Johann Rufinatscha
Encyclopedia
Johann Rufinatscha was an Austria
n composer
, theorist
and music teacher.
(Austria, now in the Italian province of South Tyrol
). At the age of 14 he came to Innsbruck
, where he studied the piano, violin, and musical study at the conservatory. After that he settled in Vienna
, where he would remain for the rest of his life.
During his lifetime he was most prominent as a teacher of piano and harmony in Vienna
. Rufinatscha seems to have spent most of his life teaching rather than composing actively, which would explain why he composed fairly few pieces. He knew Johannes Brahms
and composed a number of works (including several symphonies
) during the period in which Brahms refused to publish any symphonic works because of his fear not to live up to Beethoven's
legacy. While predicted by contemporaries to become a major composer of his day, this did not turn out to be the case, and as such he is still relatively obscure. However, as a music teacher he was influential; among his pupils were composers such as Ignaz Brüll
and Julius Epstein
. He died in 1893 in Vienna
.
Rufinatscha is recognised as one of Tirol
's most important composers of the 19th century. His works can be said to form a connection between those of Franz Schubert
and Anton Bruckner
. Shortly before his death Rufinatscha decided to donate the manuscripts of his compositions to the Tyrolean provincial museum, where they remain to this day. In the past few years some of his works have been recorded on CD, and are for sale from the Museum's shop.
has released multiple CDs with works by Rufinatscha. Among them are the extant symphonies (nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6), the Piano Trio, the String Quartets in E flat major and G major, and the four-hand reduction of the piano concerto. As of November 2009 the full orchestra version of the piano concerto became available, along with two concert overtures.
A series of CDs of Rufinatscha's orchestral music is now being planned by Chandos Records, of which the first - the 6th Symphony and the overture The Bride of Messina - has now (March 2011) been issued.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n 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...
, theorist
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
and music teacher.
Life
Rufinatscha was born in 1812 in MalsMals
Mals is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 80 km northwest of Trento and about 70 km northwest of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland and Austria.-Geography:...
(Austria, now in the Italian province of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
). At the age of 14 he came to Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, where he studied the piano, violin, and musical study at the conservatory. After that he settled in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he would remain for the rest of his life.
During his lifetime he was most prominent as a teacher of piano and harmony in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Rufinatscha seems to have spent most of his life teaching rather than composing actively, which would explain why he composed fairly few pieces. He knew Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
and composed a number of works (including several symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
) during the period in which Brahms refused to publish any symphonic works because of his fear not to live up to Beethoven's
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
legacy. While predicted by contemporaries to become a major composer of his day, this did not turn out to be the case, and as such he is still relatively obscure. However, as a music teacher he was influential; among his pupils were composers such as Ignaz Brüll
Ignaz Brüll
Ignaz Brüll was an Austrian pianist and composer.Ignaz Brüll was born the eldest son of a prosperous Jewish merchant family in the Moravian provincial town of Prostějov . In 1850 he moved with his parents to Vienna, which became the centre of his life and work...
and Julius Epstein
Julius Epstein
Julius Epstein may refer to:* Julius Epstein , Austrian pianist and Professor at the Music Conservatory, Vienna* Julius J. Epstein , American screenwriter...
. He died in 1893 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Rufinatscha is recognised as one of Tirol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
's most important composers of the 19th century. His works can be said to form a connection between those of Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
and Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length...
. Shortly before his death Rufinatscha decided to donate the manuscripts of his compositions to the Tyrolean provincial museum, where they remain to this day. In the past few years some of his works have been recorded on CD, and are for sale from the Museum's shop.
Compositions
Rufinatscha appears to have composed 6 symphonies. The following is a list of his known compositions:Orchestral works
- Symphony No. 1 in D major (1834)
- Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major (1840)
- Symphony No. 3 in F major - lost
- Symphony No. 4 in C minor (1846): only the piano four-hands adaptation in 3 extant movements survives
- Symphony No. 5 in B minor (1846): versions exist for both piano four-hands and orchestra
- Symphony No. 6 in D major (ca.1865): versions exist for both piano four-hands and orchestra
- Piano Concerto (1850): scored for both orchestra and piano four-hands
- Serenade for Strings (nd)
Chamber Music
- String Quartet in E-flat major (1850)
- String Quartet in G major (1870)
- Piano Trio in A-flat major (1868): third movement seems to be a reworking of the 2nd movement of the Piano Concerto.
- Piano Quartet in C minor (1836)
- Piano Quartet in A-flat major (1870): the first and the last movements possibly are reworkings of earlier compositions.
Instrumental works
- Sonata for Piano 4-hands in D minor (1850)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 in C major, Op.7 (1855)
- 6 Character Pieces, Op.14 (by 1871)
- Piano Sonata in D minor, Op.18 (1880)
Recordings
The Tyrolean State MuseumTyrolean State Museum
The Tyrolean State Museum in Innsbruck is also known as the Ferdinandeum after Archduke Ferdinand and was founded in 1823 by the Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum Society ....
has released multiple CDs with works by Rufinatscha. Among them are the extant symphonies (nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6), the Piano Trio, the String Quartets in E flat major and G major, and the four-hand reduction of the piano concerto. As of November 2009 the full orchestra version of the piano concerto became available, along with two concert overtures.
A series of CDs of Rufinatscha's orchestral music is now being planned by Chandos Records, of which the first - the 6th Symphony and the overture The Bride of Messina - has now (March 2011) been issued.