Bernhard Ernst Scholz Born 30.3.1835 Mainz Died 26.12.1916 Munich
Scholz was a pupil of Ernst Pauer for piano and Siegfried Wilhelm Dehn for theory. He was appointed professor at the Royal School of Music in Munich in 1856 remaining there until 1858 He became conductor at the Hanover Court Theatre from 1859-1865. He later worked in Berlin, Breslau and Florence. From 1883 he was director of the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt.
He married1 and had five children2
Orchestral[/b]
Symphony in B flat Op.60 pub. by Hainauer
Symphony in A minor Op.80 1896 pub. by Firnberg
Overture 'Malinconia'
Overture 'Im Freien' Op.21 1866 pub. by Reiter-Biederman
Overture 'Iphigenia in Tauris Op.15 1862 pub. by Reiter-Biederman
'Wanderung, suite for orchestra Op.74 pub. by Firnberg
Piano Concerto in B major 1883 pub. by Hainauer
Capriccio for piano and orchestra Op.35 pub by Hainauer
Capriccio all'Ungarese for cello (or violin) and orchestra Op.37 1873 pub. by Hainauer
'Dancing in the Camp' arranged for piano 4 hands and orchestra from his opera Zieten'sche Husaren Op.30 pub. by Bote & Bock
Chamber
Piano Quintet in C major Op.25 1869 pub. by Cranz
Piano Quartet in F minor Op.79 1899 pub. by Simrock
Piano Trio in E minor Op.26 1869 pub. by Schott
Piano Trio in A minor Op.83 1900 pub. by Firnberg
String Quintet in E minor Op.47 1878 pub. by Hainauer
String Quartet in G Op.46 pub. by Peters
String Quartet in A major Op.48 pub. by Hainauer
Violin Sonata in G major with variations on German folksongs Op.20 1869 pub. by Schott
Violin Sonata 1857 pub. by Peters
Violin Sonata in A minor Op.55 pub. by Hainauer
Two violin sonatas; in D major and A minor Op.94 1910 pub. by Firnberg
Notturno in E minor for violin and piano Op.51 pub. by Hainauer
Notturno in D minor for violin and piano Op.53 pub. by Bote & Bock
Six light pieces for violin and piano: Landler, Quick March, Romanze, A la Mazurka, Morning march, Sunday Evening in the Village.
OP.31 pub. by Simrock
Romanze in D minor for violin and piano Op.92 1908 pub. by Firnberg
Cello Sonata Op.5 1856 pub. by Peters
Cello Sonata Op.14 1861 pub. by Breitkopf and Hartel
Two cello sonatas: in C major & D major 1869 pub. by Schott
Cello Sonata in A minor Op.81 1900 pub. by Firnberg
Variations on a theme by Handel for cello and piano Op.84 pub. by Firnberg
Romanze in D minor for cello and piano OP.91 pub. by 1906 pub. by Firnberg
Sextet for winds and strings in F major Wo.
Piano
Sonata in B major Op.28 pub. by Schott
Sonata for piano Op.41 1875 pub by Reiter-Biedermann
Six preludes and fugues for piano Op.1 1856 pub. by Schott
Variations on an original theme Op.10 pub. by Reiter-Biederman
Two waltzes for piano, 4 hands Op.24 pub. by Cranz
For Helen: six pieces Op.40 pub. by Hainauer
Landler in G major pub. by Hainauer
Seven sketches Op.52 1881 pub. by Rahter
Contrapuntal variations on a Gavotte by Handel for 2 pianos Op.54 1882 pub. by Hainauer
Choral
Four mens chorus's : Op.12 1859 pub. by Reiter-Biedermann
1.Lied der Stadte
2. Das Glas in der Rechten
3. Wie die jungen Bluthen
4. Roselein im Walde
Three lieder for male choir Op.13 words by Auguste Hoffmann von Fellersleben( he wrote words for German national anthem) pub. by Schott
1. Der Lebende hat Recht
2. In's Weinhaus
3. Cantilena potatoria
Requiem for soloist, chorus and orchestra Op.16 1864 pub by Breitkopf & Hartel
Des Sangers Wiederkehr for double chorus and wind instruments Op.17 words by Ludwig Uhland 1864 pub. by Simrock
Hymnus for soloist and orchestra Op.29 words from Pandora by Goethe pub. by Gottard
Two Hymns for soprano solo and female chorus Op.39 1. Jubilate, 2. Fruhling. 1873 pub. by Hainauer
Standchen an eine Verlassene for mens chorus and strings or piano OP.58 1883 pub. by Hainauer
Das lied von der Glocke OP.61 words by Friedrich Schiller for soloists, chorus, organ and orchestra. pub. by Hainauer
Three lieder for men's chorus; Op.62 1892 pub. by Firnberg
1. Am Alpensee
2. Wanderfahrt
3. Sonnabengelaute
Three Marienlieder for two part female chorus Op.63 1892 pub. by Firnberg
1. In allem Leid, in allem Streit.
2. O du sussester von allen Naman
3. Die ersten Veilchen an dem Raine
Sylvesterglocken for mixed chorus and orchestra Op.66 1892 pub. by Firnberg
Three hymns for female chorus and piano. Op.72 1893 pub. by A.P.Schmidt
1. Am fliessenden Wasser
2. Gute Nacht
3. Kauzlein
Thurmerlied for male chorus and orchestra Op.73 1893 pub by Firnberg
Liebenslied for soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra (or piano) Op.75 pub. by Firnberg
Two Swiss songs for four part male chorus Op.77 1895 pub. by Firnberg
1. Saespruch
2. Fur ein Gesangfest im Fruling
Two lieder for mixed chorus and small orchestra; Op.82 1900 pub. by Firnberg
1. Weihgeschenk
2. Hymn an die Nacht
Der Wald for soloist, male chorus and orchestra Op.85 1903 pub. by Vieweg
Deutsche Flottenlied for male chorus Op.86 1903 pub. by Hug & Co.
Nenie for soloist and male chorus Op.87 words by Friedrich Schiller 1905 pub. by Firnberg
Dithyrambe for mixed chorus and piano Op.88 words by Friedrich Schiller pub. by Firnberg
Scene of Beatrice from Schiller's Braut von Messina for solo voice and orchestra Op.89 1905 pub. by Firnberg
Abenlied an die Natur for female chorus 1897 pub. by D.Schweers
Opera
Carlo Rosa 1858
Zieten'sche Husaren comic opera 1869
Morgiane 1870
Golo 1875
Der Trumpeter von Sakkingen 11877
Die Vornehmen Wirte 1883
Ingo 1898
Anno 1757
Mirandolina 1907
There are many songs
1.
Louise Maria Seyler 1834-1904 wife
2. Helen Charlotte Scholz 1859-1916
Christian Wilhelm Ernst Richard Scholz 1860-1939
Wilhelm Joachim Scholz 1862-1905
Wilhelmine Marie 1865- ?
Georg Nikolaus Richard Bernhard 18722-1946
The key of the Op. 28 piano sonata must be a mistake. There is a G-sharp minor, but there's no such thing as G-sharp Major - at least not on a piano. It's place is taken enharmonically by A-flat. It must be C-sharp Major, which is the last signature with sharps.
I don't think it is either. IMSLP has the score of Scholz's Op. 28 sonata and describes it as in B major. Just downloaded it - yes, it is in B major - 5 sharps.
Grove online has this:
Scholz belonged to the circle of Brahms, Joachim and Clara Schumann, and was among those who signed the famous manifesto of March 1860 against the New German School. He worked assiduously to promote the works of Brahms, whose influence is most evident in his compositions. His late chamber music, which shows a concern with form and finish in detail, represents the highpoint of his output. His String Quartet in G op.46 won the Florentine Quartet Prize in 1877, and his String Quintet in E minor op.47 was awarded a prize by a St Petersburg society the following year.
BTW Matesic uploaded a recording of his string quartet to IMSLP a few years back (thanks :) ).
The Piano Concerto must have been something since it was in Clara's repertoire.
Skimming the score of the concerto (also, together with solo part & reduction, @ IMSLP) does suggest something interesting to me. (According to MPH, the orchestral material is still available from Zimmermann, so the work could still be performed, though not for free unless someone- legally I _think_ (some of the European holding/scanning libraries claim ownership, at least over the digital scans and any derivative typesets I guess; I actually do not know what US legal practice says about that) - extracted the parts from the score.)
What in particular piques your interest about the concerto, Eric? Scholz seems to have been quite a substantial figure in his time, but has sunk even further under the radar than most unsungs.
The preface to the MpH score (https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/wp-content/uploads/vorworte_prefaces/1232.html) of the Piano Concerto gives a lot of background detail about Scholz's career and compostions.
