Though the main body of this CD is given over to the work of
Franz Poenitz - and is surely the first CD to be devoted to
Poenitz? - it is rounded off by Alfred Holư’s Elegy for
Poenitz, heard in the version for solo harp, rather than that
for harp and organ. It is a fine piece, harmonically rich and
with some attractive melodies. Holư, a great harpist much admired
by Mahler - who finally tempted him to the Vienna Philharmonic
in 1902 after several unsuccessful attempts to acquire his services
- knew his fellow harpist/composer Poenitz well. The two (along
with William Posse) spent some years as co-principals in the
Royal Orchestra in Berlin. Holư remembered his friend in words
as well as in music and, since Poenitz is now so little known,
it is worth quoting what Holư had to say about him in his Memoirs,
when remembering his days in the Royal Orchestra:
“Relations were especially cordial in the harp section.
My two colleagues were among the most famous harpists of their
time. They had been brought into the Royal Orchestra (Poenitz
at 14, Posse at 18) by their teacher Grimm, who had been a pupil
of Parish-Alvars. Since then the two had been united in a close
friendship and I was proud to have become the third in their
league. “Three such excellent harpists in one orchestra
aren’t to be found anywhere else in the world,”
said the old retired conductor Sucher. Poenitz was a mortal
kissed by all possible muses: harp artist, harmonium virtuoso,
composer, very talented pastel painter, and skilled in many
sports - hunting, fishing, bicycling, skiing, and skating. He
lived a good life, pampered by his family in a cosy home in
the west end of Berlin, he loved his tobacco and his beer (he
called it his ‘cool blond’ or, coloured with raspberry,
his ‘painted Laura’), but passed away when he was
only 61.”
That description of the amiable and multi-talented Poenitz doesn’t
perhaps suggest that composing was central to his life, or that
we should expect his compositions to be particularly innovative.
And that proves to be the case. He is a craftsman-artist who
writes out of a profound technical knowledge of instrumental
possibility, but without great emotional or intellectual profundity.
Approached with the right expectations, Laura Vinciguerra’s
recital of a selection of his solo harp pieces, with the addition
of three works written for harp with violin or clarinet, makes
for largely undemanding, but pleasant and satisfying listening.
The Nordische Ballade is perhaps the best single piece, full
of graceful runs and pleasantly accented phrases; Klang aus
der Alhambra is an agreeable piece of exotica, its use of the
lower end of the harp’s range particularly interesting;
while the Todestanz der Willys (which has its source in Heine)
may not have much about it that suggests the presence of dead
dancing-girls, it does have some subtle rhythmic touches. Of
the duet pieces, the Capriccio for clarinet and harp is perhaps
the most attractive, elegant and evocative. The two ‘Salonstücke’
for violin and harp are entitled Im Frühling and Venetianisches
Gondelied: the fact that their titles/subjects are shared with
so many other pieces of nineteenth century music is symptomatic
of how far Poenitz deals (very charmingly) in the musical ‘commonplaces’
of his age. In truth pretty well all of his works on this CD
might be categorised as ‘Salonstücke’. Those
for whom ‘salon music’ is an inherently pejorative
term will know to look elsewhere; those who can find room for
the occasional salon morsel in their musical diet will find
some nicely-flavoured samples here.
In the booklet notes harpist Laura Vinciguerra tells us that
her love of Poenitz’s music began as a student, and that
her quest to know more of the man and his music led her to Andreas
Fischer, the composer’s last descendant. Her commitment
to - and love for - the compositions of Poenitz is evident in
the way she plays them, technically assured and expressive,
though without undue sentimentality. She and her colleagues
make a good case for this mostly forgotten figure, a minor composer
worth the occasional hearing. The CD is well recorded; documentation
might have been improved, however. There is no comment on any
of the individual pieces; no dates are provided for any of the
pieces; where I have been able to, I have supplied dates above,
making use of a website
devoted to Poenitz, which appears to be the work of the said
Andreas Fischer.
Glyn Pursglove
Andreas Fischer has sent us these notes
Franz Poenitz, “Romance for Harp”, 1862
(unnumbered)
At the age of 12 Poenitz’s first concert tour took him
via Kiel to Copenhagen, accompanied by his uncle and foster-father
Heinrich Poenitz, the violinist. The “Wunderkind”
gave eighteen performances in the Copenhagen Casino, playing
this composition among other pieces. The Ilustreret Tidende
described him as “a true master on his instrument, and
at the same time the most lovable, skilful and alert boy imaginable”
(30 October 1862).
“The print of the “Romance” for piano originally
came from the music periodical “Musikalske Nyheder”
[Musical News], vol. 2, no. 12 which was published in December
1862 by the publisher Chr. E. Horneman. The piano version was
made by Ernst Haberbier. In 1875 Wilhelm Hansen bought Horneman’s
company; sometimes Hansen published the old pieces without changing
the printing plates. This seems to be the case here, and therefore
it is almost impossible to say when Hansen published the piece.
We can find it in Wilhelm Hansen’s catalogue with the
edition no. 4916.” (Royal Library, Copenhagen, Music and
Theatre Dep., 7 July 2009)
Unnumbered Romance for Violin and Harp
In 2008 a library search for compositions by Franz Poenitz
turned up a 21-page manuscript in the Stadtbibliothek, Mainz,
titled “Romance for Harp and Violin, Voices”. It
had formerly belonged to the collections of the city’s
Stadttheater. One page was signed by the copyist: “Simon
Mander, Berlin, 31 August 81”. In the Berlin address book
for 1881, S. S. Mander is at Kurstr. 29: an outlet for “Mander
Brothers Varnish and Paint Factory in Wolverhampton (England)”.
