Taubert, Wilhelm (1811-1891)

[Reverie]

Born in Berlin, Taubert studied under Ludwig Berger (piano) and Bernhard Klein (composition). In 1831, he became assistant conductor and accompanist for Berlin court concerts

Between 1845 and 1848, he was music director of the Berlin Royal Opera and was also court conductor in Berlin from 1845 to 1869. From 1865, he taught music at the Prussian Academy of Arts; Theodor Kullak was one of his pupils.

His compositions include six operas, incidental music, four symphonies, concertos for piano and cello, four string quartets, other orchestral, choral, and piano works, and more than 300 songs.
His early compositions were praised by the composer Felix Mendelssohn, who had also studied piano with Berger.

Here is a rendition of his Symphony No 4 (1851) which I hope you enjoy.

His musical style seems to be occasionally a little eccentric - note the start of the 3rd movement for example.

This is the first example of his symphonic music to be heard as far as I know.



TAUBERT 4th SYMPHONY:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laUUELwB6r0

[eschiss1]

Thank you very much, I've been wanting to hear this.

[Alan Howe]

His two PCs are on Hyperion, of course. Now for this Symphony (rubs hands!)....

[Alan Howe]

The key is B minor, incidentally.

The context: 1851 was also the year that Schumann revised his 4th Symphony.

[Maury]

His musical style seems to be occasionally a little eccentric - note the start of the 3rd movement for example.

I would have thought the Prussian Academy was not into any kind of eccentricity.

Thank you very much Reverie for this performance score. My initial listen is very favorable. I don't hear noodling or aimless structure; it seems focused but not in a pedestrian way. The symphony also is right sized without excessive repetition. The opening motif of movement 3 does reappear later in the movement so not completely eccentric. This is not the dry humorless music I would have expected from just reading the bio. On board for eccentricity over pedestrian.

[Mark Thomas]

I agree with all of that but I still found it a tad safe and uninvolving, perhaps one step removed from the Biedermeier piece that I was expecting. Not bad music at all but nothing really outside the conventions of the day.

[Alan Howe]

I agree, but once again find myself enjoying a symphony written in mid-century when there weren't supposed to be any worth bothering about. Thanks, Reverie, for all your hard work on this neglected area of the symphonic repertoire.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, huge thanks to Reverie, as ever. We're better off with Tauber's Fourth than without it, of course.

[Maury]

I basically accept that the Unsungs are not going to be stylistically innovative, at least along the established historical line of stylistic development. But I do want craftmanship and look for a musical flow that is enjoyable precisely because it is not burdened trying to always be different or even avant gardish. This works best in opera and chamber music IMO so I really appreciate it when an Unsung symphony is worthwhile listening to me too.

[Alan Howe]

Well, there are some very innovative unsung symphonists: Rufinatscha, Raff and Draeseke are among them, surely. Wilhelm Berger would be another - and late Thieriot also, plus Moór and Magnard.

[Wheesht]

I for one wouldn't mind at all if there were recordings of Moór's symphonies available.

[eschiss1]

Godard as well seems to have been rather innovative, also perhaps Ferdinand David.