Lower Rhenish Music Festival


The Lower Rhenish Music Festival was one of the most important festivals of classical music, which happened every year between 1818 and 1958, with few exceptions, at Pentecost for 112 times.

History

In the year 1817 Johann Schornstein, the musical director at Elberfeld, organized a music festival in his town, in which he was assisted by the musicians from Düsseldorf under their conductor Friedrich August Burgmüller. During this festival the idea was born by Schornstein and Burgmüller to repeat this event every year alternately between their cities. In the year 1821 the musicians from Cologne and 1825 from Aachen participated, but with the performance 1827 the responsible persons of Elberfeld decided to stop their commitment, because the town was not up to manage the rush of musicians and guests. This festival continued up to 1958 and took place 112 times. Only during the period of the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states and the First and Second World War the meeting was interrupted. After the last war in the year 1948 Cologne resigned out of this cycle of the music festival, whereas the cities Wuppertal, a fusion of Elberfeld and Barmen, and Duisburg acceded to this meeting. But in the year 1958 the festival was closed definitely, because in the meantime some other regional music festivals were founded.
At the beginning the Lower Rhenish Music Festival continued two days and from the year 1826 one day more, every year during Whitsuntide. Temporary in 1834 the king Frederick William III of Prussia interdicted this performance on Whitsun for religious reasons, but by the intercession of his nephew prince Frederick of Prussia, an art enthusiast and protector of the art societies of Düsseldorf, the festival regained permission with some restrictions.

Characteristics

From the beginning the Lower Rhenish Music Festival apprehended as a societal and cultural culmination on a highly artistically level. To the home and foreign guests, politicians, business people and members of the high nobility there were presented all the compositions, which played a significant role at that time. In addition to the local music directors many important conductors, composers and soloists were engaged as director of the festivals. Again and again the stage was used for the performance of world and national premieres and also for the presentation of new versions by known or unknown artists. The focus comprised the music of the last epochs of the Baroque music, the Viennese classical as well as the Romantic Music and later of the 20th-century classical music. There were performed the great symphonic poems, mass, oratorios, chorale, cantatas and here and there chamber music.
This implicated that sometimes the participation of more than 500 musicians. On one side the high number of musicians and the foreign guests connoted a lucrative revenue stream but on the other side also a logistical challenge and risk for the organization.

