Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
Encyclopedia
Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner (2 March 1759 in Oberschönau
– 28 May 1833 in Uppsala
) was a German
-born Swedish
composer.
Hæffner received his first musical education with the Schmalkalden
organist
Johann Gottfried Vierling
. He studied in Leipzig
from 1776, and then worked as a music conductor in theatres in Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg
1778-1780. He moved to Stockholm
, Sweden
in 1781 at the invitation of the German congregation there (Tyska kyrkan) to assume the position of organist
, which he held until 1793. The same year (1781) he was employed at the Royal Theatre
in Stockholm as well as conductor of the orchestra for the Stenborg theatre
s. In 1786 Hæffner was appointed assistant conductor of the Royal Orchestra (hovkapellet) and 1795 - 1807 he held the post of hovkapellmästare (Chief conductor of the Royal Orchestra). He was also an instructor at Dramatens elevskola
. He was married twice, first to the Swedish actress and singer Elisabeth Forsselius
.
Since king Gustaf IV Adolf closed the Royal Opera (and its orchestra) in 1807, he moved to Uppsala
, where he 1808 was appointed Director musices
of the university
and simultaneously was employed as organist of the cathedral
. In Uppsala he organized the studentsång ("Student singing") - four-voice male choir singing. This practice rapidly spread to the other Nordic universities and is still today a coveted tradition, not only among university students, but for the last century also in many (most ?) male choirs all over Sweden. Hæffner's passion and work for this has rendered him the name Studentsångens fader ("Father of 'studentsång'). The starting point of this tradition is usually set to a performance of Under Svea banér (words by P.D.A. Atterbom, music by Hæffner) by a student choir celebrating the war hero Klingspor on 24 October 1808.
Hæffner composed three opera
s, theatre music, a mass
, songs with piano accompaniment, and was responsible for the new Swedish chorale book in 1819. Noteworthy is his oratorio
Försonaren på Golgatha ("The Saviour on Golgatha").
Hæffner died in Uppsala on 28 May 1833.
Oberschönau
Oberschönau is a municipality in the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen, in Thuringia, Germany....
– 28 May 1833 in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
composer.
Hæffner received his first musical education with the Schmalkalden
Schmalkalden
- Notable people :*Christoph Cellarius, scholar, born 22 November 1638, died 4 June 1707 in Halle*Christian Karl August Ludwig von Massenbach, colonel, born 16 April 1758, died 21 November 1827 at Białokosz...
organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
Johann Gottfried Vierling
Johann Gottfried Vierling
Johann Gottfried Vierling was a German organist and composer.Vierling was born in Metzels. From 1763 he studied at the Lyzeum in Schmalkalden. In 1768 he succeeded his teacher Johann Nikolaus Tischer as organist in Schmalkalden. He later continued his musical studies with Carl Philipp Emanuel...
. He studied in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
from 1776, and then worked as a music conductor in theatres in Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
1778-1780. He moved to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 1781 at the invitation of the German congregation there (Tyska kyrkan) to assume the position of organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, which he held until 1793. The same year (1781) he was employed at the Royal Theatre
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in Stockholm as well as conductor of the orchestra for the Stenborg theatre
Stenborg Theatre
The Stenborg theatre, also called Svenska Komiska Teatern, Komiska Teatern and Munkbroteatern, was a historical Swedish 18th century theatre, active between 1784 and 1799 in Gamla stan in Stockholm. It was the second theatre of Stockholm during the Gustavian age...
s. In 1786 Hæffner was appointed assistant conductor of the Royal Orchestra (hovkapellet) and 1795 - 1807 he held the post of hovkapellmästare (Chief conductor of the Royal Orchestra). He was also an instructor at Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola, i.e. Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, or in Eng: The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school, was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education for Swedish stage actors...
. He was married twice, first to the Swedish actress and singer Elisabeth Forsselius
Elisabeth Forsselius
Gertrud Elisabeth Forsselius , later Elisabet Haeffner and Elisabet Fahlgren, , was a Swedish opera singer and actor, married to the German-born Swedish composer Johann Christian Friedrich Haeffner, and the actor and singer Johan Jacob Fahlgren...
.
Since king Gustaf IV Adolf closed the Royal Opera (and its orchestra) in 1807, he moved to Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, where he 1808 was appointed Director musices
Director musices
Director musices, Latin for music director, was a title held by music directors especially at European universities or cathedrals; sometimes also at cathedral schools. The title is still used at universities in Sweden...
of the university
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
and simultaneously was employed as organist of the cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral is a cathedral located centrally in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. It dates back to the late 13th century and at a height of 118.7 m is the tallest church building in Scandinavia. Originally built under Roman Catholicism and used for coronations of the Swedish monarch, since the...
. In Uppsala he organized the studentsång ("Student singing") - four-voice male choir singing. This practice rapidly spread to the other Nordic universities and is still today a coveted tradition, not only among university students, but for the last century also in many (most ?) male choirs all over Sweden. Hæffner's passion and work for this has rendered him the name Studentsångens fader ("Father of 'studentsång'). The starting point of this tradition is usually set to a performance of Under Svea banér (words by P.D.A. Atterbom, music by Hæffner) by a student choir celebrating the war hero Klingspor on 24 October 1808.
Hæffner composed three opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s, theatre music, a mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
, songs with piano accompaniment, and was responsible for the new Swedish chorale book in 1819. Noteworthy is his oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
Försonaren på Golgatha ("The Saviour on Golgatha").
Hæffner died in Uppsala on 28 May 1833.
Works
- Den svartsjuke sin egen rival, eller Sängkammareko (The Jealous is his own Rival, or Bed Chamber Echo"), theatre music, 1784
- Electra, opera, Swedish libretto by Adolf Fredrik Ristell after Nicolas François Guillard, 1787
- Alcides' inträde i världen, Opera in one act, Swedish libretto by Abraham Niclas Clewberg-Edelcrantz 1793
- Renaud, Opera, Swedish libretto by N. B. Sparrschöld after Torquato TassoTorquato TassoTorquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
1801 - Arias for Äfventyraren by Johan Magnus Lannerstjerna and for Eremiten by August von KotzebueAugust von KotzebueAugust Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue was a German dramatist.One of Kotzebue's books was burned during the Wartburg festival in 1817. He was murdered in 1819 by Karl Ludwig Sand, a militant member of the Burschenschaften...