Jean-Louis Nicodé

[Alan Howe]

Another once-famous German composer is Jean-Louis Nicodé. Again, here's Wikipedia's entry on him:

Jean Louis Nicodé (12 August 1853 – 5 October 1919) was a Prussian pianist, composer and conductor.

He was born in Jersitz (Jeżyce) (now part of Poznań). He was initially taught by his father, an amateur violinist, pianist, conductor and composer. He entered the New Academy of Music in Berlin in 1869, where he studied piano under Theodor Kullak, harmony under Wüerst and counterpoint and composition with Kiel.
He became a teacher, and established the Nicodé Concerts. He accompanied Désirée Artôt on a concert tour of Galicia and Romania, then became professor at the Royal Conservatory in Dresden. In 1888 he devoted himself entirely to composition.
His works include Das Meer, Op. 31, a symphony for orchestra, organ, solo voices and men's chorus. His Gloria, Op. 34 (1904), in six movements, for boy's voice, men's chorus, organ, harps, and very large orchestra occupies a whole evening in performance. His solitary symphony was not published. He wrote other orchestral works, a Romanze for violin and orchestra, two cello sonatas, piano pieces and songs.
He also arranged Chopin's piano solo Allegro de Concert, Op. 46, for piano and orchestra. This followed his setting of the piece for two pianos.
Nicodé died at Langebrück near Dresden.

Selected Works:

Maria Stuart, op. 4
Charakteristische Polonaise, op. 5
Sechs Phantasiestücke: Andenken an Robert Schuhmann, op. 6
Aphorismen, op. 8
Charakterstücke, op. 9
Walzer-Capricen, op. 10
Die Jagd nach dem Glück, op. 11
Etüden, op. 12
Italienische Volkslieder und Tänze, op. 13
Romanze für Violine und Orchester, op. 14
Lieder, op. 15
Symphonische Suite, op. 17
Variationen und Fuge über ein Originalthema, op. 18 nach Anton Rubinstein
Sonate in f-moll, op. 19
Jubiläumsmarsch, op. 20
Etüden, op. 21
Ein Liebesleben, op. 22
Sonate in h-moll, op. 23
Faschingsbilder, op. 24
Sonate in G-Dur, op. 25
Symphonische Variationen, op. 27
Bilder aus dem Süden, op. 29
Liederzyklus, op. 30
Das Meer, op. 31
Märchen und Auf dem Lande, op. 32
Erbarmen, op. 33
Gloria!, op. 34
Zitat [Bearbeiten]

"Die Harmonik Nicodés ist kühn und grossartig, seine kontrapunktische Meisterschaft imposant, seine Orchestration poetische, dramatisch und von besonderer Schönheit und Eigenart des Kolorits". Ferdinand Pohl nach einer Aufführung der Symphonischen Variationen (op. 27) im Leipziger Gewandhaus 1892.
(Translation: "Nicodé's harmony is bold and magnificent, his contrapuntal mastery impressive and his orchestration poetic and particularly beautiful in its use of colour.")

[albion]

Variation form is one of my favourite musical structures, so I'm interested to see two examples (Opp. 18 and 27) on the work-list - do we know which theme from Rubinstein Nicodé utilised for his Op.18?

[Mark Thomas]

Of course, most of Nicodé's orchestral music is available in the Downloads board in excellent performances and, IMHO, it justifies the plaudits which he received from his contemporaries.