Sinfonie Héroique à Grande Orchestre, Op. 19 E-Book

Sigismund von Neukomm

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Deutsch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 34

Beschreibung

A composer of over 2000 works, this symphony newly restored from the original manuscript, was completed in 1817 during Neukomm's five year stay in Rio de Janeiro and reflects something of the magical landscape of Brazil in its musical forms. The third movement contains a quote from Handel's Judas Maccabeus', "See the conquering hero comes", better known today as the hymn "Thine be the Glory", and was probably intended to commemorate the return from exile and the ascension to the throne of the Portuguese sovereign, John VI. --- Diese Symphonie, wiederhergestellt aus dem Originalmanuskript, wurde von Neukomm, dem Komponisten von gegen 2000 Werken, während einem fünfjährigen Aufenthalt in Rio de Janeiro vollendet. Sie gibt Eindrücke der magischen Landschaft Brasiliens und seiner Musikformen wieder. Der dritte Satz zitiert aus Händels Judas Maccabäus', "See the conquering hero comes", heute besser als "Thine be the Glory" bekannt. Das Motiv wurde wohl anlässlich der Rückkehr von Joao VI aus dem Exil und der nachfolgenden Krönung zum König von Portugal gesetzt.

Leseprobe

Table of contents

Preface

Score

Textual Notes

‘

Judas Maccabaeus’- Act III - Chorus of Youths

Preface

As a composer of around 2000 works, the name of Sigismund Ritter von Neukomm is practically unknown today outside the rarefied strata of academic circles, while the body of his works, so diligently recorded in the journal which he kept from January 1804, exists now as individual pieces in private hands, academic libraries and distant lands as a fragmented corpus awaiting rediscovery. In spite of the records he kept, no complete catalogue of his works yet exists, and Neukomm was practically obsessive in his attention to detail. During the five year period of his residence in Brazil, Neukomm wrote at least 45 works but the present one, the ‘Symphony Héroique’ is conspicuous by its absence from his records. This would not be the first time he forgot to record a work but we must wonder at the scale of the composition and ask ourselves, if there was some motive or reason for omitting the detail of the work from his authorised inscription.

It is clear from his biography that he was an adventurous wanderer but that wherever he went he prospered and managed to live comfortably in the presence of High Society. Even by the standards of our day, Neukomm was a highly educated man who had graduated in Mathematics and Philosphy at the age of 18 from the University of Salzburg, who had meanwhile studied under the organist Weissaner then Michael Haydn before later completing his music studies under the patriarchal figure of Joseph Haydn in Vienna. From the industry of learning, to which he ascribed the great influence of his natural father (himself a man of learning) he had found time to study natural history and medicine alongside his musical studies. The picture we get of Neukomm is of someone who is profoundly interesting and interested in all manner of things. A social dilettante in many ways but on the evidence of his musical legacy, a real master who arrived at the summit of his art early in life and who practised its ideals throughout his long and surprisingly eventful life.

From Vienna, to St Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Dresden, Berlin, Leipzig back to Vienna and Salzburg and more, Neukomm travelled for almost nine years between 1801 and 1810 before arriving in Paris on 13 th May. It was there that Neukomm was presented by the Princess of Vaudemont to Prince Talleyrand (Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord) a diplomat with chimeric talents who would prove a constant friend in the years to follow. Neukomm accepted Talleyrand’s invitation to accompany him to the Congress of Vienna in 1814. It was there, on 21 st January 1815 that Neukomm delivered a performance commissioned by Talleyrand to commemorate the anniversary of the death of King Louis XVI. Neukommdescribed the scene:

‘Ce n'est pas le lieu ici de mentionner les événements antérieurs à cette époque. Je dirai seulement que le 21 janvier 1815, mon grand Requiem en ut mineur fut exécuté par plus de trois cents chanteurs, divisés en deux choeurs. Cette exécution eut lieu devant les Empereurs, les Rois, les Princes et les grands de toutes les nations présents au congrès…’.

‘ This is not the place to mention the events before that time. I will only say that January 21, 1815, my great Requiem in C minor was performed by over three hundred singers, divided into two choirs. This execution took place before the emperors, kings, princes and great men of all nations attending the meeting...’ i

The performance was a great success and Neukomm was made a knight( chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur )by King Louis XVIII in recognition of his services. Shortly thereafter in 1816, Neukomm accepted another invitation, from the Duke of Luxembourg to accompany him on a diplomatic mission to Rio de Janeiro. The setting for the composition of the ‘Symphony Héroique’.

The Duke of Luxembourg’s diplomatic mission to Rio de Janeiro, was as the ambassador( d’ambassadeur extraordinaire