Hey, Julius

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Hey, Julius

Hey, Julius, German singing teacher; b. Irmel-shausen, April 29, 1832; d. Munich, April 22, 1909. He first studied painting, but turned to music, taking courses in harmony and counterpoint with Franz Lachner and Friedrich Schmitt. He became an ardent Wag-nerian after his introduction to the master by King Ludwig II, and worked under the direction of Hans von Biilow at the Munich School of Music (established by the King in accordance with Wagner’s plans). After Bülow’s departure (1869), Hey vainly tried to effect a reform from a German national standpoint in the cultivation of singing, but met with so many obstacles that he resignedwhen Wagner died (1883), and devoted himself to finishing his method of singing, DeutscherGesangsunterricht (4 vols., Mainz, 1885; ed. by F. Volbach and H. Hey as Der kleine Hey, Mainz, 1912; 2nd ed., rev, 1956, by F. Reusch). It contains a complete and logical exposition of Wagner’s views on vocal training. His book Richard Wagner als Vortragsmeister (Leipzig, 1911) was publ, posthumously by his son Hans.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire