Hartmann

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Hartmann

Hartmann, family of eminent Danish musicians of German descent:

(1) Johann Ernst (Joseph) Hartmann , violinist and composer; b. Gross Clogau, Silesia, Dec. 24, 1726; d. Copenhagen, Oct. 21, 1793. He was a member of the orch. of the Prince-Bishop of Breslau (1754–57). In 1761 he was at the Rudolstadt court and at the ducal court in Plön Holstein, where he became Konzertmeister. He then was a member of Sarti’s Italian opera orch. in Copenhagen (1762–64), where he settled as a member of the Royal Chapel (1766), becoming 1^st violinist (1767) and music director (1768). He is recognized as the founder of the Danish national school of Romantic opera. His most notable Singspiels, among the many composed for the Royal Theater, are Balders ded (The Death of Balder; Copenhagen, Jan. 30, 1779) and Fiskene (The Fishermen; Copenhagen, Jan. 31, 1780); the latter includes the final stanza of the Danish national anthem, Kong Christian stod ved hojen mast’, however, the present melody was not in the original score, so Hartmann may not have composed it. Most of his other MSS were destroyed in the Christiansborg Palace fire of 1794. The MSS of his Violin Concerto (composed in collaboration with his pupil Claus Schall; 1780), 3 cantatas, and VI sonates à deux violons et basse, op.l, are extant; also his publ, works, Simphonie périodique (No. 7; Amsterdam, 1770) and Air favori varié pour le clavecin ou harpe avec un violon obligé (Copenhagen, 1792). He prepared a Violin-Schule (MS, 1777).

(2) August Wilhelm Hartmann , violinist, organist, and composer, son of the preceding; b. Copenhagen, Nov. 6, 1775; d. there, Nov. 15, 1850. He studied with his father. He was 1^st violinist in the Royal Chapel (1796–1817) and then organist and choirmaster at Copenhagen’s Garnisonskirke (1817–24).

(3) Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann , celebrated organist and composer, son of the preceding; b. Copenhagen, May 14, 1805; d. there, March 10, 1900. He studied piano, organ, violin, and theory with his father, and began to compose when still a child; he succeeded his father as organist at Copenhagen’s Garnisonskirke (1824), and then studied law at the Univ. of Copenhagen (graduated, 1828). While retaining a government post (1828–70), he pursued an active career as a musician. He joined the faculty of Siboni’s cons, in 1827. Hartmann helped to organize the Musikforening in 1836, and also was active with the Studentersanforening from 1839, serving as its president from 1868. He visited Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France in 1836, meeting such famous musicians as Marschner, Cherubini, Chopin, Rossini, Paër, Spohr, and Spontini. Hartmann met Franz Berwald and Clara Wieck in Berlin and Mendelssohn and Schumann in Leipzig in 1839. He won the critical admiration of Schumann, who wrote about him in the pages of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. He subsequently met Liszt in Hamburg in 1841. Hartmann was a guest conductor with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orch. in 1844. He was appointed organist of Vor Frue Kirke, Copenhagen’s cathedral, in 1843, and continued in that capacity until his death. He was also a founder of the Copenhagen Cons. (1866), serving as joint director with Gade (his son-in-law) and Paulli. As the leading representative of the Danish Romantic movement in music, he was held in the greatest esteem by his countrymen. He received an honorary Ph.D. from the Univ. of Copenhagen in 1874.

Works

dramatic: Opera: Ravnen, eller Broderproven (The Raven, or The Brother Test; Copenhagen, Oct. 29, 1832; rev. version, Copenhagen, April 23, 1865); Korsarerne (The Corsairs; Copenhagen, April 23, 1835); Liden Kirsten (Little Christina; Copenhagen, May 12, 1846; rev. version, Copenhagen, Oct. 29, 1858). Ba11et : Et folkesagn (A Folk Tale; Copenhagen, March 20, 1854; in collaboration with Gade); Valkyrien (Copenhagen, Sept. 13, 1861); Thrymskviden (The Legend of Thrym; Copenhagen, Feb. 21, 1868); Arcona (Copenhagen, May 7, 1875). Other : A melodrama, Guldhornene (The Golden Horns; 1834), incidental music to more than 15 plays. ORCH.: 2 syms.: No. 1, in G minor, op. 17 (Copenhagen, April 17, 1836; rev. version, Copenhagen, May 17, 1851) and No. 2, in E major, op.48b (1848; Copenhagen, March 14, 1849). Overtures : D minor (1825); Gejstlig Ouverture in C minor (1827); C major (1852); En efteraarsjagt (An Autumn Hunt; 1863); also overtures to Oehlenschlaeger’s Axel og Valborg (1856) and Correggio (1858). CHAMBER : Sonata for Flute or Clarinet (1825); 3 violin sonatas (1826, 1846, 1886); Suite for Violin or Clarinet (1864); F untasi-Allegro for Violin or Clarinet (1889); works for organ; piano pieces. VOCAL : Many cantatas; choruses; songs.

Bibliography

W. Behrend, J.P.E. H. (Copenhagen, 1895); A. Hammerich, J.P.E. H: Biografiske essays (Copenhagen, 1916); W. Behrend, J.P.E. H. (Copenhagen, 1918); R. Hove, J.P.E. H. (Copenhagen, 1934); V Bitsch, J.P.E. H. (Hellerup, 1955); L. Brix, Die Klaviermusik von J.P.E. H. (diss., Univ. of Gottingen, 1971); I. Sorensen, J.P.E. H. og hans kreds: En komponistfamilies breve 1780-1900 (Copenhagen, 1999).

(4) Emil (Wilhelm Emilius Zinn) Hartmann , organist and composer, son of the preceding; b. Copenhagen, Feb. 21, 1836; d. there, July 18, 1898. He studied organ and theory with his father and piano with Anton Ree, and later studied in Leipzig. He began composing songs as a child; his first mature work was the Passionssalme (1858), followed by the ballet Fjeldstuen (The Mountain Cottage; Copenhagen, May 13, 1859), written in collaboration with his brother-in-law August Winding. Although he continued to write for the stage, he became best known as a composer of instrumental music. He was organist of St. John’s (1861–71) and of the Christiansborg Palace Church (1871–98).

Works

(all 1^st perf. in Copenhagen): DRAMATIC : Opera: En nat mellem fjeldene (A Night in the Mountains; April 11, 1863); Elverpigen (The Elf Girl; Nov. 5, 1867); Korsika-neren (The Corsican; April 7, 1873); Ragnhild (Runic Spell; 1896); Det store lod (The Big Prize; 1897; probably not perf.)Ballet : Fjeldstuen (The Mountain Cottage; May 13, 1859; in collaboration with A. Winding); En bryllupsfest i Hardanger (A Wedding Feast in Hardanger; 1897; not perf.) ORCH .: 7 syms.; Hakon Jarl, symphonic poem; Piano Concerto; Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; etc. VOCAL : Passionssalme for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (Maundy Thursday, 1858); choruses; songs.