Philipp Scharwenka


Ludwig Philipp Scharwenka was a Polish-German composer and teacher of music. He was the older brother of Xaver Scharwenka.

Early training

Scharwenka was born in Szamotuły, Grand Duchy of Posen. Like his younger brother Xaver he received his first intermittent musical instruction in Posen (today Poznań). After the closure of the Gymnasium in 1865 he studied music theory together with his brother under Richard Wüerst and Heinrich Dorn at the new Musical Academy in Berlin where, from 1868, he himself was taken on as teacher of Theory and Composition. In this period his own first compositions appeared. In 1874 he brought out an overture and a symphony for the first time in a concert of his own.

Compositions

His many teaching obligations notwithstanding, Philipp Scharwenka stood in the front line as a composer and was recognised as such during his lifetime. His compositions include three Symphonies, Symphonic Poems, a Violin concerto, some Choral works, the 4-act opera Roland, as well as numerous instrumental works such as Sonatas, Quartets, Caprices and Dances. Many of the major conductors of the period, including Arthur Nikisch, Anton Seidl and Hans Richter, performed his orchestral works. He is still known for his chamber works, including two piano trios, two trios for violin, viola, and piano, two violin sonatas, one viola sonata, one cello sonata, two string quartets, and one piano quintet.
In contrast to his brother's very extroverted compositions, Philipp's many-sided works have dreamlike and thoroughly moody inflections. His best-liked works are the chamber works beginning in 1896, which maintain traditional formal models and show a considerable variety of melodic and rhythmical inventions. In them, Scharwenka achieved through very refined compositional techniques, something approaching an impressionistic tonal palette. These works found such distinguished interpreters as Willy Burmester, Julius Klengel, and Moritz Mayer-Mahr.
One of his admirers was Max Reger, who in 1898 dedicated his Phantasiestücke op. 26 to him. In the context of the 37th Composer-Congress in 1900, his Dramatic Fantasy for Orchestra op 108, being crowned with a prize by the National German Music-Society, was performed in Bremen.

Conservatory director

At the opening of the Scharwenka-Conservatory in Berlin, his brother Xaver entrusted to him in 1881 the direction of the Theory and Composition teaching, and then in 1891 that of the sister-conservatory in New York. Philipp however returned to Berlin in 1892 to take control of the Conservatory there, which in 1893 he merged with the Piano School of Karl Klindworth to form the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory. This went on to become an outstanding institution in the musical landscape of Berlin. As Director of the Conservatory, Scharwenka remained active until his death in 1917. Otto Klemperer studied with him in Berlin, and Oskar Fried was another very distinguished pupil of his.

Other

In 1880 Philipp married violin virtuoso Marianne Scharwenka. In 1937 his son Walter Scharwenka took over as director at the Conservatory.
Also, Scharwenka possessed a remarkable talent as a graphic illustrator, which is seen, for instance, in the drastic-humorous Figures for the satire by Alexander Moszkowski, Anton Notenquetscher.

Works

Symphonies

  • Symphony No. 1, Herbstfeier, for Soli, Choir, and Orchestra on a text by Friedrich Timpe, Op. 44
  • Symphony No. 2 in D minor, Op. 96
  • Symphony No. 3, Sinfonia Brevis in E flat major, Op. 115

Orchestral

  • Serenade for Orchestra, Op. 19
  • Two Polish Folk Dances for Orchestra, Op. 20 Wald- & Berggeister, Intermezzo for Orchestra, Op. 37 Liebesnacht, Fantasiestück for Orchestra, Op. 40 Fest-Ouvertüre for Orchestra, Op. 43 Sakuntala for soloists, choir and orchestra on a text by Carl Wittkowsky, WoO Arkadische Suite in B flat major for Orchestra, Op. 76 Frühlingswogen for Orchestra, Op. 87 Traum & Wirklichkeit for Orchestra, Op. 92 Dramatische Phantasie for Orchestra, Op. 108

Concertos

Chamber music

Romanze und Scherzo for Violin and Piano, Op. 103 Konzertstücke for Violin and Piano, Op. 17
  • Cavatine for Cello and Piano, Op. 22
  • Piano Trio No. 1 in F minor, Op. 26Arie for Violin and Piano, Op. 51Barcarolle und Polonaise for Violin and Piano, Op. 52
  • 4 Stücke for Violin & Piano, Op. 53Elegy and Caprice Slave for Cello & Piano, Op. 98
  • Suite for Violin and Piano, Op. 99
  • Piano Trio No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 100
  • 4 Konzertstücke for Violin & Piano, Op. 104
  • Piano Trio No. 3 in A major, Op. 105
  • Viola Sonata in G minor, Op. 106
  • Violin Sonata No.1 in B minor, Op. 110
  • Piano Trio No. 4 in G major, Op. 112
  • Violin Sonata No.2 in E minor, Op. 114
  • Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 116
  • String Quartet No.1 in D minor, Op. 117
  • Piano Quintet in B minor, Op. 118
  • String Quartet No.2 in D major, Op. 120
  • Piano Trio No. 5 in E minor, Op.121

