Ferdinand Kauer

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Ferdinand August Kauer (January 18, 1751, Klein-Thaya or Dyákovice, Moravia – April 13, 1831, Vienna) was an Austrian composer and pianist.

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[edit] Biography

Kauer was born in Moravia. He studied in Znaim, Tyrnau, and Vienna, and later settled in Vienna around 1777. In 1781 joined Karl Edler von Marinelli's newly formed company at Vienna, as leader and conductor of the orchestra. From 1782 also composed music for the theatre, including singspiels, operas, and incidental music and songs, mostly to texts by the house poet Karl Friedrich Hensler. Their first major success was Das Faustrecht in Thüringen (The Law of the Jungle in Thüringen, 1796–1797), which was eclipsed two years later by the success of Das Donauweibchen (1798).

He was Kapellmeister of the Theater in der Leopoldstadt and Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna and also in Graz. He directed the Leopoldstadt Theater Music School and by the 1790's had become known for his popular Singspiels. In addition to his successful stage works he composed several tutorial methods for violin, flute, piano and singing (c1790). A tragic flood in 1830 destroyed all Kauer's possessions, including the most of his scores. He continued to work as the second viola payer at the Leopoldstadt Theater orchestra until his death a year later.

[edit] Legacy

He wrote about 200 operas and singspiels. The romantic opera "Das Donauweibchen" (1798) was one of the most popular operas of the early 19th century. It was staged in Russia in 1803-1807 as Lesta, dneprovskaya rusalka (Леста, днепровская русалка) and its three sequels with Russian text and additional music by the naturalised Russian immigrant Catterino Cavos who originally hailed from Venice, and Stepan Davydov (1777-1825).

Das Donauweibchen was the first opera staged in Finland on December 3, 1826 in Viipuri by Schultz’s company. It was not unusual for travelling companies to make an excursion from the nearby St Petersburg to Viipuri, Finland being an autonomous Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire at the time.

Kauer also wrote 200 Masses, many pieces of chamber music, incidental music (including Das Faustrecht in Thüringen). His "12 Neue Ungarische Tanze" reflect the influence of roaming Gypsy orchestras upon many composers of this era.

In his 'Sei Variazioni' (c1810) Kauer introduced the xylophone into western classical music, and from that time this instrument has been adopted as a regular element of the orchestra.

[edit] Operas

  • Der Streit zwischen dem Zauberer Scionco und der Fee Galantina, oder Kasperl bleibt Kasperl, premiered: February 3, 1784, Vienna (Theatre in der Leopoldstadt)
  • Das Donauweibchen, (La donnina Danubio) Fiaba popolare comico-romantica in in due parti and sei atti, premiered: January 11, 1798, 'Vienna (Theater in der Leopoldstadt)
  • Telemach has been represented in 1801

[edit] Bibliography

  • Kauer, Ferdinand. Kurzgefasste Generalbass-Schule für Anfänger. Wien, J. Cappi.[c1800]
  • Kauer, Ferdinand. Kurzgefasste Harmonieschule für Damen mit Tonsystem, worin das H ausgeschlossen wird. [c1800]
  • Manschinger K.: Ferdinand Kauer, doctoral thesis, Vienna 1929
  • Bauer, A.: Das Theater in der Josefstadt, 1957
  • Longyear, R. M.: Ferdinand Kauer's Percussion Enterprises, Galpin Society Journal, vol. 27 (1974), 2-8.

[edit] Sound samples

Ferdinand Kauer’s keyboard “Sonata Militaire” was mistakenly attributed to Joseph Haydn as Sonata D major, Hob. XVI: D1.

You can listen to the openings of all three movements of the Sonata played by Carmen Piazzini, (from the Album: Haydn: Complete Piano Sonatas on 7 CDs) at the following links:

or played on a period instrument (pianist unknown):

[edit] External links

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