I suspect that the Symphony in B flat Op.60 wasn't titled Malinconia, and that title refers to a separate composition for orchestra. The published score of the Symphony at IMSLP doesn't carry any title. The only reference to a Malinconia by Scholz that I can find online is a report in the Musikalisches Wochenblatt for 16 April 1891 (https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OigQAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA222&lpg=PA222&dq=scholz+malinconia&source=bl&ots=O7PDYCfptF&sig=Li42FGWMgftdm3bjgHFTPFRxTuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjz15G5wdjTAhXMKMAKHVP9D4sQ6AEIQTAG#v=onepage&q=scholz%20malinconia&f=false) of a performance in Frankfurt of "the Symphonic Fantasy Malinconia by Bernhard Scholz [which], for all its formality, lacks enough succinctness and character in its themes in order to suggest the title regardless of what the composer has suggested" [my translation]. Riemann's Musik-Lexikon lists Malinconia (für Orchester) immediately after the Symphony in B flat, separated only by a comma, so maybe that's where the error crept in?
I can't find any listing for "Malinconia" by Scholz on World Cat, but whatever the fate of this obscure piece (or the minor inaccuracies in the work list) I want to thank Giles for bringing my attention to this profoundly unsung composer who was previously just a name to me. I think what I have seen so far of his music is rather distinguished.
Musik der Romantik by Alfred Baumgartner lists Malinconia as an overture. I have amended Giles' list accordingly.
QuoteI want to thank Giles
Hear! Hear! A tantalising catalogue.
Thanks, Alan. Could you also alter the key of the Op. 28 piano sonata to B major, which it undoubtedly is, please?
Re. Malinconia see also here: http://grandemusica.net/musical-biographies-s-2/scholz-bernhard?quicktabs_2=0&quicktabs_1=1 (http://grandemusica.net/musical-biographies-s-2/scholz-bernhard?quicktabs_2=0&quicktabs_1=1) and here: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OigQAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA222&lpg=PA222&dq=Overture+Malinconia+Scholz&source=bl&ots=O7PDYEgjkI&sig=p7z_yoEPanwzgH9nonyV11hJKpM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiu3Y2PjdnTAhUsKMAKHQKxC5UQ6AEIPDAF#v=onepage&q=Overture%20Malinconia%20Scholz&f=false (https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OigQAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA222&lpg=PA222&dq=Overture+Malinconia+Scholz&source=bl&ots=O7PDYEgjkI&sig=p7z_yoEPanwzgH9nonyV11hJKpM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiu3Y2PjdnTAhUsKMAKHQKxC5UQ6AEIPDAF#v=onepage&q=Overture%20Malinconia%20Scholz&f=false) where it is variously described as a symphonic poem and a "Phantaisie".
Done!
There is a partial, needs-work list here (http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Bernhard_Scholz) and the Op.41 sonata for piano may be not a sonata but one of a group of sonatinas.
Malinconia - Mark is correct, Malinconia is an overture. I took my information for this from a 1946 Everyman Dictionary. On a second look I see the punctuation is what confused me.
Now all that remains is to hear some of his music...
Agreed. Besides Matesic's upload of the quartet to hear there's not much of any kind of recording, I think...
hrm. A video search turns up a mention of him in a video of a work by Wetzler his pupil, ah well, no joy. Score & I think complete parts of sym 1 @ IMSLP fwiw...
Ah. One work of his does turn up on a Brahms & friends CD of low distribution ("Trotzkopf op. 40", see http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/314048464 (http://www.worldcat.org/title/schubert-und-brahms-cd/oclc/314048464).)
It's worth reading the preface to the MpH score of the PC to which Mark provided a lnk:
Bernhard Ernst Scholz (b. Mainz, 3. March 1835 - d. Munich, 26. December 1916)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra op. 57
Bernhard Ernst Scholz was a German conductor, composer, theorist and pedagogue, who is also remembered as the father of Hans Scholz. His music education took place under Heinrich Esser and the celebrated pianist Ernst Pauer; however, he also studied counterpoint and composition with Siegfried Dehn and was a pupil of the famous singer Antonio Sangiovanni. He had also studied lithography in Paris, to obey his father's wish, and undertook travels in Southern Europe as part of his artistic education. His teaching activity started at the Conservatory of Musich, where he became Professor of theory in 1856; later he taught at the Conservatories of Kullak and Stern. He was also a leading figure in the music life of his time, being the music director at the Operas of Zurich and Nuremberg, and, later, the assistant of Marschner in Hanover, the director of the Società Cherubini in Florence and a celebrated conductor in Berlin (Philharmonic Concert, Caecilian Society).
He had been a member of the most important cultural circles in the Germany of his time, being a friend of the Schumanns, Brahms, Dilthey and many others. In 1860, he had been associated with Brahms in the unfortunate crusade against the new German music style represented by Liszt and his epigones, whose "new and senseless theories" were contrary to "the innermost spirit of music". In the original plan, a numerous group of intellectuals would have signed a manifesto against the new artistic vogue, which was planned not to appear until after the festival of Zwickau. However, during the revision process undertaken by Brahms and Joachim, a copy of the manifesto reached the enemy field, and an unmerciful parody of the text was published on the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (May 4th, 1860); two days later, a mutilated copy of what had been meant to be just a provisional text was published by the Berliner Musik-Zeitung Echo, signed only by Brahms, Joachim, Julius Otto Grimm and Bernhard Scholz.
