...not to be confused with Albert Becker (no relation), Reinhold Becker (1842-1924) has been mentioned a few times on this forum, usually in connection with his 1st Violin Concerto which was so highly praised by Toskey in his magisterial reference work on violin and viola concertos. I believe, therefore, that it is time for further investigation of this interesting figure.
It is evident that Becker was first and foremost a composer of songs and choral music; however, he also wrote the following:
Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor, Op.4
Violin Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op.100
Symphonic Poem Prince Friedrich von Homburg, Op.16b
Symphony No.1 in C major, Op.140
Symphony No. 2 in D minor, Op.175
Opera: Frauenlob, Op.75
Opera: Ratbold, Op.88
String Quartet in A minor, Op.170
Violin Sonata in G minor, Op.150
...which tells us that most of his major non-vocal compositions were the product of his maturity.
I am currently reading a monograph on Reinhold Becker published in Dresden in 1932. He was born in Adorf in the Vogtland region of south-west Saxony near the border with the modern-day Czech Republic and became an exceptional and successful violinist in Dresden during his teenage years. Despite receiving instruction from one Julius Otto, an opponent of Wagner, Becker was greatly taken with Wagner's music. The turning-point in his life seems to have been his meeting with Louis Eller, a violinist who led a string quartet based in Pau in the south of France. Becker duly followed Eller to Pau where he stayed until the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 (Eller had died in 1863). He became well known in Pau as the leader of Eller's quartet, as a soloist and also as a conductor until he suffered an injury to the muscles in his left hand brought about by excessive violin practice. Thus he returned to Dresden and devoted himself to composition (although his first songs had already appeared in 1867). One of these early songs, Frühlingszeit (Springtime), Op.3/3 is still performed today, e.g. the tenor Peter Schreier has recorded a it in a rather syrupy modern arrangement! In Dresden Becker established himself initially as a composer of songs and choral music and his compositions were performed by the leading artists of the day. Both his early 1st Violin Concerto (pub.1876) and his 2nd Violin Concerto (a four-movement work of symphonic scope containing a 3rd-movement scherzo, pub.1900) were played to great acclaim. Of the former, Toskey writes:
Romantic style.
Time: 30'.
Grade: 7 (i.e. the general level of difficulty of the Brahms, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky concertos).
This music is intensely dramatic and lyrical. It is melodically inspired and very original, not at all like the concertos of any other composer and is a brilliant romantic showpiece for the performer. The solo part is brilliantly violinistic, filled with original and highly effective combinations. Many varieties of doubles and arpeggios are used, but harmonics and pizzicatos are avoided.
Can anyone add anything? Eric - can you help, please? Or Martin (Eastick)? I'd particularly like to find the scores/parts of these major works.
For those who can read German, there's more info - and some audio samples (second bullet point, "anhören" - two samples - at end of page) - here:
http://www.adorf-vogtland.de/inhalte/adorf/_inhalt/freizeit_tourismus/musik/musiker/becker/r_becker (http://www.adorf-vogtland.de/inhalte/adorf/_inhalt/freizeit_tourismus/musik/musiker/becker/r_becker)
A fascinating prospect, Alan. The two songs linked to in the article betray a real melodic gift. As always, though, we need to track down the music. The Fleisher collection in Philadelphia has the score and parts for the First Violin Concerto, which it records as being in one movement btw, but I can't straight away find a library with a copy of No.2. Maybe if they are as good as Toskey makes them out to be then they'd be a suitably mouth-watering idea for Hyperion's RVC series or for Chandos?
Bavarian Library has his symphony no.1 op.140, but just the violin/piano reduction of the 2nd violin concerto, it seems (edited by Marteau). Will take a quick look now and more later :) (LoC has the first symphony and the violin sonata op.150, but it seems not the violin concerto no.2 either, alas.)
According to J. Schuberth's own 1906 catalog, it's in E major (and dedicated to Johann Lauterbach. Hrm. Familiar name in association with Reger, I think...?) Published in 1901, I believe. Still, I don't know where a copy of full score or parts of the concerto are to be found; hopefully somewhere...
It's very good of you to have taken the trouble, Eric. Thanks! I'll investigate further.
