JOHANN VON HERBECK - nca - new classical adventure

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Herbeck already conducted Bruckner’s Mass in D minor, as the first performance
in Vienna, in the court’s chapel in February 1867 – and also arranged for the
premiere performance of the second version of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2
within the context of the prestigious series of concerts given by the ‘Gesellschaft
der Musikfreunde’. Herbeck’s name is associated with the premiere performance
of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 3 in an almost tragic fashion; when the work was
turned down by the Philharmonic on 27 September 1877 Herbeck declared – on
the spur-of-the-moment – that he would perform the symphony at one of the
concerts given by the society. The date was set for 16 December 1877 but his
unexpected death in October 1877 foiled the plans and Bruckner conducted the
premiere performance himself – the performance ended in disaster.
In addition to his numerous committments, Johann von Herbeck still seems to
have found time to compose – he found composing easy and left behind an
extensive oeuvre comprising some sixty choral works for male-voice choirs,
choral songs, seven masses, incidental music as well as four symphonies and
other orchestral works. He was also extremely interested in painting and
managed to put together a small art collection – Herbeck also belonged to the
patrons of the Viennese monumental painter Hans Makart. Although as a
conductor Herbeck championed the works of the avant garde amongst the
composers of his day, his own works were more in line with the conservativeromantic
school.
JOHANN VON HERBECK (1831-1877)
This also applies to his Symphony No. 4, which was composed by Herbeck in
Mödling near Vienna in the summer of 1877. He drafted the work in just five days
Symphony between 24 No. and 4 in 28 D July minor and (Organ the work’s Symphony) score carries 9 September as the date of
Johann completion. von Herbeck’s shares son Ludwig his fate describes with many some other of musicians; the particulars although in hishe had
a biography substantial about influence his father, on the published music scene in 1885. of his Although day through Ludwig his Herbeck’s tireless efforts, book
was a written composer in a he style has typical not been for the given outgoing a permanent nineteenth place century, in the history it does of give music. a
Nevertheless, graphic insight his into music Johann is not Herbeck’s only noteworthy creative process: under historical ‘The work aspects; was written with his
solid accompanied craft skills by he the faced organ, up the to unresolved instrument compositional he so dearly loved assignments . (…) Herbeck’s and came
up work with is one individual of his solutions best – among – the the world orchestral premiere works, recordings certainly made the specially most for
this magnificent. CD are an One impressive can say, witness he put his to entire this. heart into it. His nerves were at
breaking point, his pulse trembled, he ate almost nothing for several days and
Similar even during to many the brief other respite musicians he granted from the himself multi-national during evenings, state of Austria-Hungary
sleep fled from
Johann him. When von he Herbeck had finished was a he descendant said to his of wife: Bohemian Marie, rest ancestors; assured, his if father this was a
tailor symphony who had does moved not gain to Vienna, success, his I will mother compose was the no more!’ daughter of an oboist in the
Vienna court orchestra. Herbeck was born in Vienna on Christmas Day 1831.
Upon Herbeck the wrote advice the of symphony Georg Hellmesberger, for the great music Ladegast director organ, of the which court enjoyed opera, its
Herbeck opening concert was accepted in the Golden as a choir Hall boy of the at the Vienna age of music twelve society’s by the premises. Cistercian He
foundation was proud Heiligenkreuz of his work, which (to the was south-west the first to of combine Vienna). organ He was with given the first orchestra piano
lessons – it was by to the be another foundation’s nine organist years before Ferdinand the Frenchman Borschitzky, Camille and also Saint-Saëns started
taking wrote his lessons famous in composition Organ Symphony. during The the summer premiere months performance of 1845 of and Herbeck’s 1846 with
Ludwig work was Rotter, planned Kapellmeister for autumn of 1877, the court after church the Philharmonic in Vienna’s city had centre. agreed to
perform their conductor’s symphony following a trial performance conducted by
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