Although the result of the operation was very far from what had been planned and expected, the fiasco did not discourage the Brahmsian field; however, they did not give further textual contributions to the quarrel, and followed Ferdinand Hiller's thoughtful advice: for him, "the best means of struggle would be to create good music". And this was what they constantly strove to accomplish, encouraging each other in their compositional activity.
Bernhard Scholz was actually one of the most active friends who sought to persuade Brahms to write symphonies, and who supported him in the most difficult moments of his compositional career.
In 1871, Scholz had become the music director of Breslau's Symphony Orchestra, and therefore he regularly invited his friend Brahms and featured his works in the concert programmes. It should be pointed out, however, that in Scholz's very first appearance as the music director in Breslau, the most modern work was by Wagner instead of Brahms, notwithstanding Scholz's "conservative" fame. The programme actually included an overture and the Seventh Symphony by Beethoven together with Wagner's Lohengrin Prelude and Mendelssohn's Scherzo from the Midsummer Night's Dream. In March 1876, however, Scholz included Brahms's First Piano Concerto in the musical programme of Breslau's Symphony Orchestra.
Another famous work by Brahms is clearly attributable to Scholz's encouragement. Brahms had been awarded a honorary doctorate by the University of Breslau, but, at first, he had shown his gratitude merely through a postcard. Upon Scholz's insistence, however, Brahms eventually decided to dedicate a work to the University: the Academic Festival Overture was the result of Scholz's efforts, and the letters between Brahms and Scholz testify upon their common quest for a suitable title (Viadrina, the Latin name of Breslau's river Oder had been one of the options).
Scholz's own compositional activity was by no means a minor side of his artistic life, as documented by his victories in composition competitions. Scholz's String Quartet in G op. 46 was awarded the Florentine Quartet Prize in 1877; in the same year, his String Quintet in E minor op. 47 obtained the second prize (first not awarded) at a competition organised by the Society for Chamber Music in St. Petersburg. It should be mentioned that young Gustav Mahler had been one of the candidates, and had probably participated in the competition with his exquisite Quartettsatz for piano and strings. On the other hand, Scholz's operas (among which Carlo Rosa, Anno 1757 and Mirandolina) did not enjoy a comparable success, although Scholz was very appreciated for his symphonies, chamber works and Lieder.
Two years earlier, in 1875, Scholz's Piano Concerto which constitutes the object of the present publication had been premiered by no less than Clara Wieck, who was by then one of the most famous and appreciated pianists and pedagogues of her time. Piero Rattalino has pointed out that Scholz's Piano Concerto was the most modern work she included in her repertoire, which did not follow the vogues of the time.
When, in 1883, Scholz became Raff's successor as the director of the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, Clara defined the fact as a true "revolution", since Scholz was thought to be an "archconservative" and Raff had been a keen supporter of Liszt and Wagner. Actually, this label did not correspond to reality. Since the very first years of his compositional activity, Scholz had been truly "Romantic", as even Dilthey had pointed out. And although his fugues were skilful and famous, they were not mere archaisms, and had a genuinely modern taste. Even later, Scholz's models were Mendelssohn and Brahms rather than the Classicist composers: the former's influence is clearly discernible in such works as Scholz's famous Requiem, the latter in the equally celebrated Variations op. 54 for two pianos. Moreover, as it has been pointed out earlier, Scholz was not prejudiced against performance of Wagnerian works and included them in his concert programmes; it should be highlighted, furthermore, that the famous manifesto was, by then, more than twenty years old.
Nonetheless, the opposition between the two parties was still deeply felt; and Scholz's appointment contributed to the establishment of Frankfurt as the conservatives' fortress. In disagreement with the new director, some members of the Conservatory's faculty resigned, thus leaving free space to a monopoly of the conservative party, and founded a competing Conservatory which was polemically christened as "Raff Conservatory". Bülow's pointed remarks against Scholz and Clara Schumann did not calm things down, until, eventually, in 1890, Humperdinck was the first member of the Wagnerian party to be reappointed at the Hoch Conservatory.
Scholz kept the appointment until 1908, when, after having resigned, he passed the years of his retirement travelling to Florence and Munich. Among Scholz's other activities there was also the direction of F. W. Rühl's Choral Union (from 1884), and the promotion of music among the working classes: Scholz founded the first German Volkschor in 1897, testifying of his patriotic and social concerns.