Voice

  • 5 Songs, Op. 28Dörpertanzweise for Soprano, Alto, Baritone, Bass, and Piano, Op. 35Die Lindenwirthin, Songs for Voice & Piano, Op. 62a
  • 3 Lieder for Voice & Piano, Op. 62b
  • 3 Lieder for Voice & Piano, Op. 88Abendfeier in Venedig, Op. 89
  • 3 Gesänge for Choir a capella, Op. 90
  • 3 Gesänge, Op. 102a
  • 2 Gesänge, Op. 102b
  • 4 Songs on Russian Texts, Op. 111An den König for Soprano, Alto, Baritone, Bass, and Organ, Op. 113
  • 3 Gesänge for Three-Part Female Choir and Piano, Op. 119

Piano

  • Polish Dance for Piano, Op. 3Capriccietto for Piano, D minor, Op. 4
  • 3 Scènes de Dance for Piano, Op. 5Scènes de Dance for Piano, Op. 6Phantasiestück for Piano, Op. 11
  • Introduction & Polonaise pathétique for Piano, Op. 12
  • Humoreske und Mazurka for piano, Op. 13
  • 2 Nocturnes for Piano, Op. 16Miscellen, 6 Piano Pieces, Op. 18Tanz-Suite for Piano 4-Hands, Op. 21Hochzeitsmusik for Piano 4 hands, Op. 23Menuett & Perpetuum Mobile for Violin & Piano, Op. 24Capriccio for Piano, Op. 255 Fantasiestücke for Piano, Op. 26b?Albumblätter, 5 kleine Stücke for Piano, Op. 27
  • 3 Mazurkas for Piano, Op. 29
  • 2 Pieces for Piano 4-Hands, Op. 30
  • 3 Humoresken for Piano, Op. 31In Bunter Reihe, 6 Pieces for Piano, Op. 32Album polonais for Piano, Op. 33Aus der Jugendzeit, 10 easy Piano Pieces, Op. 34Bergfahrt, 12 Klavierstücke, Op. 36Polnische Tanzweisen, Op. 38
  • 4 Bagatelles for Piano, Op. 39
  • 5 Piano Pieces, Op. 41
  • 3 Pieces for Piano Four-Hands, Op. 42Festklänge für die Jugend, 8 Piano Pieces, Op. 454 Moments Musicaux for Piano, Op. 46Capriccio for Piano, Op. 47
  • 5 Intermezzi for Piano, Op. 48
  • 5 Improvisations for Piano, Op. 49
  • Scherzo in B flat minor for Piano, Op. 50Lieder und Tanzweisen for Piano 4-Hands, Op. 54
  • Divertimenti, 10 Piano Pieces, Op. 553 Pieces for Piano 4-hands, Op. 56Stimmungsbilder, 6 Pieces for Piano 4-hands, Op. 57Zum Vortrag, 9 Leichte & Mittelschwere Klavierstücke, Op. 58Herbstbilder, 6 Klavierstücke for Piano 4-Hands, Op. 596 Seestücke nach Texten von Heinrich Heine for Piano, Op. 60
  • Piano Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 61a
  • Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 61b
  • Piano Sonata No. 3 in G minor, Op. 61cLose Blätter, 5 Klavierstücke, Op. 63Kinderspiele I, 8 easy Piano Pieces, Op. 645 Romantische Episoden for Piano, Op. 653 Tanz-Kaprizen for Piano, Op. 666 Klavierstücke, Op. 67Kinderspiele II, 8 Leichte Stücke for piano, Op. 686 Tonbilder in Kleinem Rahmen for Piano Op. 692 Ländler for Piano Op. 70a3 Tänze: Menuett, Mazurka, & Waltz for Piano, Op. 70bFür die Jugend for Piano, Op. 71Aus Vergangenen Tagen, 5 Phantasiestücke for Piano, Op. 72
  • 5 Impromptus for Piano, Op. 732 Elegische Gesänge for Piano, Op. 745 Tanzscenen for Piano 4-Hands, Op. 754 Klavierstücke, Op. 77Suite de Danses caractéristiques for Piano, Op. 788 Vortragsstücke for Piano, Op. 796 Vortragsstücke in leichter Spielart for Piano, Op. 80
  • 7 Piano Pieces, Op. 81Lyrische Episoden, 6 Piano Pieces, Op. 82
  • 5 Klavierstücke, Op. 83Skizzen, 5 Piano Pieces, Op. 84
  • 2 Rhapsodieen for Piano, Op. 85
  • 2 Tanz-Impromptus for Piano, Op. 86
  • 3 Scherzi for Piano Duet, Op. 91
  • 4 Mazurkas for Piano, Op. 93Ballade for Piano, Op. 94aNachtstück for Piano, Op. 94b
  • 4 Klavierstücke, Op. 97
  • 5 Klavierstücke, Op. 101Tanz-Novelle, 5 Tanzpoëme for Piano 4-Hands, Op. 103Abendstimmungen, 6 Piano Pieces, Op. 107Heimat, 5 Phantasietänze in polnischer Art for Piano 4-hands, Op. 109