Chronology

In the following you will find a chronology of the Lower Rhenish Music Festival in detail, which was compiled from a selection of reliable sources and provides an overview.
serial numberyearplaceDirectors of festivalspecifics/premiere/significant soloists
01817ElberfeldJohannes SchornsteinOfficially it doesn't ranking to this cycle, but it believes as an initial spark;
11818DüsseldorfFriedrich August BurgmüllerTop priority: The Seasons and Schöpfungsmesse of Joseph Haydn; Soloist: Johannes Schornstein
21819ElberfeldJohann Schornstein
31820DüsseldorfFriedrich August BurgmüllerGerman premiere of the oratorio "Samson" of George Frideric Handel; Soloist: Johannes Schornstein
41821CologneFriedrich August Burgmüller,The city of Cologne new in the programme; inter alia promote through Erich Verkenius, president of the Cologne University of Music
51822DüsseldorfFriedrich August Burgmüllerworld premiere of the oratorio "Das befreite Jerusalem" of Abbé Maximilian Stadler; For logistic reasons Düsseldorf deputized for Elberfeld. At first-time in the hall of knights of the old castle of Düsseldorf.
61823ElberfeldJohannes Schornstein
71824CologneFriedrich SchneiderWorld premiere of the oratorio "Die Sündflut" of Friedrich Schneider
81825AachenFerdinand RiesCity of Aachen new in the programme; German premiere of the Symphony No.9 of Ludwig van Beethoven in celebration of opening of Theater Aachen
91826DüsseldorfLouis Spohr and Ferdinand RiesDüsseldorf premiere of the oratorio "The Last Judgement" of Louis Spohr and the Symphony Nr. 6 D major op. 146 of F. Ries; First-time the festival takes over three days.
101827ElberfeldJohann Schornstein and Erich VerkeniusLast participation of the City of Elberfeld;
111828CologneBernhard Klein, Ferdinand Ries and Carl LeiblWorld premiere of the oratorio "Jephtha" of B. Klein and a new recording concert overture at "Don Carlos" of F. Ries
121829AachenFerdinand Ries
131830DüsseldorfFerdinand RiesGerman premiere of the overture "Braut von Messina" op. 162 of F. Ries,, also Düsseldorf premiere of the oratorio "Judas Maccabaeus" of G. F. Handel
141832CologneFerdinand Ries
151833DüsseldorfFelix MendelssohnGerman premiere of Symphony No. 4 and a "festival-overture" of F. Mendelssohn, also the oratorio Israel in Egypt in the German original version of G. F. Handel; new in the programme: morning concerts
161834AachenFerdinand RiesSoloist: Frédéric Chopin
171835CologneFelix MendelssohnSolomon of G. F. Handel in original score and with comp of organ; Choir master: Fanny Mendelssohn
181836DüsseldorfFelix MendelssohnWorld premiere of the oratorio "St. Paul" of F. Mendelssohn; Choir master: J. Schornstein
191837AachenFerdinand RiesWorld premiere of the oratorio "Die Könige in Israel" of Ferdinand Ries
201838CologneFelix Mendelssohn
211839DüsseldorfFelix MendelssohnGuest appearance and successfully artistic breakthrough of the composer Hubert Ferdinand Kufferath; world premiere of a festival-overture of Julius Rietz; Choir master: J. Schornstein
221840AachenLouis Spohr
231841CologneConradin Kreutzer
241842DüsseldorfFelix Mendelssohn
251843AachenCarl Gottlieb Reissiger
261844CologneHeinrich DornGerman premiere of Missa Solemnis D major op. 123 of L. v. Beethoven
271845DüsseldorfJulius RietzGerman premiere of the "Requiem" of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Nine years pause follows because the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
281846AachenFelix MendelssohnSoloist and discovery of the "Swedish Nightingale" Jenny Lind
291847CologneHeinrich Dorn, Gaspare Spontini and George OnslowGerman premiere of the Symphony No. 4 G major op. 71 of G. Onslow
301851AachenPeter Josef von Lindpaintner
311853DüsseldorfRobert Schumann, Ferdinand Hiller and Julius TauschWorld premiere of the Symphony No. 4 d-minor op. 120 and the festival-overture Op. 123 of R. Schumann; Soloist: Clara Schumann and Joseph Joachim ;
321854AachenPeter Joseph von Lindpaitner
331855DüsseldorfFerdinand HillerSpecial performance of the oratorio "Paradise and the Peri" by R. Schumann by special request of the soloist Jenny Lind
341856DüsseldorfJulius RietzDüsseldorf provided an alternative venue at short notice because the Cologne concert hall, the "Gürzenich," had to be restored and rebuilt.
351857AachenFranz Liszt
361858CologneFerdinand HillerWorld premiere of the oratorio "Saul" of Ferdinand Hiller
371860DüsseldorfFerdinand HillerSoloist: Joseph Joachim
381861AachenFranz LachnerSoloist: Clara Schumann
391862CologneFerdinand Hiller
401863DüsseldorfOtto Goldschmidt and Julius TauschSoloist: Jenny Lind
411864AachenJulius Rietz and Franz WüllnerFirst-time in the new "Redoute", the ballroom of the old casino in Aachen; Application of a new organ by organ building company "Ibach"
421865CologneFerdinand HillerSoloist: Friedrich Nietzsche as singer
431866DüsseldorfOtto Goldschmidt and Julius TauschWorld premiere of the Violin Concerto No.1 g-minor, op. 26, of Max Bruch; Soloists: Clara Schumann, Joseph Joachim and Jenny Lind ; Inauguration ceremony of the new concert hall Tonhalle Düsseldorf
441867AachenJulius Rietz and Ferdinand Breunung
451868CologneFerdinand Hiller
461869DüsseldorfJulius Rietz and Julius TauschSoloist: Joseph Joachim
471870AachenFranz Lachner and Ferdinand Breununglast performance of Jenny Lind with the soprano-solo of the oratorio "Ruth" of Otto Goldschmidt
481871CologneFerdinand Hiller
