Franz Doppler
Encyclopedia
Albert Franz Doppler was a flute
virtuoso
and a composer
best known for his flute music. He also wrote one German and several Hungarian opera
s for Budapest
, all produced with great success. His ballet
music was popular during his lifetime.
. From 1828 to 1831, he received flute lessons from his father, Joseph Doppler, who was an oboist
, and made his debut as a flutist at the age of 13. He formed a flute duo with his brother Karl
, four years younger, who mainly wrote songs and incidental music, and as a duo they caused quite a sensation throughout Europe. They toured and both became members of the orchestra of the German Theater, Budapest, in 1838 and both moved to the Hungarian National Theater in 1841. There, five of Franz's operas were staged with success. Franz and Karl continued to make regular tours of Europe and helped found the Hungarian Philharmonic Orchestra in 1853. At the age of 18 Franz was the first flutist at the opera in Budapest, and he went on to be the first flutist and stand-in conductor
, and eventually chief conductor, of the Vienna Court Opera
, as well as acquiring a position of Professor of Flute at the Vienna Conservatoire from 1864 until 1867. He died in Baden bei Wien
, Austria.
Doppler composed chiefly for the flute, as well as opera (a style that is prominent even in his showpieces for flute), composing many pieces including concerto
s, showpieces, and many flute duets, to be played by him and his brother Karl. His music contains aspects of Russian and Hungarian music. His operas included Judith (his only German opera), and a Russian work entitled Benyovsky. He wrote seven operas and fifteen ballets in total (which were quite popular in their time) and was a brilliant orchestrator.
He is best known for the orchestral arrangements of six of Franz Liszt
's Hungarian Rhapsodies
published under his name. He was a student of Liszt, and Liszt set Doppler the exercise of orchestrating six Rhapsodies. Every single bar of these orchestrations was revised by Liszt upon publication, but he graciously allowed Doppler's name to remain on the title page. (Liszt frequently bestowed such help to his students, which gave rise to the notion that he didn't or couldn't orchestrate his own works).
Doppler's transcriptions of some of the rhapsodies for flute are also quite well known.
Other:
Western concert flute
The Western concert flute is a transverse woodwind instrument made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist, flutist, or flute player....
virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
and a 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...
best known for his flute music. He also wrote one German and several Hungarian 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 for Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, all produced with great success. His ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
music was popular during his lifetime.
Life
Doppler was born in LembergLviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
. From 1828 to 1831, he received flute lessons from his father, Joseph Doppler, who was an oboist
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, and made his debut as a flutist at the age of 13. He formed a flute duo with his brother Karl
Karl Doppler
Karl Doppler was a Hungarian flute virtuoso, conductor, music director, composer. He was the younger brother of the composer Franz Doppler and father of the composer Árpád Doppler....
, four years younger, who mainly wrote songs and incidental music, and as a duo they caused quite a sensation throughout Europe. They toured and both became members of the orchestra of the German Theater, Budapest, in 1838 and both moved to the Hungarian National Theater in 1841. There, five of Franz's operas were staged with success. Franz and Karl continued to make regular tours of Europe and helped found the Hungarian Philharmonic Orchestra in 1853. At the age of 18 Franz was the first flutist at the opera in Budapest, and he went on to be the first flutist and stand-in conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, and eventually chief conductor, of the Vienna Court Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
, as well as acquiring a position of Professor of Flute at the Vienna Conservatoire from 1864 until 1867. He died in Baden bei Wien
Baden bei Wien
-Points of interest:The town offers several parks and a picturesque surrounding, of which the most frequented is the Helenental valley. Not far from Baden, the valley is crossed by a widespread aqueduct of the Vienna waterworks...
, Austria.
Doppler composed chiefly for the flute, as well as opera (a style that is prominent even in his showpieces for flute), composing many pieces including concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
s, showpieces, and many flute duets, to be played by him and his brother Karl. His music contains aspects of Russian and Hungarian music. His operas included Judith (his only German opera), and a Russian work entitled Benyovsky. He wrote seven operas and fifteen ballets in total (which were quite popular in their time) and was a brilliant orchestrator.
He is best known for the orchestral arrangements of six of Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
's Hungarian Rhapsodies
Hungarian Rhapsodies
Hungarian Rhapsody redirects here. For the 1979 Hungarian film Hungarian Rhapsody . For the 1928 German film Ungarische Rhapsodie.The Hungarian Rhapsodies, S.244, R106, is a set of 19 piano pieces based on Hungarian folk themes, composed by Franz Liszt during 1846-1853, and later in 1882 and 1885...
published under his name. He was a student of Liszt, and Liszt set Doppler the exercise of orchestrating six Rhapsodies. Every single bar of these orchestrations was revised by Liszt upon publication, but he graciously allowed Doppler's name to remain on the title page. (Liszt frequently bestowed such help to his students, which gave rise to the notion that he didn't or couldn't orchestrate his own works).
Doppler's transcriptions of some of the rhapsodies for flute are also quite well known.
Selected works
Stage works:- Benyovszky vagy A kamcsatkai számuzött (Benyovsky, or the Changeling from Kamchatka), opera after 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...
, 1847 - Ilka és a huszártoborzó (Ilka and the Hussar Recruitment), comic opera, 1849
- Wanda, opera, 1853
- Két huszár (The Two Hussars), opera, 1853
- Salvator Rosa, melodramaMelodramaThe term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
, 1855 - Erzsébet opera, (Overture and Act I. Act II by Ferenc Erkel, Act III by Karl Doppler), 1857
- Judith opera, 1870
Other:
- Airs Valaques, Op. 10
- Berceuse, Op. 15
- Mazurka de salon, Op. 16
- Nocturne, Op. 17
- Andante et Rondo, Op. 25 (for two flutes and a piano) 1870
- Fantaisie pastorale hongroise, Op. 26
- Souvenir de Rigi, Op. 34