Miserae
Encyclopedia
Miserae is a symphonic poem
by the German
composer
Karl Amadeus Hartmann
.
Composed in 1933-34, it was written in response to the plight of (and dedicated to) those who died in the first Nazi internment camps. As the title suggests (miserae is Latin
for 'wretched' or 'miserable') the work reflects not only Hartmann's humanist
credentials but his early awareness of what was starting to happen in Germany at the time.
The dedication on the autograph manuscript reads
The work lasts around fourteen minutes. Cast in four brief sections, the two outer sections are quiet, lyrical passages. The two interior sections are quasi-march pastiches, almost parodying goose-stepping.
It was premiered at the 1935 festival of the International Society for New Music in Prague
, where it was chosen as the opening work. The conductor was Hartmann's mentor and champion Hermann Scherchen
.
Until 1950, Hartmann used several titles for Miserae, including 'Symphonische Dichtung', Symphony No. 1 and Symphonie Miserae, until he withdrew it. Before then, it had rarely been performed owing to Hartmann's ambivalent attitude towards the relevance of his pre-war works. What had been an earlier Cantata for alto and orchestra ultimately became his First Symphony
in 1955.
Symphonic poem
A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...
by the German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
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...
Karl Amadeus Hartmann
Karl Amadeus Hartmann
Karl Amadeus Hartmann was a German composer. Some have lauded him as the greatest German symphonist of the 20th century, although he is now largely overlooked, particularly in English-speaking countries.-Life:...
.
Composed in 1933-34, it was written in response to the plight of (and dedicated to) those who died in the first Nazi internment camps. As the title suggests (miserae is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for 'wretched' or 'miserable') the work reflects not only Hartmann's humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
credentials but his early awareness of what was starting to happen in Germany at the time.
The dedication on the autograph manuscript reads
My friends, who had to die a thousand times over, who sleep for all eternity - we shall not forget you.
The work lasts around fourteen minutes. Cast in four brief sections, the two outer sections are quiet, lyrical passages. The two interior sections are quasi-march pastiches, almost parodying goose-stepping.
It was premiered at the 1935 festival of the International Society for New Music in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, where it was chosen as the opening work. The conductor was Hartmann's mentor and champion Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen was a German conductor.-Life:Scherchen was originally a violist and played among the violas of the Bluthner Orchestra of Berlin while still in his teens...
.
Until 1950, Hartmann used several titles for Miserae, including 'Symphonische Dichtung', Symphony No. 1 and Symphonie Miserae, until he withdrew it. Before then, it had rarely been performed owing to Hartmann's ambivalent attitude towards the relevance of his pre-war works. What had been an earlier Cantata for alto and orchestra ultimately became his First Symphony
Symphony No.1 (Hartmann)
The First Symphony of the German composer Karl Amadeus Hartmann was completed in 1955.Subtitled Versuch eines Requiem , the piece began life in 1936 as a cantata for alto solo and orchestra, setting translations of poetry by Walt Whitman...
in 1955.