Robert Franz
Born: June 28, 1815; Halle, Germany
Died: October 24, 1892; Halle, Germany
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Robert Franz was one of the most important composers of song from his time. His lieder exhibited a unique character while divulging the influence of Schubert and Schumann. Oddly, no stylistic evolution can be discerned in his songs, despite their sophistication and deft craftsmanship. Franz also produced a small body of choral music. Franz was born into a middle-class family in Halle, Germany, on June 28, 1815. He exhibited musical talent early
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Works
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Auf dem Meere, Op. 36: No. 1, "Der Himmel hat seine Perlen" (2)
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Aus Osten, Op. 42: no 2, Die helle Sonne leuchtet (1)
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Denk ich dein, for voice & piano (1)
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Er ist gecommen, Op 4 (1)
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Für einen, for voice & piano (1)
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Genesung, for voice & piano (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op 5: No. 1. Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op 5: No. 5. Mädchen mit dem roten Mündchen (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op 5: No. 7. Gute Nacht! (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op. 1: No. 9. Jagdlied (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op. 4: No. 7. Er ist gekommen (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op. 5: No. 1, Aus meinen großen Schmerzen (1)
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Gesänge (12) for voice & piano, Op. 5: No. 3, Auf dem Meere (1)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 1: no 1, Ihr Auge (2)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 1: no 4, Nun holt mir eine Kanne Wein (2)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 4: no 2, Die süsse Dirn' von Inverness (2)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 5: no 1, Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen (1)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 5: no 2, Liebchen ist da! (1)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 5: no 3, Auf dem Meere (1)
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Gesänge (12), Op. 5: no 7, Gute Nacht (2)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 10: No. 3. Mutter, o sing mich zur Ruh! (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 10: No. 6. Für Musik (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 11: No. 1. Abschied (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 16: No. 4, Abends (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 17: No. 2. Ständchen (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 17: No. 6. Im Herbst (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 20: No. 1. Die blauen Frühlingsaugen (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 25: No. 1. Die Lotosblume (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 26: No. 2. Lieber Schatz, sei wieder gut mir (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 28: No. 2. Ein Stündlein wohl vor Tag (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 30: No. 1. Sterne mit dem goldnen Füsschen (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 33: No. 1, Wonne der Wehmut (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 33: No. 3, Mailied (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 3: No. 3. Frühling und Liebe (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 42: No. 2. Die helle Sonne leuchtet (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 6: No. 2. Wie des Mondes Abbild (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 6: No. 3. Auf dem Meere (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 7: No. 6. Ja, du bist elend (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op 9: No. 3, Bitte (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op. 10: No. 1, Für Musik (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op. 20: No. 3, Wie des Mondes Abbild (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op. 20: No. 5, Das macht das dunkelgrüne Laub (1)
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Gesänge (6) for voice & piano, Op. 42: No. 5, Es hat die Rose sich beklagt (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 10: no 1, Für Musik (2)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 10: no 3, Mutter, o sing mich zur Ruh (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 14: no 1, Widmung (3)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 16: no 4, Abends (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 16: no 5, Weisst du noch? (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 17: no 2, Ständchen (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 17: no 6, Im Herbst (3)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 18: no 1, Marie (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 18: no 2, Im Rhein (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 25: no 3, Ich hab' im Traum geweinet (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 25: no 5, Im wunderschönen Monat Mai (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 25: no 6, Auf dem Meere (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 30: no 5, Dies und das (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 36: no 1, Auf dem Meere (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 6: no 2, Wie des Mondes Abbild (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 8: no 6, Gewitternacht (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 9: no 3, Bitte (1)
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Gesänge (6), Op. 9: no 4, Allnächtlich im Traume (1)
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Im Herbst, for voice & piano, Op. 7/6 (1)
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Lied(er) (1)
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Lieder (6) for voice & piano, Op 38: No. 2. Der Schmetterling ist in die Rose verliebt (1)
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LIeder (6), Op. 11: no 2, Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen (1)
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Lieder (6), Op. 33: no 1, Wonne der Wehmut (1)
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Lieder (6), Op. 33: no 3, Mailied (1)
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Lieder Op. 8: No. 6, Gewitternacht (1)
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Schilflieder (5) for voice & piano, Op. 2: No. 1. Auf geheimen Waldespfade (1)
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Schilflieder (5) for voice & piano, Op. 2: No.4. Sonnenuntergang; schwarze Wolken zieh'n (1)
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Tanzlied im Mai, for voice & piano (2)
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Weisst du noch, for voice & piano (1)
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Widmung (Dedication) (1)
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Willkommen mein Wald, for voice & piano, Op. 21/1 (1)
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Biography |
by Robert Cummings
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Robert Franz was one of the most important composers of song from his time. His lieder exhibited a unique character while divulging the influence of Schubert and Schumann. Oddly, no stylistic evolution can be discerned in his songs, despite their sophistication and deft craftsmanship. Franz also produced a small body of choral music. Franz was born into a middle-class family in Halle, Germany, on June 28, 1815. He exhibited musical talent early on and studied with several teachers locally, but had to overcome the opposition of his father to make a career of music. Franz traveled to Dessau, where from 1835 to 1837 he studied organ and music theory, the latter with J.C.F. Schneider.
A period of self-education followed and embraced other disciplines, including poetry and philosophy. It was during this period, too, that Franz familiarized himself thoroughly with the lieder of Schubert and Schumann. By 1840 he was composing his first songs, and the following year he was appointed organist at the Ulrichskirche in Halle. In 1842 he took on a second post, that of conductor of the local Singakademie.
Around this time he provided manuscripts of some of his songs to Schumann. To Franz's utter surprise Schumann had them published in 1843. Besides enjoying success as an organist and choral conductor, Franz could now revel in his newfound success in song composition, but his fortunes would soon begin to change. Around the mid-1840s, he began to slowly grow deaf. While he retained some measure of hearing over the next 20 years, the problem would eventually cut short his career.
Still, Franz managed to remain active as a composer in the coming decades. Liszt would become a strong partisan and eventually publish a praiseworthy book about him in Leipzig (1872). In 1851 Franz began teaching music at the University of Halle, but had to resign this and all other posts in 1867, owing to acute hearing loss. Though he suffered from nervous disorders as well, he managed to continue composition, aided by the financial support of singer Arnold von Pilsach. Franz received other income from publication of his works and honoraria. In 1884 Franz wrote his last set of songs, bringing the total number of songs in his output to about 350. Two years later he ceased composing altogether. Franz died in Halle on October 24, 1892. |
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