I assume the 1932 book you mention is Kreiser's Reinhold Beckers Leben, seine Werke, Verzeichnis der Werke. There's also an earlier (1924) Sämtliche Werke von Reinhold Becker by Friedrich Adolf Geißler; RISM mentions both in their cataloging (they often reference worklist-books) - don't know if the earlier book is entirely subsumed by the later :)
Interesting. Yes, I have the first book you mention. It contains an extensive works-list arranged in categories by opus number, but probably not in the detail of the second book you mention (which seems to have 36 pages). Annoyingly, it gives very few dates.
BTW the movements of the 2nd concerto are -
I. Mäßig bewegt; II. Legende; III. Scherzo; IV. Finale
- can't help you as to the Scherzo and Finale yet -
this from Violinconcerto.de (http://www.violinconcerto.de/database.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=3983&sobi2Id=14813) where I should have looked first, of course.
(Though of course 1901 is date of _publication_, date of composition being unknown - so far as I know. Never trust a database with rigid fields. Case in point: Sibley Library (urresearch.rochester.edu) where "sometime in the 1910s" comes out as 1910, the "?" not being allowed by their database, I think...)
Thanks, Eric. I'd forgotten that the starting-point of that resource is the mid-1890s.
Quote from: eschiss1 on Thursday 27 September 2012, 21:52
BTW the movements of the 2nd concerto are -
I. Mäßig bewegt; II. Legende; III. Scherzo; IV. Finale
- can't help you as to the Scherzo and Finale yet -
this from Violinconcerto.de (http://www.violinconcerto.de/database.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=3983&sobi2Id=14813) where I should have looked first, of course.
Great to hear and thanks!
I can say that I was in personal touch with the head of the Adorf museum (someone mentioned a link before) and received several information. The fact of four movements and the titles come from a longer part from the Becker book (that was also mentioned here before) and the year of composition was the suggestion of the contact at the museum (which was - to be more correct - "written in 1900 or 1901", which I turned into the later year)
Best,
Tobias
Hi Tobias,
Do you think that your contact at the Adorf museum would know the location of the score of the 2nd Violin Concerto - or, indeed, anything more about Becker's scores in general?
Thought I'd resurrect this thread as the descriptions of Becker's music are so tantalising. My question: can one request copies of scores in the Fleisher Collection in Philadelphia?
A great addition to the Hyperion RVC series would be Becker's VC1 coupled with Gernsheim's VC1. Thing is: how to get hold of the parts...
Still no clue about the 2nd concerto, eh?
Alan, there should be no problem getting the partitur and parts for the Becker and Gernsheim First Violin Concertos from the Fleisher Collection for a recording project. Provided the material is in sound enough condition, they freely lend out complete original sets to bona fide orchestras or concert/recording organisers and, certainly in the cases I've been associated with, charge only the cost of getting the package to its destination. I found them very eager to help. I doubt that they'll send out an original partitur to an individual, and whether they'll make you a copy of it I just don't know, but I don't think anything would be lost by simply emailing the curator at fleisher@freelibrary.org. I have been getting a lot of scores copied recently, and have found European libraries much more geared up for it than US ones. Some American libraries (mostly university institutions) have been hugely helpful, often not charging, others (like the Library of Congress) have a very slick scanning operation, but some have been most uncooperative and one downright obstructive. Personally, if Fleisher wont play ball, as it would be easier, I'd do a trawl for major European libraries which hold copies of the partiturs and order copies from them. I'll happily help with that, of course.
... for instance, the Staatsbibliothek Berlin has very large collections of both Becker's and Gernsheim's published scores. It has partiturs for both the Gernsheim concertos, his Fantasy for violin and orchestra and Becker's 1st. concerto. It also has the violin & piano reduction of Becker's 2nd (as does the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich), but not the orchestral partitur. Was it published? Maybe Berlin, which has an enormous music manuscript collection too, has the autograph manuscript? Berlin is very good at copying material at reasonable cost and their music manuscript department has been extremely helpful to me in my own researches. Again, it never harms to ask. I can give you contacts if you want them.
Brilliant, Mark. Yes, please!!
It appears that the score and parts for Becker's VC1 are in SLUB, Dresden.
