Scharwenka, (Ludwing) Philipp

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Scharwenka, (Ludwing) Philipp

Scharwenka, (Ludwig) Philipp, Polish-German composer and pedagogue, brother of (Franz) Xaver Scharwenka; b. Samter, Posen, Feb. 16, 1847; d. Bad Nauheim, July 16, 1917. He studied with Wuerst and Dorn at the Kullak Academy of Music in Berlin, and in 1868 was appointed teacher of composition there. With his brother he founded in 1881 the Scharwenka Cons. in Berlin. Together they made an American trip in 1891. In 1893 the Scharwenka Cons. was amalgamated with the Klindworth Cons.; the resulting Klindworth- Scharwenka Cons. acquired an excellent reputation for its teaching standards. He was an accomplished composer, numbering among his works 2 syms., overtures, Arkadische Suite for Orch. (1887), a Violin Concerto (1895), Frühlingswogen, symphonic poem (1891), Dramatische Fantasie for Orch. (1900), choral works, chamber music, piano pieces, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire