Walter Braunfels (1882–1954)
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WALTER BRAUNFELS (1882–1954) An exhibition of the Walter-Braunfels-Association In collaboration with the Deutsche Oper Berlin To mark the debut performance „Jeanne d‘Arc – Szenen aus dem Leben der Heiligen Johanna“ Content Foreword 5 Walter Braunfels, celebrated opera composer of the Twenties 6 Symphonic and vocal symphonic works and their interpreters 24 Last successes as opera composer – the creative years in forced isolation – Rediscovery of the composer Walter Braunfels worldwide 42 Chronology 64 Bibliography 68 Picture credits 70 Acknowledgement 71 Imprint 72 Foreword Walter Braunfels originated from an old Jewish family in the Frankfurt am Main Region. After his move to Munich, he became a musician under the infl uence of Felix Mottl. Bruno Walter established the opera „Die Vögel“as one of the most successful premieres held at the Munich National Theatre in the 20th century. These were followed by the premieres of “Te Deum” and the “Großen Messe” in Cologne, as well as the Opera “Don Gil von den grünen Hosen”, directed by Hans Knappertsbusch in Munich. Suddenly, next to Strauss and Schreker, Walter Braunfels was crowned as being one of the most performed composers of the early twenties. In 1923, Adolf Hitler demanded my grandfather to compose the anthem of the Nationalist Socialist movement, which he absolutely refused. A few years later, the Nazi’s took over the power in Germany and forced Walter Braunfels to give up his position at the Music Academy in Cologne. The years following, he was banned to compose and perform musical works of art. Due to the strong opposition he faced after his banishment from the public musical stage and my grandfather‘s withdrawal into the inner migration, he gained in extraordinary creative strength. His concentration was directed to religious subjects, which gave him the strength to endure the years of banality and brutality. Inspired by this period of his life, he composed his three „inaudible operas“ - “Verkündigungen”, „Jeanne d’Arc, Szenen aus dem Leben der Heiligen Johanna“ and „Der Traum ein Leben“. In addition to the operas he composed a cantata cycle for the festivals of the Christian year, four orchestra song cycles, three string quartets and the meaningful string quintet. Nonetheless, the twelve years of banishment during the Nazi regime, were followed by nearly 60 years of ostracism and exclusion. Up until a few years ago, the late romanticist Walter Braunfels remained forgotten. Now a new generation of open-minded and unprejudiced have discovered what in 1930, Alfred Einstein characterised as: “timelessly unfashionable”. On December 19th 2007, in memorial of Walter Braunfels 125th Birthday, the Walter-Braunfels-Association met to advocate and honour his music in future, as well as the inspiration the late romanticist proved to be. Many of his works have not been performed since 1933, of some not even perfor- mance material exists. Stephan Braunfels Youth and academic years Walter Braunfels originated from a Jewish family, situated in Frankfurt am Main. During the early years of his fathers life, Ludwig (actually Lazarus) Braunfels, he converted from the Jewish to the Protestant belief. The successful lawyer, teacher of Romance language/literature worked for the Frankfurter Zeitung and created lasting translations of the “Nibelungen” songs, as well as of “Don Quijote”, both which exist to this day. In 1866, he married his second wife Helene Spohr, grandniece of the composer Louis Spohr. Walter Braunfels was the youngest of four children to come out of this marriage. Initially his mother gave him piano lessons, which was later expanded in the course of his training at the Hoch’schen Konservatorium by the pianist James Kwast and Iwan Knorr (Theory). The decision to dedicate his entire life to music was made in 1902 in Munich, after the overwhelming impression of watching the performance of Felix Mottl’s “Tristan und Isolde”. Walter Braunfels quickly gave up his law studies to pursue working for the pianist Theodor Leschetitzky in Vienna. Karl Nawratil, as well as the Master of the New Romanticism School in Munich, Ludwig Thuille, gave Walter Braunfels lessons in composing. In the course of this traineeship at Felix Mottl‘s, he was able to gain valuable experience with composi- tions by Berlioz and Bruckner. For the librettist Walter Braunfels, effective incitement was received by Karl Wolfskehl from the George circle. In 1905 Braunfels was acquainted with the sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand and fell in love with the youngest of his daughters Bertel, who was musically gifted and taught by Max Regner. However, Bertel was at the time engaged to Wilhelm Furtwängler. 