Leopold Schefer
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Leopold Schefer (July 30, 1784 - February 13, 1862), German poet, novelist, and composer, was born at Muskau in Upper Lusatia, and educated at the gymnasium of Bautzen.
[edit] Biography
In 1812, he was appointed manager of the big estates of Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau, until 1816. The prince, recognizing the literary abilities of his friend, encouraged his early poetical efforts. Having visited England, he studied composition under Antonio Salieri in Vienna 1816-17, and travelled to Italy, Greece, Egypt, Palestine, and Turkey. Schefer returned in 1819 to Muskau, married, fathering one son and four daughters, and lived in easy - later on in poor - circumstances, following his literary pursuits, until his death.
[edit] Works
Schefer wrote a large number of short stories which appeared in several series, Novellen (5 vols, 1825-1829); Neue Novellen (4 vols, 1831-1835); Lavabecher (2 vols, 1833); Kleine Romane (6 vols, 1836 i837). The historical novel Die Gräfin Ulfeld (2 vols, 1834), and the piquant satire, Die Sibylle von Mantua (1852), were published separately. Some of his novels have been published in English, as e.g. Künstlerehe (1828, with deep insights into marriage life: The Artist's Married Life; being that of Albert Dürer, New York 1867, London 1895).
But Schefer is lesser known for his novels (famous for his observative power), than for a volume of poems, Laienbrevier (1834-1835, tr. The Layman's Breviary, or meditations for every day in the year, Boston (Mass.): C. T. Brooks 1867). These, owing to their warmth of feeling, keen psychology, and fascinating descriptions of the beauties of nature, at once established his fame as a poet. This vein he followed in later years with the poems Vigilien (1843), Der Weltpriester (1846), and Hausreden (1869). Encouraged by his friend, the poet Max Waldau (1822-1855), he published Hafis in Hellas (Hamburg, 1853) and Koran der Liebe (Hamburg, 1855) containing with their glowing descriptions of the East love poetry of a realistic and high order.
Having been a scholar of Antonio Salieri, Schefer raised interest as a composer only in the very last years, especially when his 222. birthday was celebrated in Bad Muskau, as a part of the Lausitzer Musiksommer.
[edit] Publications
A selection of Schefer's works, Ausgewählte Werke, in 12 vols, was published in 1845 (2nd ed., 1857). See Julian Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Literatur im 18. Jahrhundert, vol. ii.; Emil Brenning Leopold Schefer (1884), and Ludwig Geiger in: Dichter und Frauen (1896).
See as well: Leopold Schefer, Ausgewählte Lieder und Gesänge zum Pianoforte, ed. & introd. by Ernst-Jürgen Dreyer, Munich: G. Henle (2004)
There are no studies about Schefer in English, but consult Bettina Clausen & Lars Clausen, Zu allem fähig: Versuch einer Sozio-Biographie zum Verständnis des Dichters Leopold Schefer, 2 vols, Bangert & Metzler, Frankfurt a.M. (1985).
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
