Ernst Toch

Ernst Toch (pronounced IPA| [toʜ] ) (7 December 1887 - 1 October 1964) was a composer of classical music and film scores.

Biography

Toch was born in Vienna. He sought to introduce new ideas and approaches to music. He studied philosophy at the university of Vienna and medicine at Heidelberg. His main instrument was the piano, and he was a pianist of concert stature. Much of his creative output aimed toward the piano. He was a self-taught composer, and in America he came to instruct new generations of composers. His first compositions date from circa 1900 and were pastiche pieces in the style of Mozart (quartets, 1905 album verses for piano). His first quartet was performed in Leipzig in 1908, and his sixth (Opus 12, 1905) in the year 1909. In 1909, his chamber symphony in F major (written 1906) won the Frankfurt/Main Mozart prize. From this time onwards Toch dedicated himself to being a full-time composer. He won the Mendelssohn prize for composition in 1910. In 1913 he was appointed lecturer of both piano and composition at the College of Music in Mannheim. After winning a further five major prizes for his works, Toch served 4 years in the army on the Italian Front.In 1916 he married Lilly Zwack, the daughter of a banker.After World War I had ended, he returned to Manheim to compose, developing a new style of polyphony.

This period lasted from 1934 to 1958. His works often exhibit a humorous aspect (Bunte Suite (1929)). In 1930 he invented "Gesprochene Musik," the idiom of the "spoken chorus"; his most performed work is the "Geographical Fugue" or "Fuge aus der Geographie", though he regarded it as an unimportant diversion. He wrote music for films, symphonies, chamber music, chamber operas. He also wrote books dealing with musical theory: Melodielehre (1923) and "The Shaping Forces in Music" (1948).

Toch was considered one of the great avant-garde composers in the pre-Nazi era, and, like many other artists and musicians, went into exile when Hitler came to power.

Toch won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1956 for his Third Symphony (premiered by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on December 2, 1955). He died in Los Angeles and was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He is the grandfather of authors Lawrence Weschler and Toni Weschler.

Works

Symphonies

* Symphony No. 1, Op. 72 (1950) (pub. 1951)
* Symphony No. 2, Op. 73 (1951) (pub. 1953)
* Symphony No. 3, Op. 75 (1955) (pub. 1957)
* Symphony No. 4, for orchestra and speaker, Op. 80 (1957) (pub. 1960)
* Symphony No. 5 "‘Jephtha, Rhapsodic Poem’", Op. 89 (1963) (pub. 1965)
* Symphony No. 6, Op. 93 (1963) (pub. 1966)
* Symphony No. 7, Op. 95 (1964) (pub. 1968)

Concertos

* Concerto for Violoncello and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 35 (1924) (pub. 1925)
* Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, (Piano Concerto No. 1), Op. 38 (1926) (pub. 1926)
* Symphony for Piano and Orchestra, (Piano Concerto No. 2), Op. 61 (1933) (pub. 1933)

Other Orchestral Works

* Scherzo in B Minor, orchestral version, Op. 11 (1904) (pub. c. 1905)
* "Phantastishche Nachtmusik (Fantastic Serenade)", for orchestra, Op. 27 (1920) (pub. c. 1921)
* Five Pieces for Chamber Orchestra, Op. 33 (1924) (pub. 1924)
* "Komödie für Orchester in Einem Satz (Comedy for Orchestra in One Movement)", Op. 42 (1927) (pub. 1927)
* "Vorspiel zu einem Märchen (Prelude to a Fairy Tale)", for orchestra, Op. 43a (1927) (pub. 1927) (Adapted from the overture of Princess & the Pea)
* "Fanal (Beacon) for Organ and Orchestra", Op. 45 (1928) (pub. 1928)
* "Bunte Suite (Motley Suite)", for orchestra, Op. 48 (1928) (pub. 1929)
* "Kleine Ouvertüre zu der Fächer (Little Overture to the Fan)", for orchestra, Op. 51 (1929) (pub. 1929)
* "Kleine Theater-Suite (Little Theater Suite)", for orchestra, Op. 54 (1930) (pub. 1931)
* "Big Ben: Variation-Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes", for orchestra, Op. 62 (1934) (pub. 1935)
* "Pinocchio: A Merry Overture for Orchestra" (1935) (pub. 1937)
* "‘The Idle Stroller’ Suite", for orchestra (1938) (Unpublished)
* "The Covenant" (Sixth movement from "The Genesis Suite"), for orchestra and narrator (c. 1945) (Score lost; recording exists)
* "Hyperion: A Dramatic Prelude for Orchestra", Op. 71 (1947) (pub. 1950)
* "Circus: An Overture", for orchestra (1953) (pub. 1954)
* "Notturno", for orchestra, Op. 77 (1953) (pub. 1957)
* "Peter Pan", for orchestra, Op. 76 (1956) (pub. 1956)
* "Intermezzo" for orchestra (1959) (pub. 1962)
* "Epilogue" for orchestra (reorchestration of first movement of "Idle Stroller") (1959) (pub. 1964)
* "Short Story" for orchestra (1961) (Unpublished)
* "The Enamoured Harlequin", for orchestra, Op. 94 (1963) (Unpublished)
* Sinfonietta for String Orchestra, Op. 96 (1964) (pub. 1965)
* Variations on the Swabian Folk Song ‘Muss i denn zum Städle hinaus’, for orchestra (1964) (Unpublished)