1 Father Ludwig Braunfels (1810–1885 ), 1866 2 Mother Helene Braunfels, born Spohr (1842–1920) with her youngest son Walter 3 Walter Braunfels (1882–1954), 1902 1 2 4 Bertele von Hildebrand (1886–1963) Walter Braunfels subsequent wife, around 1905 3 4 6 „Prinzessin Brambilla“, 1909 With Braunfels‘ initial genious pitch, the opera „Prinzessin Brambilla“ op. 12 landed a success. Originally it was narrated by E.T.A. Hoffmann, whose libretto Braunfels had written on his own. Both Felix Mottl and Max von Schillings, successful conductors at the time, competed for the premiere rights. The prelude for the 2nd act had already taken place under Mottl’s lead in November of 1907 in collaboration with the Royal Court orchestra. Once the terms of agreement for the premiere at the National Theatre in Munich were closed and certifi ed, Max von Schillings wrote to the composer: “As your consulting friend, I am pleased – as musical advisor of H.M.the King of Wurttemberg I am in grief. It would have been my absolute pleasure to take up the fi rst cudgels for this opera. Now, hopefully, it shall be the second ones. By no means am I backing out of the plan to bring this work of art to Stuttgart and to perform this work in the upcoming season.” As the rehearsals in Munich were strongly delayed, “Prinzessin Brambilla” experienced its successful premiere in Stuttgarts Court Theatre on March 25th 1909, under the lead of Max von Schillings. 1 Piano score of the opera „Prinzessin Brambilla“ cover page (design by R. Leonhard), Berlin 1909 2 Max von Schillings, (Düren 1868–1933 Berlin) 1908 –1918 general music director at the Royal Court Theatre Stuttgart conductor of the premiere held in Stuttgart 3 Felix Mottl (Unter–St. Veit/Wien 1856–1911 München) 1904–1911 Royal Bavarian general music director conductor of debut performance in Munich 4 „Prinzessin Brambilla, Heitere Oper in fünf Szenen“ op. 12 1 2 1906–1908, script, I. act, 1. scene Munich, Bavarian National Library 3 4 8 „Die Vögel“, 1920 Bruno Walter made the opening night of ”Die Vögel“ at Munich’s National Theatre one of the most successful in the 20th century. “It will be a touch- stone for the audience, not for the work, to decide if the success will be long lived” was the judgement of the well-known music critic Alfred Einstein, because he did not believe „that the German opera stage has ever seen such a piece of art than this „lyric-phantastic play according to Aristo- phanes“, the third work by Walter Braunfels. A marvellous piece of art that like no other demands the vivid representation, the visibility of the stage, which does nonetheless than following an „opera story plot“; a work, which - upon fi rst consideration appears to address the small community of people with a certain thrive for art, however it is born from an artistic mind and addresses everyone equally … It can and must be considered as a work by an artist, not as an artistic drama – compared with the „Meistersinger“ and the “Palestrina” by Pfi tzner, the grandest national German music drama, the transfi guration of a world, which we glance upon like a lost paradise. `Palestrina` witnesses the romantic pessimism, self-centered, narrow, valedictory and tired. “Die Vögel” however is a work of yearning after the pure kingdom of fantasy, the art and the poetry, at the same fulfi lling the desires, a leap into timelessness and anti-trend – an absolute work of an artist which a German musician – around and after 1914- must have written”. Play bill for the opening night of the opera „Die Vögel“ at the Bavarian National Theatre on 30 November 1920 10 „Die Vögel“, 1920 During the period in which Bruno Walter belonged to the ensemble of the Munich National Theatre, it was counted as being the most successful opera house in the German speaking area. In 1922, when the conductor left, Alfred Einstein noted that the members of the ensemble where by no means “randomly placed, they were an ensemble impressed by a uniform spirit”. With Maria Ivogün a singer was available for the role of Nightingale “as she could not be thought of more perfect“ (Egon Wellesz), also for Alfred Einstein, in the league of actors was “on top the Nightingale of Ivogün - in fi ne one of a kind, that only elopes when nature, highest art and special task joint in united in such a miraculous way”. During the rehearsals, Maria Ivogün and Karl Erb, who played the role of her partner Hoffegut, got engaged. When Bruno Walter left to Berlin in 1925 Maria Ivogün followed him. Retro- spectively, Bruno Walter described “Die Vögel“as being “one of the most interesting innovations of his working era in Munich”. Alfred Einstein, a critical observer of this period, summarized “Die Vögel” as being the most “affectionate and accomplished performance originated by Bruno Walter, fi lled with indescribable delicateness and abundance of colours, expressing never-ending warmth and purity.”