Scholz is also remembered as an innovative pedagogue, as he created methods for the musical education of children from the age of eight, which where inspired by the forms and principles of humanistic education.
The complex net of musical and cultural interests and influences which marked Scholz's life and compositional experience are discernible in the Piano Concerto, which is rightfully thought to be one of his masterpieces and which bears witness of his powerful treatment of the form and of his architectural skills, which he constantly used to convey the deep emotional content and passionate style of his music.
I found that to be interesting biographically- and of practically no interest at all -as regards the piano concerto-, beyond providing a date for the premiere (which I'm trying to find corroboration for, though. Clara Schumann mentions Scholz in her letters to Brahms/vice versa, and her repertoire contained a concerto by him- in "A minor"- according to an older book; might there have been such a work now lost, and one only assumes that it's the B major that she performed because she mentions his concerto (somewhere I've yet to find) (or someone else, in primary source-land ca.1870s, mentions her playing a concerto of his? or something?...)? Or, well, because typo?...)
Re Clara playing A minor concerto: this actually from the 1913 book by Berthold Litzmann, "Clara Schumann: An Artist's Life, based on material found in diaries and letters" (as translated by Hadow and found, in a © moved to 2013 copy, on Google. So her (new?) works performed/repertoire in 1875 include Brahms' variations Op.56b and Scholz' "concerto in A minor"- possibly abstracted, the latter, from the concert below where she played Scholz' capriccio (key?) and _Robert Schumann's_ concerto in A minor in Breslau...)
Clara Schumann did play (it was announced she'd play?) Scholz' capriccio op.35 for piano and orchestra in Breslau in the 3rd Abonn.-Concert of their orchestra series, noted in Musikalisches Wochenblatt, 3 December 1875, p.624. Not the same work though. Still, haven't done a really good bit of research though... (and speaking of that capriccio, I wonder if it still exists.)
Scholz' capriccio Op.35 by the way is, in some form (not sure which- full score, parts, 2-piano reduction, but some form) currently being digitized at Berlin State Library; the page says "come back later". So I guess as to that (key?) I asked there , also "come back later". (Ah: according to their card catalog: 1871 partial autograph score & parts (fragliches Autograph).) Key is - as seemed likely (Scholz, concerto, A minor...?) given as a-moll !
I'm thinking that the author of the MPH preface saw a reference to a Scholz concerto - maybe Litzmann's to the "concerto" (capriccio) in A minor - in 1875, assumed that Litzmann meant the B major, and went from there. Litzmann meant the capriccio op.35 performed in December 1875 or maybe January 1876. Barring further info, anyway...
It appears that in addition to the published B major concerto (Op.57), the Capriccio (Op.35), and the unpublished Concert-Fantasie in C minor (http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0001F2B200000000) there are two concertos (unpublished?) in manuscript at the Berlin State Library. Both have been digitized: a Concerto in G major (1856) (http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0001F29100000000) and a Concerto in D minor (1897) (http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0001F2B900000000).
Now if we only had some samples of his music ... It might be eligible for a nice CD or 2 in the Hyperion RPC series!
Question: has any cellist here had a look at his cello sonata Op.81 in A minor (http://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata,_Op.81_(Scholz,_Bernhard) (http://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata,_Op.81_(Scholz,_Bernhard))?)
I know it's been awhile, but just saw something else really interesting @ IMSLP in this composer's category: a nonet in C minor (also playable as a sinfonietta) in manuscript. No idea of performance history, the hosting library (Berlin) estimates 1890 or so... (the parts @ IMSLP haven't been unlocked yet, but they can be viewed @ here (http://digital.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/werkansicht/?PPN=PPN805021809).)
Edit: re FBerwald's statement above... yes, it might at that. Hope this upcoming release isn't the last.
As we know from the Hyperion PC thread, in late June we'll have the Concerto and the Capriccio available on Hyperion... and the snippets sound most enjoyable. In case you haven't heard them, there are short excerpts at:
https://www.tashmina.co.uk/news/callaghans-next-cd-hyperion-june/ (https://www.tashmina.co.uk/news/callaghans-next-cd-hyperion-june/)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/5137d2c2-5668-49e1-a0ed-71ed361ae9b4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/5137d2c2-5668-49e1-a0ed-71ed361ae9b4)
I do hope this leads to more of his compositions being recorded. I wonder what might prove most feasible and attractive....
Let's keep this thread for general news and views about Scholz's music and post comments on the forthcoming Hyperion release of his PC, etc. here:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,6756.msg71840.html#msg71840 (http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,6756.msg71840.html#msg71840)