491872DüsseldorfAnton Rubinstein and Julius TauschWorld premiere of the religious opera "Der Turm zu Babel" of A. Rubinstein
501873AachenJulius Rietz and Ferdinand BreunungSoloists: Marie Wilt, Johann Christoph Lauterbach and Clara Schumann
511874CologneFerdinand Hiller
521875DüsseldorfJoseph Joachim and Julius TauschDüsseldorf premiere of the Missa Solemnis of L. v. Beethoven
531876AachenFerdinand BreunungInauguration of a new organ by Georg Stahlhuth; Soloist and artistic breakthrough of Adolf Wallnöfer
541877CologneFerdinand Hillerguest appearance as conductor of Giuseppe Verdi with his Messa da Requiem
551878DüsseldorfJoseph Joachim and Julius TauschWorld premiere of the choir-performance "Germanenzug" of Julius Tausch; Artistic breakthrough of the Symphony No. 2 of Johannes Brahms; Düsseldorf premiere of "Szenen aus Goethes Faust" of R. Schumann; Soloist: Clara Schumann
561879AachenFerdinand Breunung and Max Bruch
571880CologneFerdinand HillerSoloist: Clara Schumann
581881DüsseldorfNiels Gade and Julius TauschSoloist: Eugen Gura
591882AachenFranz Wüllner
601883CologneFerdinand Hiller
611884DüsseldorfJohannes Brahms and Julius TauschSoloist: Eugen d'Albert
621885AachenJulius Kniese and Carl Reinecke
631886CologneFranz Wüllner
641887DüsseldorfHans Richter and Julius TauschSoloist: Eugen d'Albert
651888AachenHans Richter and Eberhard Schwickerath
661889CologneFranz Wüllner
671890DüsseldorfHans Richter and Julius ButhsSoloist: Bernhard Stavenhagen
681891AachenErnst von Schuch and Eberhard Schwickerath
691892CologneFranz Wüllner
701893DüsseldorfJulius Buths
711894AachenErnst von Schuch and Eberhard Schwickerath
721895CologneFranz Wüllner
731896DüsseldorfJohannes Brahms, Julius Buths and Richard Strausslast performance of J. Brahms in Rhineland; Soloists: Pablo de Sarasate and Ferruccio Busoni
741897AachenHans Richter and Eberhard Schwickerath
751898CologneFranz Wüllner
761899DüsseldorfRichard Strauss and Julius Buths
771900AachenRichard Strauss and Eberhardt Schwickerath
781901CologneKarl Wolff and Erich Urban
791902DüsseldorfRichard Strauss and Julius ButhsThe meeting was incorporate under the programme of the Düsseldorf industrial exhibition; second German performance also breakthrough of the oratorio The Dream of Gerontius of Edward Elgar.
801903AachenFelix Weingartner and Eberhard SchwickerathSoloist: George Enescu
811904CologneFritz Steinbach
821905DüsseldorfJulius ButhsSoloists: Ernő Dohnányi, Irene Abendroth
831906AachenFelix Weingärtner and Eberhard Schwickerath
841907CologneFritz Steinbach
851909AachenMax von Schillings, Eberhard Schwickerath and Richard Strauss
861910CologneFritz Steinbach
871911DüsseldorfKarl PanznerSoloist: Eugène Ysaÿe
881912AachenKarl Muck and Eberhard Schwickerath
891913CologneFritz SteinbachCologne premiere of the Symphony No. 8 of Gustav Mahler
901914DüsseldorfKarl PanznerSoloists: Elly Ney, Bronislaw Huberman
911920AachenKarl Muck and Eberhard Schwickerath
921922CologneHermann AbendrothCologne premiere of the romantic cantata "Von deutscher Seele" of Hans Pfitzner
931924AachenPeter Raabe and Walter Braunfels
941925CologneHermann Abendroth and Richard Straussintegrate under the programme of the "millennium-festival of the Rhineland"
951926DüsseldorfHans WeisbachGerman premiere of the dramatic and symphonic Psalm "Le Roi David" of Arthur Honegger; Soloist: Ludwig Wüllner, Edwin Fischer
961927AachenPeter Raabe and Walter Braunfels
971928Cologne
981929DüsseldorfHans WeisbachWorld premiere of "Marianischen Antiphone" of Wolfgang Fortner also the chamber concert op. 43 a of Adolf Busch and the Sonata for flutes, 2 Viola da gamba and Basso continuo according to a scripture in the state library of Hesse of Georg Philipp Telemann
991930AachenPeter Raabe and Paul PellaHighlight: Wozzeck of Alban Berg
1001933AachenGottlob Karl Springsfeld, Aachen fabricant and one of the Aachen sponsors of the music festivals has died
1011946AachenTheodor Bernhard Rehmann, Heinrich Hollreiser, Günter Wand, Wilhelm Pitz and Felix RaabeRemake after the pause because the world war; Top priority was English aöso French works
1021947DüsseldorfHeinrich HollreiserGerman premiere of the symphonic metamorphosis about a theme of Carl Maria von Weber aon Paul Hindemith
1031948Cologne
1041949AachenFelix Raabe, Theodor Bernhard Rehmann, Hans Weisbach, Michael SittardWorld premiere of the symphonic cantata "Zwischen Zeit und Ewigkeit" op. 65 of Franz Philipp also the "Variations for Orchestra" of Ernst Pepping
1051950Wuppertal
1061951DüsseldorfHeinrich HollreiserDüsseldorf premiere of the oratorio "Das Unaufhörliche" of Paul Hindemith
1071952AachenFelix Raabe, Heinrich Hollreiser, Theodor Bernhard Rehmann, Günther Wand and Hans Weisbachworld premiere of the symphonic intermezzo from the lyric drama "Boulevard Solitude" of Hans Werner Henze
1081954DuisburgGeorg Ludwig JochumWorld premiere of the choral "Wiegenlied der Mutter Gottes" of H. W. Henze, Text: Lope de Vega
1091955WuppertalPaul HindemithWorld premiere of the cantata "Ite angeli veloces" of P. Hindemith, Text: Paul Claudel
1101956DüsseldorfHermann ScherchenWorld premiere of the choral "Tedeum" of Ernst Pepping also of the concert for piano and orchestra of Hans Vogt
1111957AachenWolfgang Sawallisch, Theodor Bernhard Rehmann, Rudolf Pohl, Wilhelm Pitz, Leo Nießen and Karl VenthRepresentation of the composer Wolfgang Meyer-Tormin
1121958DuisburgGeorg Ludwig Jochumlast performance of the Lower Rhenish Music Festivals

Literature (selection)