Chamber Works

* String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 12 (1904-1905) (Unpublished)
* Chamber Symphony in F Major, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 violins, cello & bass (1906) (Unpublished)
* String Quartet in G Major, Op. 15 (1908) (Unpublished)
* "Vom sterbenden Rokoko (From the Dying Rococo)", for violin & piano, Op. 16 (1909) (pub. 1910)
* Duos for Two Violins, Op. 17 (1909) (pub. c. 1910)
* "Romanze", for violin & piano (c. 1910) (pub. 1911)
* Serenade for Three Violins, Op. 20 (1911) (pub. 1912)
* Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 21 (1912) (Unpublished)
* Serenade ("Spitzweg") for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 25 (1916) (pub. 1921)
* String Quartet in D-flat Major, Op. 18 (1910) (pub. 1911)
* String Quartet in C Major, Op. 26 (1919) (pub. 1920)
* String Quartet on the Name ‘Bass’, Op. 28 (1920) (pub. c. 1923)
* "Tanz-Suite (Dance Suite)", for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, bass & percussion, Op. 30 (1923) (pub. 1924) (optional add. strings)
* String Quartet, Op. 34 (1924) (pub. 1924)
* Two Divertimentos for String Duet, Op. 37 (No. 1: violin & cello / No. 2: violin & viola) (1925) (pub. 1926)
* Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 44 (1928) (pub. 1928)
* Sonata for Violoncello and Piano, Op. 50 (1929) (pub. 1929)
* String Trio, for violin, viola & cello, Op. 63 (1936) (pub. 1955)
* Quintet for Piano, Two Violins, Viola and Cello, Op. 64 (1938) (pub. 1947)
* String Quartet, Op. 70 (1946) (pub. 1949)
* "Dedication", for string quartet or string orchestra (1948) (pub. 1957)
* "Adagio Elegiaco", for clarinet & piano (1950) (pub. 1987)
* String Quartet, Op. 74 (1953-1954) (pub. 1961)
* Sonatinetta, for flute, clarinet & bassoon, Op. 84 (1959) (pub. 1961)
* Three Impromptus for Unaccompanied String Instruments, Op.90a (violin), 90b (viola), 90c (cello) (1963) (pub. 1965)
* Quartet for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Viola, Op. 98 (1964) (pub. 1967)

Works for Wind Ensembles

* "Spiel für Blasorchester (Divertimento for Wind Orchestra)", Op. 39 (1926) (pub. 1926; Donaueschingen première)
* "Miniatur Ouvertüre" for 2 flutes, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 trumpets, trombone & percussion (1932) (pub. 1932)
* Five Pieces for Wind Instruments and Percussion, Op. 83 (1959) (pub. 1961)
for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns & percussion
* Sinfonietta for Wind Instruments and Percussion, Op. 97 (1964) (pub. 1967)
for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets & percussion