The scores and parts for both VCs by Gernsheim are in Fleisher, together with his Fantasiestuck for violin & orchestra, Op. 33. It would be nice to find the full score (+parts, if possible) of the second Becker VC, though.
Thanks, Gareth.
the full score of the Gernsheim 1st violin concerto is available now readily from MPH (Musikproduktion Höflich) - a fair number of libraries carry their studyscores (or it can be purchased for 13 Euro) - and so if the parts are somewhat lacking, they can hopefully be corrected from the full score.
As to Becker's 2nd concerto, I'm guessing an email to BVB Gateway Bayern (they have a copy of the piano reduction of the work (http://gateway-bayern.de/BV000714511) Zentralbibliothek Zurich also seems to have a copy...) -could- turn up movement info, anyway... not sure about scores or parts, alas.
Thanks, Eric. I think my starting point for a possible CD would be Gernsheim VC1 and Becker VC1, as each is probably the better work of the two in this genre by the respective composers. I have the MPH score of the Gernsheim, but what I really need for each is:
1. A full-size score.
2. Orchestral parts.
3. Violin part.
I wonder if Matthias Wiegandt might know of the whereabouts of the MS Partitur of Becker's 2nd VC. Just a thought.
The Adorf link to the song of Becker "Wo du hingehst" leads to a song, which is not from Becker! SLUB has a recording of this song at its Mediathek:
http://mediathek.slub-dresden.de/db/apsisa.dll/ete?action=displayDetails/1&sstate=eJyFVF1v2zYUjewOduR4cZi0zYJ1CIJhaIfWsOSP2NnDtiYZkCFrgnh982BQEh2zlkSNpJK0P6K_efdSshHBEeYHgzznnvuly1u3yFfLJixI2v-mTH5uK03jgMqgZe1vHNlKSB0IP06j15b7xm7eM28aiEUasVgzsqVFfDjqwG_gdg-qv384O6rqcPHzhvsuM12IKBExV5q03jN_weTbwxvG47kIg8fmQ-s3-8_6MvLBK3sX8wkFBEpWCZGNg43X1nDvyLar506HWM6-dbSDZ4fU5yJi7YcoBKiFkEtqfqRy5A0iXXKo0yBJvZD77xIpgtTXXMRtqdRnpVnUDhiYGt-9zHcDz31SicWSGBCrA-cXeD4mzRum0lBfS6agG0vBkFQcNGriZUSehVA9XDftyrmb-d0Fxu2QR70FcAtBh1Sp8nOx2yfPYhGzXNzNYm_DsUdqMyHvoScmsco5JOki-R2cR2THo_7ixHnr_MJjCkXeoYvvDbWnWEIl1UIafsXmQszVEIqFzNcs-F9hzubpnHSKQSG3sUMqprPP7eoYvtoWjsVMMq7Zg87qHsMHrIrZLOvsGL7dWmeN1WBptY-3Idme8VAzeRHfccW9EIMQZEZkk8ccwAx7BRi0e2-sqU7VpbjlMfzdsuAq1aZ0oB3S0nNmHsBUmtgqj-q6pAqTtPTTLfWzh3SfNDyqFkxP7zi7X4oGpaIW0sekxuM7wf1VtsNSAZbujsh2BCnyJGQ3q2RhZMbdzmre0HPXIbWAacpDlUu77lPSl8h0ybc4kGdmIKfZGDaQ6OUDbfSD0tDHxdDDtdCQtZqL-1MR4fL4Q8gom59xr7RabEav_NOh257zlFsjdEuFO0j3SJ3HfpgGZswN1F-HBuvQ8To0XIdGBQie7biPLZlRaJrJvTIePjl1TWBG5BstNMXl9aPdCGZTf04TmHVFdvH9CO9TQDVnMo1vp19Q9EPRqrh8S3gOK1wmkiF_UOQ3kZfsluNI_lTkniOXwAl2UwxBwAdcSnyE1GOhKbfA1UwVUpsJKDANZFTqfYL9Y15nga0jSyWj5sE1gYroQ7YGFLH6gP5jN-DxAwT7Ss_J5WTy6-T0ZEITNQm8yV8s4ACzhdtx3On1x_eXF6fT65urs4-nf19cfQAzsIseG00gohRCo3rf-g9N0-6r (http://mediathek.slub-dresden.de/db/apsisa.dll/ete?action=displayDetails/1&sstate=eJyFVF1v2zYUjewOduR4cZi0zYJ1CIJhaIfWsOSP2NnDtiYZkCFrgnh982BQEh2zlkSNpJK0P6K_efdSshHBEeYHgzznnvuly1u3yFfLJixI2v-mTH5uK03jgMqgZe1vHNlKSB0IP06j15b7xm7eM28aiEUasVgzsqVFfDjqwG_gdg-qv384O6rqcPHzhvsuM12IKBExV5q03jN_weTbwxvG47kIg8fmQ-s3-8_6MvLBK3sX8wkFBEpWCZGNg43X1nDvyLar506HWM6-dbSDZ4fU5yJi7YcoBKiFkEtqfqRy5A0iXXKo0yBJvZD77xIpgtTXXMRtqdRnpVnUDhiYGt-9zHcDz31SicWSGBCrA-cXeD4mzRum0lBfS6agG0vBkFQcNGriZUSehVA9XDftyrmb-d0Fxu2QR70FcAtBh1Sp8nOx2yfPYhGzXNzNYm_DsUdqMyHvoScmsco5JOki-R2cR2THo_7ixHnr_MJjCkXeoYvvDbWnWEIl1UIafsXmQszVEIqFzNcs-F9hzubpnHSKQSG3sUMqprPP7eoYvtoWjsVMMq7Zg87qHsMHrIrZLOvsGL7dWmeN1WBptY-3Idme8VAzeRHfccW9EIMQZEZkk8ccwAx7BRi0e2-sqU7VpbjlMfzdsuAq1aZ0oB3S0nNmHsBUmtgqj-q6pAqTtPTTLfWzh3SfNDyqFkxP7zi7X4oGpaIW0sekxuM7wf1VtsNSAZbujsh2BCnyJGQ3q2RhZMbdzmre0HPXIbWAacpDlUu77lPSl8h0ybc4kGdmIKfZGDaQ6OUDbfSD0tDHxdDDtdCQtZqL-1MR4fL4Q8gom59xr7RabEav_NOh257zlFsjdEuFO0j3SJ3HfpgGZswN1F-HBuvQ8To0XIdGBQie7biPLZlRaJrJvTIePjl1TWBG5BstNMXl9aPdCGZTf04TmHVFdvH9CO9TQDVnMo1vp19Q9EPRqrh8S3gOK1wmkiF_UOQ3kZfsluNI_lTkniOXwAl2UwxBwAdcSnyE1GOhKbfA1UwVUpsJKDANZFTqfYL9Y15nga0jSyWj5sE1gYroQ7YGFLH6gP5jN-DxAwT7Ss_J5WTy6-T0ZEITNQm8yV8s4ACzhdtx3On1x_eXF6fT65urs4-nf19cfQAzsIseG00gohRCo3rf-g9N0-6r)
You would appear to be correct - thank you! I wonder who wrote the song on the Adorf website. What an error!
Becker's song is his Op.60.
ÖNB has vocal scores (not full scores) of the two operas whose original sources, it seems, are from theater archives. The theater archives themselves could have full scores and parts though.
SYMPHONY NO 1 in C major, Op.140 (1907)
My rendition of the first movement (others to follow).
There is a slow introduction to the main Allegro. However the whole movement is episodic so tempos vary.
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPsxN12I994
Just came across this and found it very exciting. It strikes me as heavily Wagnerian - it could almost be titled 'Tristan Symphony'! It certainly stands out from the (symphonic) crowd. I'm now playing it straight through again and am greatly looking forward to the remaining movements. Thanks so much.
And now for a third listen! This is really fabulous music. In the symphonic field I can't think of anything quite like it. The coda is tremendously exciting too. How on earth can this piece have gone unnoticed and (presumably) unperformed for so long?
As you may have gathered I have a 'thing' about late romantic orchestral music and I agree this symphony promises to be up there in the top division. Interestingly there are parts of this first movement where you could be listening to an opera minus the voices.
I don't think it's as sophisicated as Berger or maybe we shouldn't be making comparisons?