If, as seems likely, this rediscovered work was played by Franz
and Heinrich Poenitz, it will have been composed before the
latter’s death, thought to be 1879. The notation, transcribed
by Laura Vinciguerra and first played by her and Paolo Franceschini,
is to be published by Salvi.
Death Dance of the Willys, Opus 24 (1892)
A note on the print claims “After a Scottish legend”,
but the legend of the Willys, Willis, or Wilis is by Heinrich
Heine. Théophile Gautier used it for his ballet “Giselle
ou les Wilis” (1841). Heine said the story came from Slavic
folklore, writing in his “Elementary Spirits”: “The
Willis are brides who died before their wedding days. The poor
young creatures cannot rest in peace: in their dead hearts,
in their dead feet that passion for dancing which they could
not satisfy when living brings them out of their graves at midnight
to gather in hordes on the highways – and woe to any young
man who encounters them there. He must dance with them […]
until he drops down dead. In their wedding dresses, with flower-garlands
and fluttering ribbons around their heads, sparkling rings on
their fingers, the Willis dance in the moonlight like the elves.
Their faces, though snowy white, are youthful and lovely, their
laughter is so terrifyingly gay, so wickedly loveable […]
these dead Bacchae are irresistible.”
The work is also extant as Opus 24b, with harmonium accompaniment.
Opus 26. “Two Salon Pieces”, 1892
No. 1 “Venetian Gondola Song”
No. 2 “In Spring”
Salon pieces were small-scale works for a few solo instruments,
originally designed for virtuoso performance in the salons of
the aristocracy and the grande bourgeoisie from the early 19th
century. In a brief, concentrated span this form of chamber
music swiftly alternates between diverse emotions, at its best.
At its worst, salon music for piano around 1900 is sentimental
and formulaic, featuring a succession of meaningless arpeggios
and scarcely bearable sweet sixths. These two pieces, dedicated
to the composer’s friend Fritz Struß, royal concert
master and chamber virtuoso, draw on the latter tradition.
Opus 27, Italian Romance, 1892
Forming a pair with Opus 33, “Nordic Ballad”, also
1892, this “Romance” belongs with the “Salon
pieces”. Poenitz never visited Italy.
Opus 29, “Three Easy Pieces”, 1892
Dedicated to his “Lottchen”, his first daughter
Charlotte (1878-1919). Poenitz probably played these children’s
songs to her and her younger sister Eva before they were published.
One piece, “The Musical Box”, was frequently performed
and recorded, and Alfred Holy mentions it in a letter to Artiss
de Volt (18 February 1936).
Opus 33, “Nordic Ballad” 1892
“The landscape and legends of the North were Poenitz’s
main inspiration. He spent much time in Scandinavia, and being
a true Romantic, was thrilled by the Nordic world.” (Hans
J Zingel)
In 1908 Alfred Kastner wrote “Poenitz […] is more
prominent as a composer for the instrument, and I consider that
his works have the greatest musical value of all the modern
harp literature written by harpists. This refers particularly
to his " Nordische Ballade," as it requires the highest
artistic standard”.
Ex: Alfred Kastner: "The Harp" in "Journal of
Royal Musical Association", 1908, Vol. 35, Number 1, Page
9
Hans. J. Zingel: "Franz Poenitz, Virtuose und Komponist,
Musiker und Maler" in "Vereinigung deutscher Harfenisten"
Nr. 17, Mai 1972, S. 17
Opus 68 “Sounds of the Alhambra” (1902)
Poenizt never visited the Alhambra, but he read widely. This
work may have been inspired by Washington Irving’s renowned
and influential “Tales of the Alhambra”.
Opus 73 “Capriccio for Clarinet and Harp”
1905
Poenizt’s only work for woodwind and harp is found in
many music academy libraries, but seldom played, probably because
this combination is so rare. There is no dedication, but it
may have been written for the first clarinettist of the Berlin
Royal Orchestra.
Alfred Holy (1866-1948)
Opus 17 “Elegy for Harp and Organ”, 1912,
in memoriam Franz Poenitz
Holy met Franz Poenitz and Wilhelm Posse when he was one of
the three harpists at the Berlin Royal Opera, from 1896 to 1902,
before going to Vienna to work with Gustav Mahler. Holy wrote
in his memoirs of the period in Berlin:
(p. 27) Relations were especially cordial in the harp section.
My two colleagues were among the most famous harpists of their
time. They had been brought into the Royal Orchestra (Poenitz
at 14, Posse at 18) by their teacher Grimm, who had been a pupil
of Parish-Alvars. Since then the two had been united in a close
friendship and I was proud to have become the third in their
league. “Three such excellent harpists in one orchestra
aren’t to be found anywhere else in the world,”
said the old retired conductor Sucher.
Poenitz was a mortal kissed by all possible muses: harp artist,
harmonium virtuoso, composer, very talented pastel painter,
and skilled in many sports – hunting, fishing, bicycling,
skiing, and skating. […] My “Elegy for Harp and
Organ” is dedicated to him.
Alfred Holý: "Memoirs" edited by Artiss de
Volt, Lyra Music Comany, New York, 1985
Laura Vinciguerra (harp); Paolo Franceschini (violin); Roberto Petrocchi
(clarinet)
