Hartmann, Johan Peter Emilius

Preface

Hartmann, Johan Peter Emilius – Overture to Hakon Jarl

(b. Copenhagen, May 14, 1805 – d. Copenhagen, March 10, 1900)

Op.40

Preface
Even if his first names are highly neglected with J. P. E., Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann is probably better known under this abbreviation in Denmark than under his actual name. Together with Niels Wilhelm Gade, he is regarded in the small kingdom as one of the founding fathers of Danish national romantic music, with whose typically Nordic, sombre sounds they both conquered the concert stages.

J. P. E. Hartmann was born into a highly musical Copenhagen family in 1805. His grandfather, who came from Silesia, moved to the Danish capital in 1762, where he was employed as concertmaster of the royal orchestra (Det kongelige Kapel) and also distinguished himself as a composer of singspiels, symphonies, cantatas and chamber music. His son – J.P.E. Hartmann‘s father – also followed in the family‘s musical footsteps and worked as a musician in Denmark‘s leading orchestra. Thus Johann Peter Emilius was born with music in his cradle. But although he received some musical training from his father from an early age, Hartmann was largely self-taught as a composer. Instead of devoting himself to studying music at a conservatory, he trained as a lawyer and worked as a secretary for the Civil Service Commission from 1828 to 1870. However, this activity did not slow down the young musician‘s ambitions. On the contrary – he had already been working as organist at the Copenhagen Garrison Church since 1824. In 1843, he even became the successor to the famous C. E. F. Weyse at the “Vor Frue Kirke”. But his main activity was not church service. From the 1830s onwards, Hartmann was primarily established as a composer in Copenhagen‘s musical life. Now his contacts extended throughout Europe. Together with Heinrich Marschner, the composer of the horror operas “Hans Heiling” and “Der Vampyr”, he undertook a journey through Germany, during which he was introduced to the most important musical circles of his time. He met Rossini and Cherubini and became friends with the violin virtuoso and composer Louis Spohr, who was also to become an important patron of the Dane. However, attempts to perform his opera “Ravnen” – The Raven – in Germany failed. The work is based on a libretto by Hans Christian Andersen …

read more / weiterlesen … > HERE