Piano Works

* "Melodische Skizzen (Melodic Sketches)", Op. 9 (1903) (pub. c. 1903-1905)
* Three Preludes, Op. 10 (c. 1903) (pub. unknown)
* Scherzo in B Minor, original piano version, Op. 11 (1904) (pub. c. 1905)
* "Stammbuchverse (Album Verses)", Op. 13 (1905) (pub. 1905)
* "Begegnung (Meeting)" (1908) (Unpublished)
* "Reminiszenzen (Reminiscences)", Op. 14 (1909) (pub. 1909)
* Canon ("Aus Dem ‘Tagebuch’") (1914) (pub. 1915)
* "Burlesken (Burlesques)", Op. 31 (1923) (pub. 1924)
* Three Piano Pieces, Op. 32 (1924) (pub. 1925)
* "Capriccetti", Op. 36 (1925) (pub. 1925)
* "Tanz-und-Spielstücke (Pieces for Dancing and Playing)", Op. 40 (c. 1926) (pub. 1927)
* Sonata for Piano, Op. 47 (1928) (pub. 1928)
* "Kleinstadtbilder (Echoes From a Small Town)", 14 Moderately Easy Piano Pieces, Op. 49 (1929) (pub. 1929)
* "5 × 10 Etudes", Op. 55-59 (1931) (pub. 1931)
* "Profiles", Op. 68 (1946) (pub. 1948)
* "Ideas", Op. 69 (1946) (pub. 1947)
* "Diversions", Op. 78a (1956) (pub. 1958)
* "Sonatinetta", Op. 78b (1956) (pub. 1958)
* (Untitled canon) (1959) (Unpublished)
* Three Little Dances, Op. 85 (1961) (pub. 1962)
* "Reflections", Op. 86 (1962) (pub. 1962)
* Sonata for Piano Four-Hands, Op. 87 (1962) (pub. 1963)

Other Solo Instrumental Works

* Three Original Pieces for the Electric Welte-Mignon Piano (1926) (Unpublished)
* "Studie", for mechanical organ (1927) (Unpublished)
* Two Etudes for Violoncello Solo (1930) (pub. 1931)

Opera

* "Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse" [The Princess and the Pea] , Op. 43 (1927) (pub. 1927)
Musical fairy tale in one act; text after H. C. Andersen by Benno Elkan; English and German versions exist
* "Egon und Emilie" [Edgar and Emily] , Op. 46 (c. 1928) (pub. 1938)
Chamber opera in one act; "Not a family drama" (Kein Familiendrama); text by Christian Morgenstern; English and German versions exist
* "Der Fächer" [The Fan] , Op. 51 (1929 or 1930) (pub. 1930)
Opera-capriccio in three acts; text by Ferdinand Lion
* "Scheherazade: The Last Tale" [Das letzte Märchen] , Op. 88 (1962) (pub. 1965)
Opera in one act; text by Melchior Lengyel, English translation by Cornel Lengyel [Toch, Ernst: "The Shaping Forces in Music", pg. 240-257, Dover Publications, Inc., 1977, Library of Congress: 76-9950, Checklist of Compositions by Lawrence Weschler]

Choral Works

* "An mein Vaterland (To My Fatherland)", Op.23 (1913) (Unpublished)
for large orchestra, organ, solo soprano, mixed chorus & boys’ chorus
* "Gesprochene Musik (Speaking Music)", (1930). Only No. 1 of 3 published:
* "Geographical Fugue", for speaking chorus (1930) (pub. 1950) No. 1 of 3 from "Gesprochene Musik"
* "Der Tierkreis (The Zodiac)", for women’s chorus (1930) (Nos. 1 & 2 pub. 1930; No. 3 unpublished)
* "Das Wasser (The Water)", Cantata after a text by A. Döblin, Op. 53 (1930) (pub. 1930)
for tenor, baritone, narrator, chorus, flute, trumpet, percussion & strings
* "Cantata of the Bitter Herbs", Op. 65 (1938) (pub.?)
for solo soprano, alto, tenor & baritone, narrator, chorus & orchestra
* "The Inner Circle", six a cappella choruses for mixed chorus, Op.67 (1945, revised 1953) (pub. 1953)
Cui bono (Thomas Carlyle) / The Lamb (William Blake) / Extinguish my eyes (Rainer Maria Rilke) / O World, thou chosest not (George Santayana) / Have you not heard his silent step (Rabindranath Tagore) / 6. Goodbye, proud world (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
* "Phantoms", Op.81 (1957) (pub.?)
for male and female speakers, women’s speaking chorus, flute, clarinet, vibraphone, xylophone, timpani & percussion
* "Song of Myself", for mixed chorus (1961) (pub. 1961)
* "Valse (Waltz)", for speaking chorus & optional percussion (1961) (pub. 1962)

