Martinus Sieveking
Encyclopedia
Martinus Sieveking was a classical composer
and pianist
. He was born in Amsterdam
, Netherlands
.
A pupil of Julius Röntgen
, he was the accompanist of the Lamoureux Orchestra
in Paris
. Though some of his many charming compositions
are best described as salon music
, he also wrote inventive serious works that are infused with powerful rhythm. Some of his compositions are: "Etude De Concert," "Sketch," "Moto Perpetuo," "Souffrance," "Valse de Concert," "Nocturne," "Variations et Fugue," "Cornemuse," "Praeludium", and "L'Angelus". He arranged a number of Frédéric Chopin
's piano pieces and those versions have become the "standard" which are performed regularly to this day.
Sieveking met the famous physical culturist and bodybuilder Eugen Sandow
when both were 19 and began what was almost certainly a romantic relationship, living together as early as 1896 in New York. Sieveking, inspired by Sandow, became a physical culturist, and developed an impressive physique. He became a "pupil" and his measurements were mentioned in one of Sandow's books as: Height: 5 ft 11 in (180 cm), Weight: 175 lb. (80 kg), Chest: 43 in (109 cm), Biceps: 16 1/4 in (41 1/4 cm), Waist: 26 in (66 cm), Thighs: 23 in (58 cm). Martinus wrote music for several of Sandow's vaudeville acts and later, he then travelled with Sandow and accompanied him at his "Muscle Display Performances". They were inseparable for quite a while and even lived together for a brief time in New York City. It is generally believed the one musical composition credited to Sandow entitled March of the Athletes is clearly the work of Sieveking. Sieveking is discussed in Sandow's biography Sandow the Magnificent by David L. Chapman and mentioned in the novel Lost Horizon, written by James Hilton.
Sieveking taught at the Conservatory of Music in Lincoln, Nebraska, from 1893 to 1895.
In 1895-1896, Sieveking went on tour and performed a solo concert on December 8, 1896 at Carnegie Hall
, New York City
. He also performed in Atlanta, Georgia the following year, among other cities.
He married a young woman named Therese (1881–1961) in Dover
, Kent
, England
in June, 1899. They had a son Leonard, born in 1905.
In 1915 Sieveking traveled back to America and founded a piano school in New York for advanced-level pianists. He was an advocate of The Dead-Weight Principle style of playing and he wrote articles about the subject for several publications.
Sieveking returned to Paris, then emigrated to the United States
with his Austrian-born wife Therese and then 13 year old son Leonard on June 23, 1918 on the S.S. Chicago from Bordeaux, France. In New York, he worked as an accomplished music teacher and concert pianist. He had a particularly broad reach of nearly two octave
s. Therese was working as a governess by 1930 and clearly separated from Martinus, but there was no record of a divorce. She died in California in 1961. There is no record of Leonard Sieveking after the 1920 census.
Martinus Sieveking died on November 26, 1950 in Pasadena, California
, and though it has been reported he is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, this has never been confirmed and his actual burial place remains unknown at this time.
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 pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. He was born in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
A pupil of Julius Röntgen
Julius Röntgen
Julius Engelbert Röntgen was a German-Dutch composer of classical music.-Life:Julius Röntgen was born in Leipzig, Germany, to a family of musicians. His father, Engelbert Röntgen, was first violinist in the Gewandhaus orchestra in Leipzig; his mother, Pauline Klengel, was a pianist, the aunt of...
, he was the accompanist of the Lamoureux Orchestra
Lamoureux Orchestra
The Orchestre Lamoureux officially known as the Société des Nouveaux-Concerts and also known as the Concerts Lamoureux) is an orchestral concert society which once gave weekly concerts by its own orchestra, founded in Paris by Charles Lamoureux in 1881...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Though some of his many charming compositions
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
are best described as salon music
Salon music
Salon music was a popular music genre in Europe during the 19th century. It was usually written for solo piano in the romantic style, and often performed by the composer at events known as "Salons". Salon compositions are usually fairly short and often focus on virtuoso pianistic display or...
, he also wrote inventive serious works that are infused with powerful rhythm. Some of his compositions are: "Etude De Concert," "Sketch," "Moto Perpetuo," "Souffrance," "Valse de Concert," "Nocturne," "Variations et Fugue," "Cornemuse," "Praeludium", and "L'Angelus". He arranged a number of Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
's piano pieces and those versions have become the "standard" which are performed regularly to this day.
Sieveking met the famous physical culturist and bodybuilder Eugen Sandow
Eugen Sandow
Eugen Sandow , born Friedrich Wilhelm Müller, was a Prussian pioneering bodybuilder in the 19th century and is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Bodybuilding".-Early life:...
when both were 19 and began what was almost certainly a romantic relationship, living together as early as 1896 in New York. Sieveking, inspired by Sandow, became a physical culturist, and developed an impressive physique. He became a "pupil" and his measurements were mentioned in one of Sandow's books as: Height: 5 ft 11 in (180 cm), Weight: 175 lb. (80 kg), Chest: 43 in (109 cm), Biceps: 16 1/4 in (41 1/4 cm), Waist: 26 in (66 cm), Thighs: 23 in (58 cm). Martinus wrote music for several of Sandow's vaudeville acts and later, he then travelled with Sandow and accompanied him at his "Muscle Display Performances". They were inseparable for quite a while and even lived together for a brief time in New York City. It is generally believed the one musical composition credited to Sandow entitled March of the Athletes is clearly the work of Sieveking. Sieveking is discussed in Sandow's biography Sandow the Magnificent by David L. Chapman and mentioned in the novel Lost Horizon, written by James Hilton.
Sieveking taught at the Conservatory of Music in Lincoln, Nebraska, from 1893 to 1895.
In 1895-1896, Sieveking went on tour and performed a solo concert on December 8, 1896 at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He also performed in Atlanta, Georgia the following year, among other cities.
He married a young woman named Therese (1881–1961) in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in June, 1899. They had a son Leonard, born in 1905.
In 1915 Sieveking traveled back to America and founded a piano school in New York for advanced-level pianists. He was an advocate of The Dead-Weight Principle style of playing and he wrote articles about the subject for several publications.
Sieveking returned to Paris, then emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his Austrian-born wife Therese and then 13 year old son Leonard on June 23, 1918 on the S.S. Chicago from Bordeaux, France. In New York, he worked as an accomplished music teacher and concert pianist. He had a particularly broad reach of nearly two octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s. Therese was working as a governess by 1930 and clearly separated from Martinus, but there was no record of a divorce. She died in California in 1961. There is no record of Leonard Sieveking after the 1920 census.
Martinus Sieveking died on November 26, 1950 in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, and though it has been reported he is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, this has never been confirmed and his actual burial place remains unknown at this time.
See also
- Eugen SandowEugen SandowEugen Sandow , born Friedrich Wilhelm Müller, was a Prussian pioneering bodybuilder in the 19th century and is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Bodybuilding".-Early life:...