Carl Kleemann (1842-1923)

[Wheesht]

Carl Kleemann was born in Rudolstadt, Germany on 9 September, 1842. Originally destined to become a bookseller, he trained as a musician instead, first with Court Kapellmeister Müller in Rudolstadt. He started his artistic career as a conductor in Recklinghausen, then went to live in Italy from 1878 to 1881, where he composed a lot. Upon his return, he got a position as an opera conductor at the Court Theatre of Dessau. In 1888 he was appointed Kapellmeister at the Court of Gera. He died in 1923.

Compositions (from before 1911, apart from the Violin Concerto):

Opera in one act: "Der Klosterschüler von Wildenfurth"

Symphonic Poem "Des Meeres und der Liebe Wellen"
Four symphonies (no. 2 is held by the Staatsarchiv Thüringen)
Overture to a Comedy "Die versunkene Glocke" for large orchestra
Violin Concerto, first performed in 1918

String Quartet in F major (1892) > a recording of this appears to be or have been available here, but there are no sound clips and the CD cannot be found anywhere else.

The "Signale für die musikalische Welt" from 29 May, 1918, had a piece about the first performance of his Violin Concerto: (freely translated)

The former Court Kapellmeister of Gera, Carl Kleemann, conducted the premiere of his violin concerto in Jena, with Felix Berber as the soloist. It then quotes the "Jenaer Zeitung": The concerto stands out through easily graspable, melodious music and is full of fascinating detail and subtlety, the rich thematic material admirably executed. And then the article ends with this intriguing sentence: It is understandable that "easily graspable, melodious music" in a violin concerto should be especially highly appreciated in Jena, Reger's domicile.

[Mark Thomas]

The musicom.de website doesn't seem to work. A shame. Kleemann is an intriguing prospect.

[Alan Howe]

Symphony No.2:
https://www.klassika.info/Komponisten/Kleemann_Carl/Symphonie/014/index.html

[Mark Thomas]

The Berlin Library card index shows up a number of Kleemann scores, including the 2nd. Symphony.

[Wheesht]

I'll try contacting musicom tomorrow, perhaps there is still someone 'out there'. A good thing that the Berlin library card doesn't have one of the dreaded pencilled x marks, I seem to remember they mean that the work referenced on the card was lost during the war.

I had come across the Klassika website before, but I'm honestly not quite sure what the listing of Kleemann's Symphony means – that it can be borrowed from them?

Both the British Library and the Bodleian Library have the 2nd Symphony.

[Alan Howe]

No, the Klassika website just has lists - but you can see the publisher of Symphony No.2. The material would be available on loan from them (Kistner & Siegel) - probably no longer, though.

[Mark Thomas]

Karl Kleemann

[Wheesht]

An impressive figure of a man – and I'm intrigued that he looks different in the one picture I have seen, above all with another type of beard entirely. Composers and their beards would make for an interesting study perhaps...

On a more serious note: I have now sent an email to musicom and it didn't bounce, so there is a chance of a reply.

[Mark Thomas]

The picture came from the wonderful Manskopf Collection at Frankfurt University. It dates from 1882, demonstrating the role of good German beer in building the physique of the 40 year old Karl 

[semloh]

  Nice one, Mark.

[Wheesht]

For those who are into melodrama, can understand German and enjoy the combination of speaker's voice and piano, this 4 CD set, incredibly already volume III, contains Kleemann's Op. 15 "Das begrabene Lied" and a host of other rarities by composers as little known as their works or unknown works by some more familiar composers such as Arensky, Draeseke, Reinecke or Smetana. I'm not sure I'd listen to this a lot if I decided to buy it, to be honest, but that may be entirely my fault.

[Alan Howe]

I absolutely hate this sort of thing. But thanks for pointing it out - the Kleemann's on track 3 of CD2.

[Martin Eastick]

Kleemann's Overture to Der Klosterschüler von Mildenfurth feastured recently, at this concert given on 18th September 2018 to celebrate 130 years of the Reussische Hofkapelle. I wonder if this was broadcast perhaps? //https://theater-altenburg-gera.de/stuecke-konzerte/1-philharmonisches-konzert-201819-780/

[Wheesht]

Unfortunately the concert was neither broadcast nor recorded (nor are there any plans for performances of other works by Kleemann), but the Theater Altenburg-Gera kindly sent me the programme brochure and this contains some interesting details: Kleemann wrote the libretto a well as composing the music of this truly Romantic opera. One of Kleemann's teachers was Kammersänger W. Schüler of Rudolstadt, better known as "Sylphin vom Walde", one of Schumann's "Davisbündler".

[Alan Howe]

How interesting. Thanks!