Berlin Singakademie
(Robert -Franz -Sing Academy )
The Singing Academy Hall is by the Sing- Akademie zu Berlin one of the oldest Sing academies in Germany, founded in 1814 by Johann Friedrich Naue, who was next to Felix Mendelssohn, among others, Carl Friedrich Zelter's pupil. Since 1907, it bears the name of its most important conductor ( Robert Franz -Sing Academy ) It was 1953, the Staatskapelle Halle affiliated. The institution consists of a semi- professional amateur choir currently has 70 active singers. The artistic director Frank -Steffen Elster.
History
The Academy of Music under its founder JF Naue
1808, the desire for such an institution was in Hallischen Patriotic weekly paper for the first time aloud, and spake in 1814 in the same paper for the first time by a vocal academy, the academic ceremony in the cathedral hall at the King Friedrich Wilhelm III birthday. ( August 3 ) had sung. In the note that " under the direction of Prof. Maass and the Lord Naue for some time educated, highly achtenswerthe Singing Academy ... compositions of the great Handel, who was once Britain's pride, and, as gebohrener Halle, our pride is " presented, has the increasing identification with the Halle Handel, her greatest son of the city expresses, from which is also due to the desire for a growing national feeling. Something that could be observed around the time of the War of Liberation in Germany.
When Johann Friedrich Naue received in Berlin with Carl Friedrich Zelter instruction in composition, he had the world's first Singing Academy met, which was founded in 1791 by Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch and passed in 1800 to his pupil Carl Friedrich Zelter. Presumably he took then, together with his former academic teacher Johann Gebhard Maass the initiative to create such an institution in Halle after in Leipzig and Dresden just what had emerged. Precise, in 1817 appointed as a university music director of the in merger exploiting dividend Frederick University with the established 1502 Wittenberg University, chaired the Academy of Music hall itself until 1833. Highlight of his tenure was the Sing-Akademie 1829 he organized the first music festival of the Thuringian- Saxon Musikverein in Hall, in which she presented herself with 371 singers and George Frideric Handel's oratorio Samson. Thereafter, the institution experienced a major crisis that was only overcome when his successor Simon Georg Schmidt revived the academy as part of the Hall 's Musikverein.
The heyday under Robert Franz
1841 Schmidt went to Bremen. In parting, he conducted for the 300th anniversary of the introduction of the Reformation on November 1, 1841 in St. Moritz, Hall with the participation of 300 singers Handel's Messiah HWV 56 According to a new crisis in the years 1847-1849, which the detachment on the Singing Academy was based on Hall 's Musikverein, the institution experienced under the composer, organist and choir director Robert Franz heyday, they made known throughout Germany.
Born in Halle, took over the post of conductor in 1842 as a worthy successor Johann Friedrich naues and brought new members, singer one headed by him private singer Kränzchens. Max Erlanger, who had before him the Academy a few months, the task was not grown. Initially considered members and music lovers Robert Franz skeptical, as the new leader was not a great conductor of his time. But it turned out that his strength was to motivate the participants in that he understood them to tap into the very essence of each work. 1865 was one of the Singing Academy Hall 400 members, 100 of them actively sang in the choir. In these years, Franz studied numerous works, which now belong to the musical standard literature: The Requiem by Mozart at the annual soirees for Remembrance Sunday ( like alternating with Cherubini's Requiem), oratorios by Handel as Messiah HWV 56, Israel in Egypt HWV 54 Judas Maccabaeus HWV 63 and cantatas by Bach. But also works former contemporaries came to the performance as the living in Leipzig Robert Schumann Paradise and the Peri op.50 or Romberg's bell. Until the mid-1870s into studying the Singing Academy Hall a Handel works. After that, she was largely confined repetitions.
The samples were usually in the hall of the hotel and inn to crown prince in the Little Klausstr. 16 on the marketplace place, in the place regularly theater and concert events, including 1829 Music Festival with Carl Friedrich Zelter in 1835 and a concert with Clara Wieck (now Ärztehaus center, Halle).
The Academy machined as a carrier of revival works of Bach and Handel
" Performances by the scores that reflect only the, Urtext ' without any additives, I reject vehemently because their note faithful reproduction resulted in my view to anemic interpretations that reflect only a caricature of the actual music. " (Robert Francis )
Especially for the concert with the Singing Academy taught Robert Franz - like Mozart 1788/89 in front of him - especially the works of Bach and Handel, and let them give into pressure, so they were spread far beyond the circle of the Sing-Akademie addition. Major Bach scholars as Philipp Spitta and lives in Hamburg, Handel researcher Friedrich Chrysander criticized Robert Franz's arrangements of his time, however, vehemently, that is no longer in use or no longer fit perceived instruments were replaced with modern, enriched by additional instruments to search for standards of the 19th century to achieve a " melodious sound ." Franz sat out many general bass for various wind because an organ did not offer enough expression on his terms. Robert Franz published in 1871 an "Open Letter to Eduard Hanslick edits on older Tonwerke name of Bach and Handel's Vocal Music ", in which he explained his views and motives. Thus, the Singing Academy Hall was 30 years took its course in its own way important carriers of the revival movement of Bach and Handel's works, the beginning of the 19th century with Carl Friedrich Zelter and especially the musical work of his most important pupil Felix Mendelssohn -Bartholdy.
The era by Robert Franz
Robert Franz put 1867 as musical director of the Sing-Akademie down. She was so strongly influenced by him, especially in the works of Bach and Handel, that there will be tensions within the academy and eventually came much later in the era after him nor for cleavage.
Your new manager Felix Voretzsch used initially still further edits Franz ', but then came more and more from them. Then put the board of the Academy of Music in 1880 its conductor, whereupon most of the members leaked and with her ex- conductors a year later, a second, a New Singing Academy founded, which felt less connected to Robert Franz, the old head with its practices. Voretzsch director of the New Academy of Music until 1900. His successor was Willy throw Schmidt. Until the 1920s, both vocal academies existed side by side, which is affiliated with Robert Franz ( originally founded by Naue ) from 1907 deliberately Robert -Franz -Sing Academy and founded by Voretzsch 1908 provocative Hallische Singing Academy named. Both offered regularly high-class concerts, oratorios of George Frideric Handel, sometimes just one day after the other performance by a great work.
The Robert Franz -Sing Academy was after cleavage from 1880 to 1911 under the direction of Hall as organ and piano virtuoso Liszt very successful student. The choice fell on him, the university music director Otto Reubke because he a glee club with over 100 members headed addition to its function as a music teacher and lecturer for some time already and had experience with the performance of works of Handel and Bach in Franz'scher processing. Stronger than before the work of the Academy of Music under Reubke was now directed to public performances, the quality should be raised by the involvement of professional soloists. His successor was the royal music director and music director Alfred University Wahlwes, the Robert -Franz -Sing Academy director until 1946 and einrichtete several Handel works for them.
Since then, the Academy of Music has taken a checkered development, including in 1953, in which it was connected to the State Symphony Orchestra Hall, which they committed since then, every year to achieve with the orchestra a certain number of concerts in Halle and in central Germany. Guest performances the singers of the Academy in 1970 after Veszprem, to Paris in 1975, 1991 in Hanover and Hildesheim, 1992 to Saint Petersburg with the Handel oratorio L' Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato ( Franz'sche processing ), 1995 to Braunschweig and Castle Gnandstein and in 2005 to Rome. In IV International Choir Competition in Budapest in 1993 Singing Academy Hall got a Silver Diploma. The campers plaque she received in 1999. Choir since 1990 Member of the Association of German concert choirs ( VdKC ).
Importance of Singing Academy for the European Handel care
In the birthplace of Georg Friedrich Handel played his music, as far as can be judged today, no significant role until the early 19th century, although after a first Handel concert outside of England in 1766 in Berlin (Alexander 's Feast ) in cities such as Florence, Hamburg, Weimar, Leipzig and Braunschweig sporadic performances followed. Daniel Gottlob Türk brought to the Messiah ( Mozart's version) KV572 1803 in Halle for the first time a Handel work for hearing on a special-purpose Handel evening.
The merit of the Singing Academy Hall for the European Handel care is that in the birthplace of George Frideric Handel in 1814 strengthened awareness of the care of his works. During her early years she appeared under Johann Friedrich Naue unlike other clubs with several Handel oratorios same in appearance as 1820 with Saul and Solomon, 1836 Schmidt with Messiah, Judas Maccabaeus and Saul again, and in 1838, with the Dettingen Te Deum Alexander 's Feast and Israel in Egypt.
The most important leader of the Singing Academy, Robert Franz, addressed a number of arrangements of Handel's works specifically for the Academy and published them with her about the city limits. The members of the Academy are for this reason has always been a major carrier of the Handel care ( in addition to the care of Bach and Franz'scher works ).
The first highlight of the European Handel care is undoubtedly 1859, the elaborate celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the composer, in which the Academy of Music Hall was heavily involved. Georg Gottfried Gervinus started years before a call to all music clubs in the German-speaking world to hold performances in favor of the composer worthy border monument, on the market square opposite the Market Church of Our Lady is to be placed in Handel's birthplace, in this play the organ at Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow learned. In fact, then went out some donations not only from numerous cities in Germany one, but also from England. The Singing Academy Hall had on this project, which was surprisingly a German-English, substantial proportions as they did the same in the years after the call of Gervinus more impressive oratorio under Robert Franz in favor of the memorial fund for the performance. In March 1856 in the hall of the Francke Foundations Handel's Samson and 1857 of the Messiah ( Mozart Franz'sche version), which was repeated a year later. In the same year, the Academy of Music led to Israel in Egypt and repeatedly Samson. Thanks to their commitment and other clubs could be at the dedication of the Handel Memorial Hall on July 1, 1859 Hermann Heidel and numerous dignitaries and eminent artists, among them Franz Liszt arrive, whereupon the Singing Academy then in the Market Church of Our Lady thanked with an exceptional performance of Handel's oratorio Samson, at the renowned soloists sang as Johanna Jachmann -Wagner ( niece of Richard Wagner ). Almost every year Handel works were now in Halle, the birthplace of the composer presented.
In the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Georg Friedrich Handel was appointed the former head of the Singing Academy Hall, Robert Franz Honorary President of the Preparatory Committee. On the eve of Handel's birthday (February 23, 1885) which briefly founded under Voretzsch New Singing Academy led to the hall of the house protecting Handel's Hercules. The older Singing Academy under Otto Reubke attached to the anniversary evening once the new Messiah ( Mozart Franz'sche version) to be heard.
Since the establishment of the annual Handel Festival in 1952, the Academy of Music made in collaboration with the State Symphony Hall traditionally the final concert of the festival in the Galgenbergschlucht and played a key role in the establishment and consolidation of a tradition of this festival, in addition to those in Göttingen and Karlsruhe regularly now are organized with the most prestigious Handel experts from around the world like in 1997 with Emma Kirkby, 1999 Trevor Pinnock and in 2000 with John Eliot Gardiner.
The task of the Robert -Franz -Sing Academy today is the increasingly globalized world, therefore, increasingly in the spiritual transcend national boundaries in terms of the biographical characteristics of their through the centuries gone influential composers Handel to ad alongside other major choral societies in a musical city like Halle Saale to remain sustainable.