It's similar-ish in idiom to Berger 2 (Wagner is the main influence behind both, I think), but it moves more athletically, if you understand my meaning. It's absolutely terrific. I'm hoping the remainder measures up...
This sounds intriguing and your reaction is very encouraging, Alan. I can't wait to listen to it (but will have to, until tomorrow). Thanks, as always, Martin.
Just to re-iterate: that coda is just extraodinary...
Wow! That's a fine, fine opening movement for a symphony and, as Alan says, the final few pages are masterfully managed and make for an exhilarating close. I only hope that the other movements live up to its promise.
Has there been any success in locating parts of the 2nd Violin Concerto?
As intimated elsewhere, we can soon expect the remainder of Becker's Symphony No.1.
Any first impressions, Reverie?
The book 'Reinhold Becker: sein Leben und sein Werk', published in Dresden in 1932, contains a section on his compositions written by a certain F.A.Geißler. On the Symphony No.1 in C major, Op.140, Geißler writes:
<<As with Brahms, Reinhold Becker decided relatively late on to compose his 1st Symphony in C major, opus 140. His artistic integrity meant that he saw it as his duty not to draft his long-planned symphony until he knew that he was in full possession of the formal and instrumental criteria necessary for such an elaborate and demanding task. He had the thematic material and basic design of the whole work in his head when he began work on the composition. This is the reason why the work, for which he retained the traditional four-movement structure, gives the impression of being a self-contained entity whose often very disparate episodes combine to form a tightly knit whole.>>
Of course, Brahms was 43 when he wrote his 1st Symphony. Becker was 65! - and the first performance was given in March 1908 in Dresden's Mozartverein.
SYMPHONY IN C - ENTIRE WORK
00:00 1st mov - Andante / Allegro
10:42 2nd mov - Andante
20:22 3rd mov - Scherzo / Idylle
26:25 4th mov - Allegro
For me the 2nd movement 10:42 is at the heart of this Symphony. So many emotions packed into ten minutes - it's remarkable.
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ievZpsWSPow
Thanks so much for producing this important realisation. Comments to come...
This is, I think, a significant contribution to the Austro-German symphonic tradition by contemporaries of Bruckner and Brahms. Why? Because it represents very clearly the application of Wagner's harmonic innovations in a convincing symphonic argument with a different outcome to that of the Franckist school, notably in the preservation of the classical four-movement structure. I can't really think of anything quite like it; perhaps Berger's 2nd Symphony from the next generation might come closest. It's a mightily impressive statement for which we owe an enormous debt to Reverie whose skill enables to hear so much of the repertoire that has escaped the attentions of the recording companies.
By the way: this is a composer who knows how to build a symphonic coda: the ending of the finale is every bit as magnificent as that of the opening movement. And what a slow movement too...
Another major plus with regard to Becker's Symphony - apart from its sheer quality, that is - is its concision. This magnificently argued work has not an ounce of musical fat: it is over within barely 37 minutes - quite something for a late-romantic symphony.
Take that, Herr Bruckner!
Becker's Symphony really is the business! Excellent material, tightly argued, great variety of mood within a very consistent and personal style and commendably compact. It appears to be Becker's only essay in the medium and yet is so masterful, surprisingly so given that his other large scale purely orchestral works only seem to amount to a Suite, a couple of violin concertos and a symphonic poem. It isn't innovative for its time except in the sense of melding together the New German and conservative traditions of the late 19th century and, to me, has an "end of an era", summing up feel to it, but there's plenty of vigour in the writing, maybe more than one would expect from a 65 year old nearing the end of his career. Plaudits to Reverie for persevering with completion of his superb realisation but the quality of this Symphony really does cry out for a full orchestral recording.
I agree 100%.
By the way: it's instructive to play Becker's Symphony after Franck's Symphony. Although there are clear differences, both composers were drinking from the same well, namely Wagner. I wonder whether Becker knew what was happening in the Franco-Belgian school?
Franck's Symphony dates from 1888 and Chausson's from 1890, so it's very likely that Becker, writing 17 years later, knew of them.
Although rather vague, Wikipedia says of Franck's Symphony:
<<Within several years of its composition, the symphony was regularly being programmed across Europe...>>
So: influence or parallel development? My guess is the latter, but you never know...