Ernst Hermann Ludimar Meyer (8 December 1905 – 8 October 1988) was a German composer and musicologist, noted for his expertise on seventeenth-century English chamber music.[1]
Meyer was born in Berlin. He received his first piano lessons at the age of six and started composing at eleven. After finishing school, he worked as an apprentice at a bank, and in 1926 he started the advanced study of music at Heidelberg University, where in 1930 he completed his Ph.D. on the 17th-century chamber music of North German composers. He became a pupil of Hanns Eisler and under his influence, joined the Communist Party. Being a Jew and the composer of militant protest songs, he emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1933 to avoid detention by the Nazi Party. There he eventually became a close friend of leftist composer Alan Bush, who was also in contact with exiled composers Eisler and Kurt Weill.[2]
In the UK, Meyer researched English chamber music of the 17th century, lectured for the Workers Educational Association and conducted the Labour Choral Union. In 1939 he began lecturing at Bedford College, London; in 1945 he was given a guest professorship at King's College, Cambridge. But unlike some of his fellow émigré composers (such as Hans May), Meyer only ever worked on the fringes of British cinema, for which he produced some scores for documentaries and instructional films.[3][4] He did some unique work on the use of sound effects, dubbing and editing.[5]
Meyer returned to East Germany (GDR) in 1948 and became one of the most influential figures of music culture there. He was active politically as a communist, and his works include choral, orchestral, and chamber music written to display commitment to Marxist–Leninist ideals. In 1982 the second edition of his book Early English Chamber Music: The History of a Great Tradition from the Middle Ages to Purcell was published.
Meyer was head of the German Society of Composers and Musicologists, professor of musicology at Berlin's Humboldt University, chairman of the German Handel Society, and founder of the annual Handel Festival, which is still celebrated in Halle, Germany.
Worksedit
Meyer composed numerous songs, as well as chamber music, two symphonies and other works for orchestra, an opera, and an oratorio. He wrote numerous musicological articles as well as a book on English chamber music. His pupils included Serge Hovey. As a musicologist, he edited numerous manuscripts by English composers of the Tudor and Renaissance periods (for example, Englische Fantasien aus dem 17. Jahrhundert : für drei Streichinstrumente = English fantasias from the 17th century : for three string instrumentsOCLC 2757300).
Selected Compositionsedit
Among more than 300 songs, orchestral works, and other works:
Mansfeld Oratorio (1950)
String Quartet in G, Nr. 1 (1956)
String Symphony (1958)
String Quartet Nr. 2 (1959)
Poem, for Viola and Orchestra (1961)
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1964)
Symphony in B♭ (1967)
String Quartet Nr. 3 (1967)
Concerto for Harp and Chamber Orchestra (1968)
Leinefelder Divertimento (1969)
Toccata for Orchestra (1971)
Reiter der Nacht, opera (1972)
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (1978)
Sonata for Viola and Piano (1979)
Essay for Viola Solo (1983)
Selected booksedit
Among many papers and essays:
Die mehrstimmigie Spielmusik des 17. Jahrhunderts in Nord- und Mitteleuropa, Heidelberg 1930
English Chamber Music: The History of a Great Art from the Middle Ages to Purcell, London 1946 (OCLC 420311)
Gur, Golan. 2015. "Classicism as Anti-Fascist Heritage: Realism and Myth in Ernst Hermann Meyer’s Mansfelder Oratorium (1950)." In: Kyle Frackman and Larson Powell (ed.), Classical Music in the German Democratic Republic: Production and Reception. Rochester: Camden House, pp. 34–57
ernst, hermann, meyer, ernst, hermann, ludimar, meyer, december, 1905, october, 1988, german, composer, musicologist, noted, expertise, seventeenth, century, english, chamber, music, contents, life, works, selected, compositions, selected, books, references, f. Ernst Hermann Ludimar Meyer 8 December 1905 8 October 1988 was a German composer and musicologist noted for his expertise on seventeenth century English chamber music 1 Ernst Hermann Meyer Contents 1 Life 2 Works 2 1 Selected Compositions 2 2 Selected books 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksLife editMeyer was born in Berlin He received his first piano lessons at the age of six and started composing at eleven After finishing school he worked as an apprentice at a bank and in 1926 he started the advanced study of music at Heidelberg University where in 1930 he completed his Ph D on the 17th century chamber music of North German composers He became a pupil of Hanns Eisler and under his influence joined the Communist Party Being a Jew and the composer of militant protest songs he emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1933 to avoid detention by the Nazi Party There he eventually became a close friend of leftist composer Alan Bush who was also in contact with exiled composers Eisler and Kurt Weill 2 In the UK Meyer researched English chamber music of the 17th century lectured for the Workers Educational Association and conducted the Labour Choral Union In 1939 he began lecturing at Bedford College London in 1945 he was given a guest professorship at King s College Cambridge But unlike some of his fellow emigre composers such as Hans May Meyer only ever worked on the fringes of British cinema for which he produced some scores for documentaries and instructional films 3 4 He did some unique work on the use of sound effects dubbing and editing 5 Meyer returned to East Germany GDR in 1948 and became one of the most influential figures of music culture there He was active politically as a communist and his works include choral orchestral and chamber music written to display commitment to Marxist Leninist ideals In 1982 the second edition of his book Early English Chamber Music The History of a Great Tradition from the Middle Ages to Purcell was published Meyer was head of the German Society of Composers and Musicologists professor of musicology at Berlin s Humboldt University chairman of the German Handel Society and founder of the annual Handel Festival which is still celebrated in Halle Germany Works editMeyer composed numerous songs as well as chamber music two symphonies and other works for orchestra an opera and an oratorio He wrote numerous musicological articles as well as a book on English chamber music His pupils included Serge Hovey As a musicologist he edited numerous manuscripts by English composers of the Tudor and Renaissance periods for example Englische Fantasien aus dem 17 Jahrhundert fur drei Streichinstrumente English fantasias from the 17th century for three string instruments OCLC 2757300 Selected Compositions edit Among more than 300 songs orchestral works and other works Mansfeld Oratorio 1950 String Quartet in G Nr 1 1956 String Symphony 1958 String Quartet Nr 2 1959 Poem for Viola and Orchestra 1961 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra 1964 Symphony in B 1967 String Quartet Nr 3 1967 Concerto for Harp and Chamber Orchestra 1968 Leinefelder Divertimento 1969 Toccata for Orchestra 1971 Reiter der Nacht opera 1972 Concerto for Viola and Orchestra 1978 Sonata for Viola and Piano 1979 Essay for Viola Solo 1983 Selected books edit Among many papers and essays Die mehrstimmigie Spielmusik des 17 Jahrhunderts in Nord und Mitteleuropa Heidelberg 1930 English Chamber Music The History of a Great Art from the Middle Ages to Purcell London 1946 OCLC 420311 References edit Oxford Reference Oldfield Sybil The Black Book The Britons on the Nazi Hitlist 2020 Spicer Andrew On Emigres and British Cinema in Jewish Film amp New Media Vol 1 No 1 Spring 2013 pp 100 107 Ernst Meyer filmography British film Institute Huntley John British Film Music 1947 p 217Further reading editGur Golan 2015 Classicism as Anti Fascist Heritage Realism and Myth in Ernst Hermann Meyer s Mansfelder Oratorium 1950 In Kyle Frackman and Larson Powell ed Classical Music in the German Democratic Republic Production and Reception Rochester Camden House pp 34 57 List of emigre musicians from Nazi Europe who settled in BritainExternal links editErnst Hermann Meyer at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernst Hermann Meyer amp oldid 1188908365, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
