Hans Huber (composer)


Hans Huber was a Swiss composer. Between 1894 and 1918, he composed five operas. He also wrote a set of 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 100, for piano four-hands in all major and minor keys.
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Biography

He was born in Eppenberg-Wöschnau. The son of an amateur musician, Huber became a chorister and showed an early talent for the piano. In 1870 he entered Leipzig Conservatory, where his teachers included Oscar Paul. In 1877 he returned to Basel to teach, but did not obtain a post in the Conservatory there until 1889; seven years later he became director. Among his notable students were Hans Münch and Hermann Suter.
In 1889 Huber wrote an A major symphony, which was conducted in December 1889 by Friedrich Hegar, and whose full score survives. He wrote in all nine symphonies, eight acknowledged, and several concertos, two for violin, four for piano, two of them effectively lost. During his last years he lived in Minusio in Villa Ginia. He died at Locarno.

Works

Huber's first symphony, in D minor, subtitled "Tellsinfonie" has a slight programmatic element, derived from the story of the Swiss national hero William Tell. The symphony is somewhat similar in style and formal restraint to Brahms, although there is perhaps a foreshadowing of Sibelius in some of the orchestral textures.
Huber's piano concertos are slightly unusual for the form in that they have, like Brahms' second piano concerto in B-flat major, four movements.

Symphonies

  • Symphony No. 1 in D minor "Tellsinfonie", Op. 63
  • Symphony in A major, without Opus
  • Symphony No. 2 in E minor, "Böcklin Symphony" "Sieh es lacht die Au'", Op. 115
  • Symphony No. 3 in C major "Heroic" for Soprano and orchestra, Op. 118.
  • Symphony No. 4 in A "Academic" in the manner of a Concerto Grosso
  • Symphony No. 5 in F major "The Fiddler of Gmund"
  • Symphony No. 6 in A major Op. 134
  • Symphony No. 7 in D minor "Swiss"
  • Symphony No. 8 in F "Spring-symphony"

Concertos

  • Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 36
  • Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 40
  • Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, WoO
  • Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 107
  • Piano Concerto No. 3 in D major, Op. 113
  • Piano Concerto No. 4 in B major

Other orchestral works

Roman Carnival, WoO Eine Lustspiel-Ouvertüre, Op. 50
  • Symphonic Introduction to the opera Der SimpliciusAn das Vaterland
  • Serenade No. 1, Op. 86, Summer Nights
  • Serenade No. 2, WoO, ''Winter Nights''

Operas

Weltfrühling Kudrun Der Simplicius Frutta di mare Der gläserne Berg
  • ''Die schöne Belinda''

Stage music

Musik zu einem Festspiele Der Basler Bund 1501
  • ''Der Weihnachtsstern''

Oratorios

Der heilige Hain
  • ''Weissagung und Erfüllung''

Masses

  • Missa festiva in E flat
  • Missa festiva in honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis D major
  • Missa festiva in honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis F major
  • Missa in honorem Sancti Ursi
  • Eine Fest-Messe

Cantatas

Aussöhnung Pandora Caenis Heldenehren Kantate zum Jubiläum der Universität Basel
  • ''Meerfahrt''

Other choral works

Chamber music

Recordings

The Swedish label Sterling has released all of Huber's symphonies, some tone poems, and two of the piano concertos. There have also been several recent recordings from Huber's substantial output of chamber works, including at least one of his cello sonatas and three CDs with violin sonatas of his; one of the early recordings of Huber's music was an LP of his first piano quartet "Waldlieder", with Hans-Heinz Schneeberger playing the violin.