Other Vocal Works

* "Ich wollt, ich wär ein fisch (I wish I were a fish)", for high voice & piano (1920) (Unpublished)
* "Die Chinesische Flöte (The Chinese Flute)", Op. 29 (1922) (pub. 1923)
for soprano, 2 flutes, clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion, celesta & strings. Exists in German and English versions
* "Nine Songs for Soprano and Piano", Op. 41 (1926) (pub. 1928). Exists in German and English versions
* "Music for Orchestra and Baritone", Op. 60 (1931) (pub. 1932)
* "Chansons sans paroles", for voice and piano (1940) (Unpublished)
* "Poems to Martha", for medium voice & string quartet (1942) (pub. 1943)
* "There Is a Season for Everything", for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin & cello (c. 1953) (pub. 1953)
* "Vanity of Vanities", for soprano, tenor, flute, clarinet, violin, viola & cello (1954) (pub.?)
* "Lange schon haben meine Freunde versucht (My friends have long tried)", for soprano & baritone (1958) (Unpublished)

Incidental Music

* "Der Kinder Neujahrstraum (The Children’s New Year’s Dream)" (stage play), Op. 19, for solo soprano, alto, tenor & baritone, chorus & orchestra (1910)
* "Anabasis" (radio play), for flute, clarinet, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, percussion & chorus (1931)
* "Im fernen Osten (In the Far East)" (radio play), for flute, 2 trumpets in C, mandolin, guitar, 2 violins, viola, cello, percussion, chorus & male solo voice (1931)
* "Die Heilige von U.S.A. (The Saint of the U.S.A.)" (stage play), for wind ensemble, percussion, piano, harmonium, alto solo & chorus (1931)
* "König Ödipus (Oedipus rex)" (radio play), for 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, percussion & strings (1931)
* "Medea" (radio play), for wind ensemble, percussion & speaking chorus (1931)
* "Die Räuber (The Robbers)" (radio play), for 2 trumepts in C, bass trumpet or trombone & percussion (1931)
* "Die Rollen des Schauspielers Seami (The Roles of the Actor Seami)" (radio play), for flute, clarinet, violin, banjo, guitar & percussion (1931)
* "Turandot" (radio play), for flute, clarinet, trumpet in C, cello, piano & percussion (1931)
* "Uli Wittewüpp" (stage play), for clarinet, trumpet, percussion, piano & strings (1931)
* "Napoleon, oder die 100 Tage (Napoleon, or the 100 Days)" (radio play) (1931 or 1932)
* "Das Kirschblütenfest (The Cherry Blossom Festival)" (stage play), for timpani, percussion, harmonium & strings (1927)
* "The Gates of Carven Jade" or "The Garden of Jade" (radio play), for flute, clarinet, banjo, guitar, violin & soprano solo (c. 1934)
* "William Tell" (stage play), for flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon, trumpet, horn, 2 trombones, percussion & chorus (1939)All incidental music listed is unpublished except "Das Kirschblütenfest" (pub. 1927).

Film Music

* "Catherine the Great" (Composed 1933)
* "The Private Life of Don Juan" (Composed 1934)
* "Little Friend" (Composed 1934)
* "Peter Ibbetson" (Composed 1935)
* "Outcast" (Composed 1936)
* "On Such a Night" (Composed 1937)
* "The Rebel Son" (1938)
* "The Cat and the Canary" (Composed 1939)
* "The Ghost Breakers" (Composed 1940)
* "Dr. Cyclops" (Composed 1940)
* "Ladies in Retirement" (Composed 1941)
* "First Comes Courage" (Composed 1943)
* "None Shall Escape" (Composed 1943)
* "Address Unknown" (Composed 1944)
* "The Unseen" (Composed 1945)

References

* [http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/music/mlsc/toch/ A list of Toch's works at the University of California Toch Archive website]
* [http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/Apr06/Toch_symphonies_7771912.htm Article on Toch's symphonies]
* cite book
last = Jezic
first = Diane Peacock
title = The Musical Migration and Ernst Toch
publisher = Iowa State University Press
location = Ames, Iowa
origyear = 1989
isbn = 0-8138-0322-5
pages = 165-171
chapter = Toch Worklist Compiled by Alyson McLamore

External links

* [http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/music/mlsc/toch/ UCLA Toch Archive]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006324/ IMDb entry]