Hans Von Bulow

by Birkin, Kenneth

• ISBN13: 9781107005860
• ISBN10: 1107005868
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-08-15
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

Drawing upon an extensive selection of rare letters, reviews and memoirs, Kenneth Birkin sets Hans von Bülow's work as a recitalist, chamber-music artist and orchestral conductor at the centre of a disturbed and eventful life. Bülow's Zukunftsmusik advocacy and ruthless criticism of performance standards in Berlin and Munich antagonised a musical 'establishment' nonetheless spellbound by his keyboard and orchestral mastery. Birkin pays particular attention to the Tristan and Meistersinger premieres, Cosima's desertion, the European and American tours and operatic activities in Hamburg and Hanover, as well as Bülow's pedagogic activities and forays into musical journalism. The book makes liberal use of Bülow's correspondence, published and unpublished, which personalises the narrative. Contemporary comments and reviews, translated here for the first time, give the reader an insight into the critical and public reaction. An extensive Appendix records the dates and venues of all Bülow's public appearances, both as pianist and conductor.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	p. vii
Preface	p. ix
Abbreviations of sources quoted in the text	p. xii
Principal libraries consulted	p. xvii
Overture: Dresden, Leipzig, Stuttgart (1830-1848)	p. 1
The student years: Leipzig, Berlin (1848-1850)	p. 17
Decision time: Weimar, Zurich (1850-1851)	p. 31
Weimar apprenticeship (1851-1853)	p. 46
The young virtuoso: Austro-Hungary (1853-1854)	p. 65
Polish interlude: Chocieszewice (1854-1855)	p. 81
The pedagogue: Berlin 1 (1855-1857)	p. 91
'Gallant Hotspur': Berlin n (1857-1859)	p. 110
Rebel maturity: Berlin in (1859-1864)	p. 131
The Wagner years: Munich (1864-1869)	p. 150
A new start: Florence (1869-1873)	p. 180
Triumph and betrayal - on tour: England and Russia (1873-1875)	p. 203
Transatlantic adventure (1875-1876)	p. 232
Convalescent interlude (June 1876 - September 1877)	p. 247
Bülow redux: Hanover, Glasgow (1877-1878)	p. 256
Kapellmeister in Hanover (1877-1879)	p. 267
Intendant in Meiningen (1880-1885)	p. 287
The Philharmonic Years I: Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin (1886-1889)	p. 322
The Philharmonic Years II: America again, domestic crisis (1889-1890)	p. 341
The Philharmonic Years III: Hamburg, Berlin (1890-1892)	p. 350
The Philharmonic Years IV: finale (1892-1894)	p. 374
Afterword: Bülow and Bayreuth	p. 385
Appendix: Bülow performance chronology	p. 387
Selected bibliography	p. 700
Index	p. 704
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