coupling would be a very attractive coupling for a recording.

[Alan Howe]

Quite so. I wonder the full (published) scores are...

[tpaloj]

BNF has a score of the Piano Concerto, unsure whether it's a reduction or the full partitura...

EDIT: Oops... partie de piano seul, so not the whole thing.
EDIT2: I went ahead and tried to order a digitization of Kufferath's Symphony in D (from 1858) from the Royal Library of Belgium. We'll see how it goes...

[Alan Howe]

Please update us on progress.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have found this record at BNF:

Type(s) de contenu et mode(s) de consultation : Musique notée : sans médiation

Auteur(s) : Kufferath, Hubert-Ferdinand (1818-1896). Compositeur Voir les notices liées en tant qu'auteur

Titre(s) : Concerto pour piano avec accompagnement de grand orchestre. Op. 24 [en mi] [Musique imprimée]

Publication : Mayence : B. Schott fils, [s.d.]

Description matérielle : In-fol. 41 p.

Note(s) : Part. de piano avec acc.t d'orchestre


Sujet(s) : Piano et orchestre (19e siècle)


Cotage 14541 (B. Schott fils)

Notice n° :  FRBNF43081494

The abbreviation "Part. de piano avec acc.t d'orchestre" is not very helpful. If it is the "partie de piano seul" why add "avec acc.t d'orchestre"? If, on the other hand, "part." is short for "Partition" one would expect "Partition d'orchestre" if it is a full score. However, as there are only 41 pages it is probably the solo piano part only or a 2-piano score. But the description is a model of how NOT to catalogue something.

[tpaloj]

Precisely Gareth! BNF had two records related to this PC actually, this other one is described as partie de piano seul. And speaking of horrid cataloguing practices, this entry does not even include page count! https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb449096263

In the end, the 44 page piano score on imslp is probably the same item that both of these BNF records indicate.

If all goes ok with the D Symphony order, the library will likely upload the scans on their site. Otherwise, if they only send it to me, it should be ok to share the digitization here.

[Reverie]

Alan that is very interesting. He lived in rather august company.

tpaloj - looking forward to having a snifter at the other symphony.