Paul Hamburger
Encyclopedia
Paul Hamburger was a British
pianist
, accompanist, chamber musician, and scholar.
Paul Hamburger was born in Vienna in 1920, and studied at the Vienna State Academy before emigrating to England in 1939. In 1941, he received a scholarship to attend the Royal College of Music
, London, studying with Frank Merrick, Gordon Jacob, Ralph Vaughan Williams
, and he obtained his ARCM. From 1945, he started on a career as an accompanist, chamber musician and teacher, and has been associated in concerts and on disc with some of today’s most distinguished singers and instrumentalists, including Dame Janet Baker
, Elisabeth Söderström
, Max Rostal
and Pierre Fournier
. He has performed both in Britain and abroad, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, France and Belgium.
Hamburger worked as coach for the English Chamber Group, preparing for the television performance of Britten
’s Turn of the Screw and touring with the company. He was also coach at Glyndebourne
Opera, working on Fidelio, Alceste, The Rake’s Progress, Arlecchino, many Rossini and all the Mozart operas. He coached the singers in Eric Leinsdorf’s recording of Die Walküre with Birgit Nilsson
. For twelve years, he held the post of official accompanist at the BBC
, and was later the BBC
producer responsible for the ‘Artists of the Younger Generation’ series.
Hamburger taught singers and accompanists at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
, London, and gave masterclasses and annual seminars in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Sweden and Finland. His literary works include an edition of Mozart Lieder (Oxford University Press), contributions to books on Mozart songs, Mahler’s Wunderhorn songs, Chopin and Britten, and translations, notably of Bruno Walter
and Alfred Brendel
.
He was a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy
, London, and was awarded the Order of Merit in the Arts and Sciences by the Austrian Government.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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:...
, accompanist, chamber musician, and scholar.
Paul Hamburger was born in Vienna in 1920, and studied at the Vienna State Academy before emigrating to England in 1939. In 1941, he received a scholarship to attend the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
, London, studying with Frank Merrick, Gordon Jacob, Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
, and he obtained his ARCM. From 1945, he started on a career as an accompanist, chamber musician and teacher, and has been associated in concerts and on disc with some of today’s most distinguished singers and instrumentalists, including Dame Janet Baker
Janet Baker
Dame Janet Abbott Baker, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English mezzo-soprano best known as an opera, concert, and lieder singer.She was particularly closely associated with baroque and early Italian opera and the works of Benjamin Britten...
, Elisabeth Söderström
Elisabeth Söderström
Elisabeth Anna Söderström CBE was a Swedish soprano, who performed both opera and song. She was particularly well known for her recordings of the lead soprano roles in the three Janáček operas Jenůfa, Káťa Kabanová, and The Makropoulos Affair, all of which received Gramophone Awards...
, Max Rostal
Max Rostal
Max Rostal was a violinist and a viola player. He was Austrian-born, but later took British citizenship.-Biography:Max Rostal was born in Cieszyn and studied with Carl Flesch. He won the Mendelssohn Scholarship in 1925...
and Pierre Fournier
Pierre Fournier
Pierre Fournier was a French cellist who was called the "aristocrat of cellists," on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound....
. He has performed both in Britain and abroad, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, France and Belgium.
Hamburger worked as coach for the English Chamber Group, preparing for the television performance of Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
’s Turn of the Screw and touring with the company. He was also coach at Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne is a country house, thought to be about six hundred years old, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England. It is also the site of an opera house which, with the exception of its closing during the Second World War, for a few immediate post-war years, and in 1993 during the...
Opera, working on Fidelio, Alceste, The Rake’s Progress, Arlecchino, many Rossini and all the Mozart operas. He coached the singers in Eric Leinsdorf’s recording of Die Walküre with Birgit Nilsson
Birgit Nilsson
right|thumb|Nilsson in 1948.Birgit Nilsson was a celebrated Swedish dramatic soprano who specialized in operatic and symphonic works...
. For twelve years, he held the post of official accompanist at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and was later the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
producer responsible for the ‘Artists of the Younger Generation’ series.
Hamburger taught singers and accompanists at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
, London, and gave masterclasses and annual seminars in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Sweden and Finland. His literary works include an edition of Mozart Lieder (Oxford University Press), contributions to books on Mozart songs, Mahler’s Wunderhorn songs, Chopin and Britten, and translations, notably of Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter was a German-born conductor. He is considered one of the best known conductors of the 20th century. Walter was born in Berlin, but is known to have lived in several countries between 1933 and 1939, before finally settling in the United States in 1939...
and Alfred Brendel
Alfred Brendel
Alfred Brendel KBE is an Austrian pianist, born in Czechoslovakia and a resident of the United Kingdom. He is also a poet and author.-Biography:...
.
He was a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, London, and was awarded the Order of Merit in the Arts and Sciences by the Austrian Government.