Scharwenka, Philipp

Preface

Scharwenka, Philipp – Traum und Wirklichkeit Op.92, tone poem for orchestra

(b. Szamotuly [Samter] near Poznan [Posen], 16 February 1847 – d. Bad Nauheim, 16 July 1917)

Preface
Philipp Scharwenka was born on February 16, 1847, in Samter, a small town in Prussia, today part of Poland, named Szamotuly. The family was well off, eager to educate their young children in the sciences and the arts. Father was an architect and his mother sought out the cantor at the local church as a piano teacher for Philipp and his younger brother Xaver. Encouraged by their parents, both brothers progressed rapidly in their musical studies, eventually ending up in Berlin (1865) studying at the Neue Akademie der Tonkunst. Philipp concentrated on theory and composition while his brother aimed for a career as a virtuoso pianist. Such were Philipp’s talent and achievements as a student, that only three years later he was hired by that same institution to teach theory and composition. 1874 featured his first successful public concert of large-scale symphonic works, an overture and symphony. His brother Xaver opened his own music school (Scharwenka-Konservatorium) in 1880; Phillip was initially named the head of the theory/composition department and later took over as head of the entire Conservatory. His large-scale choral work Sakuntala was premiered in 1885 to extraordinary critical and public approbation. In 1893 he merged the conservatory with the piano school of Karl Klindworth renaming it the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory. He remained a theory and composition teacher at this renowned music school until his death in 1917. His most famous students were the eminent conductors Oskar Fried and Otto Klemperer. A well-known and respected teacher his entire career, he was also an excellent graphic illustrator and an important composer, authoring more than 120 works including opera, chamber music, songs, orchestral music, choral works, and a concerto. In all facets of his musical career, Scharwenka was among the most respected musicians of his era, bestowed with many commissions, awards, and honors.

Traum und Wirklichkeit Op.92, was inspired by stanzas 93-96 of Wilhelm Hertz’s (1835 – 1902 ) poem of the same name, published in 1859. This is the first stanza of the lengthy poem that inspired Scharwenka:

Es schläft an meine Brust gesunken
Das holde, heißgeliebte Weib;
Ich schaue stumm und formentrunken
Den jungen, hüllenlosen Leib.

Wie um den keuschen Schnee der Lenden
Der Locke dunkle Wege quillt!
Wie unter meinen leisen Händen
Der weiche Marmor athmend schwillt!

Da lockt mich hohe Wunderahnung
In unbekannte Zeit zurück,
Wie eine rührend holde Mahnung
An längstvergeßnes Liebesglück.

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