Arthur Fickenscher
Encyclopedia
Arthur Fickenscher was an American
composer
and academic. The first head of the music department of the University of Virginia
, he is credited with being an early 20th century pioneer of microtonal music
.
Fickenscher studied music in Munich
under Joseph Rheinberger and lived then as a teacher in Oakland, California
, and Charlottesville, Virginia
. From 1911 to 1914, he was a vocal teacher in Berlin
. From 1920 until 1941 he was the first head of the music department at the University of Virginia. From about 1924 to 1933 he was the conductor of the Virginia Glee Club
, a male choral ensemble at the University of Virginia.
He composed a Mimodrama, orchestral variations in the medieval style, a Dies Irae, visions for voice and orchestra, church works, a piano quintet, and various songs (including the song cycle Willowwood). His first major work, Visions for dramatic soprano and orchestra, received its premiere at the Royal Conservatory in Berlin in 1913 to acclaim from the New York Times. Recordings have been made of his song cycle Willowwood and his piano quintet From the seventh Realm; of the latter, Percy Grainger wrote, "While I am a reverent admirer of the piano and string quintets by Bach, César Franck, Brahms, Cyril Scott and others, I must confess that this American work by Fickenscher out-soars them all, for my ears, in point of spiritual rapture and sensuous loveliness."
Fickenscher also invented the Polytone, a keyboard instrument that could produce sixty distinct tones within the scope of an octave.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and academic. The first head of the music department of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, he is credited with being an early 20th century pioneer of microtonal music
Microtonal music
Microtonal music is music using microtones—intervals of less than an equally spaced semitone. Microtonal music can also refer to music which uses intervals not found in the Western system of 12 equal intervals to the octave.-Terminology:...
.
Fickenscher studied music in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
under Joseph Rheinberger and lived then as a teacher in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, and Charlottesville, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. From 1911 to 1914, he was a vocal teacher in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. From 1920 until 1941 he was the first head of the music department at the University of Virginia. From about 1924 to 1933 he was the conductor of the Virginia Glee Club
Virginia Glee Club
The Virginia Glee Club is a critically acclaimed men's chorus based at the University of Virginia. It performs both traditional and contemporary vocal works, typically in TTBB arrangements. Founded in 1871, the Glee Club is the University's oldest musical organization and one of the oldest all-male...
, a male choral ensemble at the University of Virginia.
He composed a Mimodrama, orchestral variations in the medieval style, a Dies Irae, visions for voice and orchestra, church works, a piano quintet, and various songs (including the song cycle Willowwood). His first major work, Visions for dramatic soprano and orchestra, received its premiere at the Royal Conservatory in Berlin in 1913 to acclaim from the New York Times. Recordings have been made of his song cycle Willowwood and his piano quintet From the seventh Realm; of the latter, Percy Grainger wrote, "While I am a reverent admirer of the piano and string quintets by Bach, César Franck, Brahms, Cyril Scott and others, I must confess that this American work by Fickenscher out-soars them all, for my ears, in point of spiritual rapture and sensuous loveliness."
Fickenscher also invented the Polytone, a keyboard instrument that could produce sixty distinct tones within the scope of an octave.
Works
- Visions, symphonic seal for dramatic soprano and large orchestra, 1912
- Willowwood and Well Away, 1925
- Day of Judgement, 1927
- Out of the Gay Nineties, 1934
- From the seventh realm, Piano Quintet, 1939
- Aucalete, symphonic poetry, 1945
- Lament for organ, 1951
- Improvisational Fantasy for organ, 1954
- Aucassin and Nicolete, symphonic poetry for chorus and orchestra
- The Chamber Blue, poetry for chorus and orchestra
- The Land East of the Sun, symphonic poetry for chorus and orchestra
- Old Irish Tune for chamber orchestra
- Evolutionary Quartet, String Quartet
- Willowwood for alto, viola and piano