Hanns Wolf

File:Hochschule für Musik Würzburg.JPG

File:Leopold Mozart Augsburg.JPG

Hanns Wolf was born in Bamberg, Germany. Little is known about his childhood, however from 1908 to 1912, he studied under Max Meyer-Olbersleben for composition and Henryk van Zeyl (who was a student of Liszt){{cite book |title = Franz Liszt: The Final Years, 1861–1886|last=Walker|first=Alan|author-link=Alan Walker (musicologist)|page=237 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=beP86q3iO6MC&pg=PA237|date=1987|publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=0801484537 }}{{cite book |title = Franz Liszt|last=Huneker|first=James|author-link=James Huneker|page=198 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ebyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA198|date=July 24, 2020|publisher=BoD – Books on Demand |isbn=9783752332209 }} for piano in the Würzburg Music Conservatory.

From 1912 to 1924 he was a teacher for piano and organ, first in Essen as a private piano teacher from the year 1912 to 1913, then in Aschaffenburg as a teacher of piano and organ in the Städtische Musikschule Aschaffenburg (municipal music school), starting as a permanent teacher from February 1914{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ziGxXQRQ_0YC&q=hanns+wolf|title=Musikpädagogische Blätter|date=1914|publisher=W. Peiser Verlag}} to 1924. In Aschaffenburg, Wolf was considerably popular and well known as he and Hermann Kundigraber (who was the head of the music school){{ÖBL2|Hermann|Kundigraber|1879|1944|title= Kundigraber, Hermann (1879–1944), Komponist und Musikpädagoge|author=[Wolfgang] Suppan|author-link=Wolfgang Suppan|volume=4|page=349|year=1968}} organized many concerts that can be date backed as early as 1917.{{cite book |title = Signale für die musikalische Welt|publisher=Verlag und Redaktion der Signale für die musikalische Welt |page=540 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ViI5AAAAIAAJ&q=Kompositionsabend+des+Anstaltslehrers+Hanns+Wolf |date=1917}}{{efn|1=The 1917 event involved many people such as Alois Seifert, Alfred Hoehn, the Stuttgarter Oratorio Quartet, and many more. It lasted for a few weeks; in this time Wolf created several compositions and performed some in the time of October 31 – November 22.{{cite book|title=Musikpädagogische Blätter – Zentralblatt fur das gesamte musikalische Unterrichtswesen, Volumes 40–41|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ziGxXQRQ_0YC&q=hanns+wolf|page=350|author=Emil Breslaur|publisher=W. Peiser Verlag|editor=Anna Morsch|date=1917}}}} Wolf taught piano to Ottmar Geißler (Geissler).{{cite book |title = Aschaffenburger Jahrbuch für Geschichte, Landeskunde und Kunst des Untermaingebietes|publisher=Geschichts- und Kunstverein Aschaffenburg|page=399 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vtJVAAAAYAAJ&q=hanns+wolf |date=2001|isbn=9783879650873 }}

After 1924, Wolf was a professor in the Augsburg Musikhochschule, now known as Leopold Mozart Centre of the University of Augsburg. As Wolf had a prior job as an organ professor, he had relations to {{ill|Arthur Piechler|de}}{{cite book |title= Arthur Piechler 1896–1974 ; Bayer, Komponist, Organist ; Erinnerungen, Begegnungen, Briefe|last1=Lethmair |first1=Thea |page=20 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XjIyAAAAMAAJ&q=hanns+wolf+augsburg+musikschule |date=1976}} (who was an organ virtuoso), Piechler was the student of Heinrich Kaspar Schmid who was the director of the music school.{{cite book |title= Plett – Schmidseder|last1=Killy |first1=Walther|author1-link=Walther Killy|last2=Vierhaus|first2=Rudolf|author2-link=Rudolf Vierhaus|page=744 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JkoK_108xJkC&dq=Heinrich+Kaspar+Schmid+augsburg&pg=PT772 |date=2011|publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=9783110966305 }} Wolf also played piano around Europe, playing the works of Dobrowen and Wladigeroff.{{cite book |title = Anbruch Volumes 12–13 |page=41 |date=1930 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vSM5AAAAIAAJ&q=hanns+wolf+pianist}} However, the outbreak of World War II forced him to stay in Germany. He continued to hold his position as a professor in the university until the war ended in 1945, when he resigned as a professor and lived as an independent composer and pianist.

He died at the age of 74 on July 2, 1968, in Füssen, Germany.

A majority of his work has been destroyed or lost, most likely for political reasons, but it is still uncertain. As a pianist, he performed with Otto Klemperer, Georg Ludwig Jochum, and Eduard van Beinum.

His compositions were mostly piano related.

• Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor (1929){{Cite web|url=https://denneyhomeplace.com/2017/09/03/classical-sunday-hanns-wolf-piano-concerto-in-c-sharp-minor/|title=Classical Sunday: Hanns Wolf (Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor)|date=September 3, 2017}}
• Ernst und Scherz (Serious and Joking) 10 piano pieces (1930){{cite web|url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=%22Wolf%2C+Hanns%22&qt=results_page|title=Wolf, Hanns search results|website=WorldCat|access-date=17 April 2022}}{{better source needed|date=July 2023}}
• Leichte Spielmusik (Light music) 10 small piano pieces for youth
• Étude in E minor Springbrunnen
• Paraphrase for the piano on "Wiener Blut" by Johann Strauss II
• 5 Franconian Dances for four hands (~1935)
• Vier Bauerntänze (Op. 7, 4 Peasant Dances for strings) (pub. Anton Böhm & Sohn, Augsburg, 1937){{cite web|url=https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sin-001%3A1937%3A4%3A%3A44#45|title=Das Orchester : schweizerische Monatsschrift zur Förderung der Orchester- und Hausmusik = L'orchestre : revue suisse mensuelle pour l'orchestre et la musique de chambre|date=March 1937|access-date=May 29, 2024|page=47}} "4. Jahrgang 4eme Annee" published in Einsiedeln, in both German and English, "REDAKTION: A PIGUET DU FAY, SPYRISTRASSE 9, ZURICH 24"
• Piano arrangement of a minuet by Leopold Mozart (1937){{rp|4}}{{cite journal|journal=Neue Zeitschrift für Musik|volume=105|year=1938|title=Neue Bücher und Musikalien|language=de|page=622|url=https://archive.org/details/NeueZeitschriftFuerMusik1938Jg105/page/n691/mode/2up|via=Internet Archive}}{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/Musikalisch-literarischerMonatsbericht1938|title=Januar 1938|journal=Hofmeisters Musikalisch-literarischer Monatsbericht|language=de|date=January 1938|volume=110|number=1|page=12}}
• Piano arrangement of 3 German Dances by Wolfang Amadeus Mozart (K. 605; 1971) (pub. Anton Böhm & Sohn, Augsburg, 1933){{cite web|url=https://digital.slub-dresden.de/data/kitodo/Brsfded_39946221X-19331220/Brsfded_39946221X-19331220_tif/jpegs/Brsfded_39946221X-19331220.pdf|title=Borfenblatt - fur den Deutfchen - Buchhandel|date=20 December 1933|page=12|access-date=30 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530035624/https://digital.slub-dresden.de/data/kitodo/Brsfded_39946221X-19331220/Brsfded_39946221X-19331220_tif/jpegs/Brsfded_39946221X-19331220.pdf|archive-date=30 May 2024}}
• Prof. Mannheim (1934){{cite book |title= The Hebrew Theatre |last1= Kohansky |first1=Mendel |last2= Vanden-Broeck |first2= Jean |page=282 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWVZAAAAMAAJ&q=prof+mannheim+hanns+wolf |date=1969}}
• Twelve variations on a minuet by Johann Christian Fischer KV 179, (A rewrite of the original variations by Mozart, this work was originally started by Alfred Hoffmiller of the Augsburg music school; 1940s?){{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zPJKAAAAYAAJ&q=179+)+hatte+Professor+Hans+Wolf|title=Zeitschrift des Historischen Vereins für Schwaben|page=14|date=1942 |last1=Schwaben |first1=Historischer Verein für }}

In 1996, Karl Urlberger reintroduced Hanns Wolf to the world,{{Cite web|url=http://musiqueclassique.forumpro.fr/t13669-hanns-wolf-1894-1968 |title=Hanns Wolf (1894–1968)|website=Musique classique|language=fr}} recording five of Wolf's pieces (listed below) in 1997 under the •K•U• Classics{{efn|1=•K•U• Classics is a label owned by Karl Urlberger, KU are his initials. These recordings were on KU 29002, but the piano concerto was released again with Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto no. 2 and Totentanz as KU 29004.}} (Aschaffenburg) label.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bielekat.info/index.php?action=showdetail&id=30774 |title=Wolf, Hanns (1894–1968)|language=de}}{{rp|4}} While the 4 Peasant Dances were also released on "For strings only" CD that includes Moritz Moszkowski's Prelude and Fugue Op. 85, Alec Rowley's English Dance Suite, Richard Trunk's Serenade for strings Op. 55, George Enescu's two intermezzi for strings, Op. 12, and Constantin Silvestri 3 pieces for string orchestra, Op. 4, No. 2.{{rp|45}} All the recordings were made in Romania.{{Cite web|url=https://www.main-echo.de/unser-echo/artikel/europas-strassen-sicherer-und-komponist-sterkel-bekannter-gemacht-art-6254504|title=Europas Straßen sicherer und Komponist Sterkel bekannter gemacht|date=August 27, 2018|work=Main-Echo|language=de}}

The piano concerto was probably composed in 1929, it known to be performed as early as 1935 in Coburg by the Coburg Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bUc9AQAAIAAJ&q=hanns+wolf+klavierkonzert|date=1935|title=Die Musik|page=475|last1=Schuster|first1=Bernhard}} Another performance was given on 21 July 1938, in a music program including Hector Berlioz's Roman Carnival overture, and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony, in this performance Hanns Wolf was the pianist.{{cite journal|journal=Neue Zeitschrift für Musik|page=228|date=1938|volume=105|url=https://archive.org/details/NeueZeitschriftFuerMusik1938Jg105/page/227/mode/2up|title=Konzertpodium|language=de|via=Internet Archive}} In 1939, under the baton of {{ill|Otto Miehler|de}} (1903–1968) in the Flensburg Grenzlandtheater the piano concerto was performed again with Wolf as the pianist; the work was celebrated and was very successful in this performance.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/NeueZeitschriftFuerMusik1939Jg106|journal=Neue Zeitschrift für Musik|title=Konzert und Oper – Neustrelitz|author=M. Warnke|language=de|volume=106|date=1939|page=93|via=Internet Archive}} That same year, Wolf's 5 Franconian Dances for Four hands was published by {{ill|Anton Böhm & Sohn|de}}.{{rp|517}} Due to World War II, the piece wasn't performed again until 60 years later on 17 January 1997, when it was performed and recorded with pianist Dana Borsan and the National Radio Orchestra of Romania conducted by {{ill|Ludovic Bács|ro}}. Karl Urlberger organized and helped the performance by bringing the sheet music.{{Discogs release|1948369|Robert Schumann – Dana Borșan – Fantasie C-Dur, Op. 17 / Sinfonische Etüden, Op. 13 / Sechs Fantasiestücke aus Op. 12}}

On 8 September 2011,{{Cite web|url=https://www.eventim.ro/en/tickets/festivalul-george-enescu-2011-abonament-tip-e-si-f-bucuresti-mnar-sala-auditorium-93008/event.html |title=Tickets for Festival George Enescu 2011}} {{in lang|ro}} in the 2011 George Enescu Festival, Dana Borsan again performed the piano concerto, but with the "Moldova" Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sébastian Rouland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.unimir.net/l/prof-univ-dr-dana-borsan-solist-concertist-pian/ |title=Dr. Dana Borsan Piano Concert Soloist}} {{in lang|ro}} This performance was recorded, and was published on YouTube on 25 April 2013, thus making Wolf more well-known.{{YouTube|bJF8yBV-IHk|Hanns Wolf – Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor (1929)}}

In Box 16 (1927) of the Ernst Henschel collection, there might be a recording of Hanns Wolf's piano recital dated 1 October 1927.{{cite web|url=https://www.concertprogrammes.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/4577/|title=Ernst Henschel collection: Berlin: Saal Bechstein (1896–1938) – Box 16 (1927)|access-date=26 July 2023|author=Ernst Henschel}} (one may be able to find these recordings in the British Library)

Wolf was recognized in Peter Hollfelder's Lexikon Klaviermusik in 2005.{{cite book |title=Lexikon Klaviermusik |last1=Hollfelder |first1=Peter|date=2005 |author-link=Peter Hollfelder|page=290 |publisher=F. Noetzel |isbn=9783795908553 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZhEKAQAAMAAJ&q=235+Wolf+,+Hanns}}

Wolf's piano concerto was mentioned in Paul D. Escudero's Pluto II: Voyage to the End of the Universe when Greg listened to it to achieve a "Hemi-Sync Reality" during meditation.{{cite book |title = Pluto II: Voyage to the End of the Universe |last=Escudero|first=Paul D.|page=300 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AyUrEAAAQBAJ&dq=hanns+wolf+piano+concerto&pg=PA300 |date=April 7, 2021|publisher=Dorrance |isbn=9781649138484 }}{{Relevance inline|date=July 2023}}

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Category:German composers

Category:1894 births

Category:1968 deaths