Unsung Composers

The Music => Composers & Music => Topic started by: eschiss1 on Monday 24 November 2014, 03:09

Title: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: eschiss1 on Monday 24 November 2014, 03:09
May have mentioned this already, but after enjoying the works i've heard by Friedrich Gernsheim (1839-1916), composer from Worms/friend of Brahms/etc. I was interested to learn that there seem to be a number of works by him in manuscript that might even have fit some of those same recent interesting recordings...

e.g. a violin sonata in C-sharp minor "op.12" and a few other violin sonatas (e.g. an unnumbered one from 1857 in E minor dedicated to Julius Rietz)
some more chamber works besides...
though the information one turns up about them at the Library of Congress and University of North Carolina @ Chapel Hill library catalogs doesn't always tell you how complete they are. More information in the catalog of the main Gernsheim archive (which is at the National Library of Israel).
I haven't read Karl Holl's book on Gernsheim- it might be a natural next stop.
(Also a symphony no.0 (in E-flat), finished March 1857, 291pp of manuscript score in the main Gernsheim archive. Well! That's intriguing.)
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Monday 24 November 2014, 07:17
QuoteAlso a symphony no.0 (in E-flat), finished March 1857, 291pp of manuscript score in the main Gernsheim archive. Well! That's intriguing.

Well, that is intriguing. Could you supply a link, please? Thanks!
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Monday 24 November 2014, 11:34
The introduction to the mph score of Gernsheim's official 1st Symphonie reads (translated):

<<The present work (i.e. Symphony No.1) isn't actually Gernsheim's first symphony; an earlier work in the same genre was composed in 1857 during his stay in Paris, but to date nothing is known about it.>>
http://www.musikmph.de/musical_scores/vorworte/492.html (http://www.musikmph.de/musical_scores/vorworte/492.html)


Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Gareth Vaughan on Monday 24 November 2014, 18:47
This might be the result of sloppy research on the part of Stephen Lutman who wrote those notes - or it may be that, at the time, the archive had not been thoroughly catalogued; or it may be that the MS has only recently come to light and been placed in the Gernsheim archive. As Alan says, a link would be useful.
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 25 November 2014, 16:30
This seems to be the entry at WorldCat:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/symphonie-in-es-dur-fur-grosses-orchester-manuscript/oclc/875090436&referer=brief_results (http://www.worldcat.org/title/symphonie-in-es-dur-fur-grosses-orchester-manuscript/oclc/875090436&referer=brief_results)
...which leads us here:
http://merhav.nli.org.il/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=detailsTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=NNL_MUSIC_AL003584846&indx=12&recIds=NNL_MUSIC_AL003584846&recIdxs=1&elementId=1&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&scp.scps=scope%3A%28NNL%29&frbg=&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1416934575538&srt=rank&mode=Basic&dum=true&vl%28freeText0%29=Archive%20of%20Friedrich%20Gernsheim%2C%20Series%20A&vid=NLI (http://merhav.nli.org.il/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=detailsTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=NNL_MUSIC_AL003584846&indx=12&recIds=NNL_MUSIC_AL003584846&recIdxs=1&elementId=1&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&scp.scps=scope%3A%28NNL%29&frbg=&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1416934575538&srt=rank&mode=Basic&dum=true&vl%28freeText0%29=Archive%20of%20Friedrich%20Gernsheim%2C%20Series%20A&vid=NLI)
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 25 November 2014, 17:06
I have now emailed the National Library of Israel.
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: eschiss1 on Tuesday 25 November 2014, 22:30
I'm on vacation so my response time is a bit slow. My information (except for the couple of items at Library of Congress) is from Worldcat/National Library of Israel Gernsheim Archive, yes. Interested to hear what you hear back- if they have more information about the 1857 symphony (and his other early orchestral works- two overtures, etc.) I'm really interested to hear. (Ok, yes, and in other works listed with titles like "Gesänge für Amerika (http://www.worldcat.org/title/gesange-fur-amerika-manuscript-no-1-2-3/oclc/875090159) (manuscript). no. 1, 2, 3." (composed 1913), etc.)
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 25 November 2014, 22:45
Thanks, Eric. Good to hear from you.
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Wednesday 26 November 2014, 20:58
I am now in the process of finding out whether my request for a copy of the manuscript of the early Symphony can be met.
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Gareth Vaughan on Saturday 29 November 2014, 15:29
Good luck, Alan. This sounds very exciting.
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Saturday 29 November 2014, 17:33
No news yet. I'll keep you informed.
Title: Re: Gernsheim works in manuscript
Post by: Alan Howe on Friday 05 December 2014, 23:48
Looks as though it is going to cost over $200 to get a digital download of the early Symphony in E flat. I'm rather reluctant to spend this much, but perhaps there's someone out there ready to step into the breach...?