Schillings, Max von

Schillings, Max von, German composer and conductor; b. Duren, April 19, 1868; d. Berlin, July 24, 1933. While attending the Gymnasium at Bonn, he studied violin with O. von Königslow, and piano and composition with K.J. Brambach. He then entered the Univ. of Munich, where he studied law, philosophy, literature, and art. He became associated with Richard Strauss, and under his influence decided to devote himself entirely to music. In 1892 he was engaged as asst. stage director at the Bayreuth Festival; in 1902 he became chorus master. He went to Stuttgart in 1908 as assistant to the Intendant at the Royal Opera, and then was its Generalmusikdirektor (1911–18); upon the inauguration of its new opera theater, he was ennobled as von Schillings; was Intendant of the Berlin State Opera (1919−25). He made several visits as a conductor to the U.S. In 1923 he married Barbara Kemp . As a composer, he trailed in the path of Wagner, barely avoiding direct imitation. J. Beck ed. Max von Schillings: Gesamtverzeichnis seiner Werke (Berlin, 1933).

Works

DRAMATIC : Opera : Ingwelde (Karlsruhe, Nov. 13, 1894); Der Pfeifertag (Schwerin, Nov. 26, 1899; rev. 1931); Moloch (Dresden, Dec. 8, 1906); Mona Lisa (Stuttgart, Sept. 26, 1915). ORCH .: 2 Phantasiestücke: Dem Andenken seiner Mutter (1883) and Aus dem Jahre (1890); 2 symphonische Phantarien: Meergruss and Seemorgen (1895); Ein Zwiegespräch, tone poem for Violin, Cello, and Orch. (1896); Symphonischer Prolog zu Sophokles Ödipus (1900); Musik zu Aeschylos Orestie (1901); Musik zu Goethes Faust, part 1 (1908; rev. and aug., 1915); Violin Concerto (1910); Festlicher Marsch for Military Band (1911); Tanz der Blumen for Small Orch. (1930). CHAMBER : String Quartet (1887; rev. 1906); Improvisation for Violin and Piano (1895); Piano Quintet (1917); piano pieces. VOCAL : Choral works and songs.

Bibliography

R. Louis, M. S. (Leipzig, 1909); A. Richard, M. S. (Munich, 1922); W. Raupp, M. v.S.: Der Kampf eines deutschen Künstlers (Hamburg, 1935); J. Geuenich and K. Strähn, eds., Gedenkschrift M. v.S. zum 100. Geburtstag (Düren, 1968); C. Detig, Deutsche Kunst, deutsche Nation der Komponist M.v. S.s. (Kassel, 1998).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire