Leo Blech
Leo Blech (* April 21, 1871 in Aachen, † August 25, 1958 in Berlin) was a German composer and conductor.
Life
Although he had already been with 8 years as a piano prodigy a concert in his hometown, sheet metal first made 1887-1891 a business education. He then completed a degree in music and composition in Berlin with Woldemar Bargiel (composition) and Ernst Rudorff ( Piano), then, during his conducting activities during 1893-99 Aachen Symphony Orchestra, he was still studying at Engelbert Humperdinck. In 1893 he composed his first opera Aglaya, she offered successfully at the Stadttheater Aachen and became engaged the same as the second conductor.
1899 sheet went to Prague, where he worked until 1906 at the city's German National Theatre, among other things, he led the first performance here in 1903 by Eugen d' Albert lowlands and on November 12, 1905 the Flauto solo. In 1906 he was appointed professor at the Berlin Court Opera; In 1913 he was appointed music director. From 1923 to 1926 sheet initially worked at the German Opera House Charlottenburg, then at the Volksoper in Berlin, and finally at the Vienna Volksoper. Back in Berlin, he joined his position as General Music Director of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden again. By 1937 he had there conducted a total of 2846 performances.
With special permission Hermann Göring the chief dramaturge Heinz Tietjen Leo Blech could also employ during the Nazi regime, despite his Jewish origins. When the detachment sheet 1937 operated always energetic, he was forced to emigrate. He first went to Latvia, where he led the National Opera in Riga. With the occupation of Latvia by the Soviet Union in 1940 plate was invited to guest performances in Moscow and Leningrad. Due to the great success he was asked to take over the Moscow Conservatory as a director. However, he refused, returned to Riga, which was conquered in 1941 by German troops. Sheet deportation to the ghetto was imminent. In mediation Tietjens he and his wife over Berlin and Sassnitz could emigrate secretly to Sweden. At the Royal Opera in Stockholm, where he had been appointed Kapellmeister in 1935, he had a highly successful career age. In Stockholm he was a founding and board member of the Free German League of Culture. 1949 Leo Blech returned back to Germany and was appointed as General Music Director of the Städtische Oper in Berlin- Charlottenburg. 1953 forced him to aggravating a hearing condition to end his career. He died in 1958 in Berlin and was buried in the cemetery military road.
Sheet was married since 1899 with soprano Martha Frank ( 1871-1962 ). Their daughter Lisl was also a singer and married the conductor Herbert Sandberg.
Honors
In January 1953 he was awarded the Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1956 was the occasion of his 85th birthday the same medal with star.
The state of Berlin had established and maintained his grave as an honorary grave, which was initially for a period of 50 years. The status of an honorary tomb is checked in the administrative regulations every 20 years. The Senate had been in 2013, " that continued living memory in the general public over the period of a century beyond " could not be expected. Therefore, the grave stone was sawn off in April 2013 and leveled the grave. The protests, including by the Berlin Staatskapelle, of opera fans and music lovers, could not prevent it. However, it is considered the cultural administration to allow the cemetery an appropriate souvenir.
In July 1959, a square named after Leo Blech in Berlin's Grunewald district, in the district of Aachen Kronenberg there is the Leo - sheet - road.
In October 1987, a Berlin memorial plaque by the district administration of Charlottenburg was attached to his house in the Mommsenstraße.
Works
His compositional work consists mainly of operas, operettas, as well as vocal works and songs. Of particular note is the collaboration with the librettist Richard Batka. From 1916 took plate on numerous recordings, first for the German gramophone company, from 1926 also for Electrola.
Songs
- Lullaby, Love sample, gazebo, Opus 16
- The gallant Abbot, song cycle, Op 17
- 8 Children's Songs (Eight ditty large and small children sing ), op 21 ( Issue 1 )
- 8 Children's Songs, Op 22 ( Issue 2 )
- 8 Children's Songs, Op 24 ( Issue 3 )
- 8 Children's Songs, Op 25 ( Issue 4 )
- 9 Children's Songs, Op 27 ( Issue 5 )
- 9 Children's Songs, Op 28 ( Issue 6 )
Operas
- Aglaya. UA Aachen 1893
- Cherubina. UA Hamburg 1894
- That was me! , Op 12, first performed in Dresden in 1902
- King of the Alps and misanthrope, op 14 UA Berlin 1903
- Cinderella ( Fairy Tale ), Op 15 UA Prague 1905
- Sealed, Op 18 UA Hamburg 1908
- Rappelkopf ( reworking of King of the Alps and Misanthrope ), Berlin 1916
Operetta
- The grass widow, op 26, UA Hamburg 1920
Pieces for Orchestra
- The nun, op 6
- Solace in nature, op 7
- Forest hike, Op 8 No 1