Hans Von Bülow: A Life for MusicDrawing upon an extensive selection of rare letters, reviews and memoirs, Kenneth Birkin sets Hans von Bülow's work as a recitalist, chamber-music artist and orchestral conductor at the centre of a disturbed and eventful life. Bülow's Zukunftsmusik advocacy and ruthless criticism of performance standards in Berlin and Munich antagonised a musical 'establishment' nonetheless spellbound by his keyboard and orchestral mastery. Birkin pays particular attention to the Tristan and Meistersinger premieres, Cosima's desertion, the European and American tours and operatic activities in Hamburg and Hanover, as well as Bülow's pedagogic activities and forays into musical journalism. The book makes liberal use of Bülow's correspondence, published and unpublished, which personalises the narrative. Contemporary comments and reviews, translated here for the first time, give the reader an insight into the critical and public reaction. An extensive Appendix records the dates and venues of all Bülow's public appearances, both as pianist and conductor. |
Contents
chapter 1 Overture | 1 |
chapter 2 The student years | 17 |
chapter 3 Decision time | 31 |
chapter 4 Weimar apprenticeship 18511853 | 46 |
chapter 5 The young virtuoso | 65 |
chapter 6 Polish interlude | 81 |
chapter 7 The pedagogue | 91 |
chapter 8 Gallant Hotspur | 110 |
chapter 14 Convalescent interlude June 1876 September 1877 | 247 |
chapter 15 Bülow redux | 256 |
chapter 16 Kapellmeister in Hanover 18771879 | 267 |
chapter 17 Intendant in Meiningen 18801885 | 287 |
chapter 18 The Philharmonic years i | 322 |
chapter 19 The Philharmonic years ii | 341 |
chapter 20 The Philharmonic years iii | 350 |
chapter 21 The Philharmonic years iv | 374 |
chapter 9 Rebel maturity | 131 |
chapter 10 The Wagner years | 150 |
chapter 11 A new start | 180 |
chapter 12 Triumph and betrayal | 203 |
chapter 13 Transatlantic adventure 18751876 | 232 |
Afterword | 385 |
appendix Bülow performance chronology | 387 |
| 700 | |
| 704 | |
Common terms and phrases
Adagio & Variations Aria Bach Beethoven Barcarole Beethoven Beethoven Beethoven Beethoven Brahms Beethoven Chopin Berceuse in Db Berlin Berlioz Brahms brillante Bronsart C# minor Capriccio Chaconne in F Chopin Chopin Liszt Chromatic Fantasia cont Cosima Der fliegende Holländer Eb major Op Elegie-Impromptu in Gb F major F major HWV F minor Fantasia & Fugue Fantasia on Hungarian Franziska Fugue BWV 903 Fugue in Eb Hamburg Handel Hanover Hans von Bülow Hans's Hungarian Folk Melodies Hungarian Rhapsody Ibid Impromptu in F# Leipzig Liszt/Bach Liszt/Schubert Meiningen Mendelssohn minor K 396 Mozart Mozart Beethoven Munich Nocturne in G orchestra Overture performance pftes Piano Concerto Piano Sonata Piano Trio Polonaise Prelude & Fugue Programme details n/a rehearsal Rheinberger Rondo Rubinstein Scherzo Schubert Soirées de Vienne Sonata in F Subscription concert Symphony Tannhäuser Tarantella Tarantella Venezia Variations & Fugue Variations in F Venezia e Napoli Vienne Violin Sonata Wagner Waldesrauschen/Gnomenreigen Weber Weimar