Scharwenka, Franz Xaver

Preface

Xaver Scharwenka – König Witichis‘ Werbung. Episode from Mataswintha for large orchestra

(b. Samter/Poznan, 6 January 1850 – d. Berlin, 8 December 1924)

Preface
Xaver Scharwenka, the younger brother of the composer Philipp Scharwenka, studied piano, composition and counterpoint at the Neue Akademie der Tonkunst in Berlin from 1865. As one of the leading concert pianists of his time he was famous for his interpretations of Chopin’s music. He socialised with influential musicans such as Hans von Bülow, Gustav Mahler and Anton Rubinstein, and he was friends with Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms. Scharwenka worked as court composer to the Austrian Emperor, and on his concert tours he travelled throughout Europe and as far as America, where he also lived from 1891 to 1898.

After his return from America, Scharwenka continued to be involved in German musical life: Besides his work as senator of the Academy of Arts (from 1901), chairman of the German Music Education Association (1903-1914) and chairman of the Association of German Concert Artists (1912-1924), he also made a name for himself as a music teacher: he founded conservatories in Berlin and New York and also proved himself as editor of the “Handbücher der Musiklehre” series, for which he wrote his “Methodik des Klavierspiels” (1907).

As a composer Scharwenka had a broad range. Among others, he wrote piano concertos, symphonic works as well as chamber, church and stage music. His piano compositions, in particular the Klavierkonzert in b-Moll and Polnische Tänze, are the most recognised today. From Scharwenka’s only completed opera Mataswintha comes the composition König Witichis‘ Werbung. Episode from ‘Mataswintha’ for large orchestra. Ernst Koppel wrote the libretto, based on the then very popular historical novel Ein Kampf um Rom by the German writer Felix Dahn from 1876. …

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