The Kitzler Study Book (Kitzler-Studienbuch) is an autograph workbook of Anton Bruckner which he wrote taking tuition with the conductor and cellist Otto Kitzler in Linz. Bruckner tried to complete his knowledge in musical form and instrumentation with Kitzler after the end of his studies with Simon Sechter.
The workbook is composed of 163 pages of different sizes in landscape format (326 numbered pages) in chronological order, some of them dated, from H[eilige] Nacht anno [1]861 (Holy Night, 1861) on p. 30, to 10 July 1863 on p. 325. [1] [2] The workbook contains autograph sketches, comments, complete and partial compositions, which are displaying a rigorous tuition in musical formatting and instrumentation. [1]
The first entries (pp. 1-18) are exercises in musical form: cadences and periods. They are followed (pp. 18-57) by lieder in two and three parts, and (pp. 58-218) by pieces for piano and string quartet: waltz, polka, mazurka, études, theme and variations, rondos, sonata form, etc., and the String Quartet in C minor and its additional Rondo.
The exercises in form are followed (pp. 218–250) by exercises of instrumentation, among others the orchestration of the first movement of Beethoven's Sonate pathétique (introduction and exposition, repetition and coda). These exercises are followed (pp; 251–326) by Bruckner's first orchestral compositions: the Four Orchestral Pieces (March in D minor and Three Orchestral Pieces), and sketches for the Overture in G minor and the Symphony in F minor. [1] [2]
(Translation) The Kitzler Study Book is fascinating because of its insight on the history of the musical apprenticeship in the nineteenth century, as well as the historical and theoretical significance of the terminology and the extent of the conserved exercises. Last but not least, this manuscript is essential for the research on Bruckner's mode of operation.
Das Kitzler-Studienbuch fasziniert wegen seiner historischen Einblicke in die Geschichte der musikalischen Ausbildung im 19. Jahrhundert sowie wegen der historischen und theoretischen Bedeutung von Terminologie und Umfang der darin erhaltenen Übungen. Nicht zuletzt ist dieses Manuskript unverzichtbar für die Untersuchungen über Bruckner Arbeitsweise. [3]
A not exhaustive list:
Until 2015, only few of the compositions of the study book were published: the String Quartet, WAB 111 and the additional Rondo in C minor, WAB 208 (transcription allowed to Leopold Nowak), [4] [5] the Sonatensatz in G minor, WAB 243 (transcription allowed to Walburga Litschauer), [6] and the Four Orchestral Pieces, WAB 96-97 (issued from a clean transcription given by Bruckner to Cyrill Hynais). [7]
The Kitzler Study Book, which was first in possession of Bruckner's pupil Ferdinand Löwe, [2] went later in private possession of Margarethe Mugrauer – the daughter of Josef Schalk – [5] in Bamberg, who legated it to her daughter Traudl Kress in Munich. [4] In 2013, the Austrian National Library was able to acquire the valuable original manuscript. In 2015, the MWV (Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag der Internationalen Bruckner-Gesellschaft) has issued a colour facsimile of the manuscript and could so provide interested people with this important source for study and scholarship. [8]
On 30 April 2016, the Orchestergemeinschaft Nürnberg e.V. has premiered Bruckner's orchestration of the opening of the first movement of Beethoven's Sonate pathétique, WAB 266 [9] Other performances occurred on 6 and 7 October 2017 in Austin, TX by Colin Mawby with the Austin Symphonic Orchestra, and on 14 August 2021, during the Brucknertage 2021, in the Marmorsaal of the St. Florian Monastery by Jan Latham König with the Altomonte Orchestra. [10]
On 28 May 2016, a transcription for string orchestra of the Scherzo in G minor for string quartet was performed by Benjamin-Gunnar Cohrs with the Göttinger Barockorchester. [11] The original version of the two Scherzos in F Major and G Minor for string quartet, WAB 209 was premiered by the Bruckners Kammermusik ensemble in Tokyo on 8 March 2019. [12]
In 2018, a première of thirteen piano works from the Kitzler Study Book has been recorded by Ana-Marija Markovina. [13] In 2019, Francesco Pasqualotto has recorded 21 piano works from the Kitzler Study Book, of which are 10 premiere recordings. In 2021, Todor Petrov has recorded 39 piano works from the Kitzler Study Book, of which a premiere of the March in F major, WAB 217/3, the Rondos in C minor and in D minor, WAB 222/2-3, and the first of the Five Pieces, WAB 216. In 2022, Christoph Eggner has recorded 24 piano works from the Kitzler Study Book – of which a premiere of the Rondo in G major, WAB 222/5 – on a restored Bösendorfer fortepiano that has belonged to Bruckner.
On 5 October 2019, two lieder from the Kitzler Study Book (O habt die Thräne gern, WAB 205, and Vor der schlummernden Mutter, WAB 206) were recorded during the reading Böck ist Bruckner II.
On 13 August 2023, a premiere of the Theme and variations in E-flat major for string quartet, WAB 210, was performed by Matthias Giesen with the strings of the Altomonte-Orchester St Florian at the Opening Concert of the St. Florianer Brucknertage 2023. [14] A year later, a recording by the Diotima Quartet was released.
Orchestration of the first movement of Beethoven's Sonate pathétique
Piano works from the Kitzler Study Book
A total of 43 piano pieces from the Kitzler Study Book has so far been recorded.
Lieder from the Kitzler Study Book
Theme and variations in E-flat major for string quartet, WAB 210
Josef Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer and organist best known for his symphonies and sacred music, which includes Masses, Te Deum and motets. The symphonies are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic character, and considerable length. Bruckner's compositions helped to define contemporary musical radicalism, owing to their dissonances, unprepared modulations, and roving harmonies.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, commonly known as Sonata Pathétique, was written in 1798 when the composer was 27 years old, and was published in 1799. It has remained one of his most celebrated compositions. Beethoven dedicated the work to his friend Prince Karl von Lichnowsky. Although commonly thought to be one of the few works to be named by the composer himself, it was actually named Grande sonate pathétique by the publisher, who was impressed by the sonata's tragic sonorities.
E major is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, and D♯. Its key signature has four sharps. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor. Its enharmonic equivalent, F-flat major, has six flats and the double-flat B, which makes that key less convenient to use.
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, and B♭. Its key signature consists of three flats. Its relative major is E♭ major and its parallel major is C major.
E-flat major is a major scale based on E♭, consisting of the pitches E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, and D. Its key signature has three flats. Its relative minor is C minor, and its parallel minor is E♭ minor,.
Anton Bruckner's Symphony in F minor, WAB 99, was written in 1863, at the end of his study period in form and orchestration by Otto Kitzler.
Anton Bruckner's String Quintet in F major, WAB 112 was composed in 1878/79 in Vienna.
The String Quartet in C minor WAB 111, was composed by Anton Bruckner's in 1862 during his tuition by Otto Kitzler.
The Four Orchestral Pieces are four short orchestral pieces, which Anton Bruckner composed in the fall of 1862 during his tuition with Otto Kitzler.
Anton Bruckner composed the Overture in G minor, WAB 98 in 1862–63, during his tuition by Otto Kitzler.
The Rondo in C minor is a composition for string quartet by the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner. It was written in 1862 but was not performed publicly until 1984, after the composer's death. A critical edition was first published in 1985 and the piece was first recorded in 1992 by the Raphael Quartet.
The Intermezzo in D minor is an 1879 composition by the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner. Although it was intended to replace the scherzo of the String Quintet, that piece was instead performed in its original form; the Intermezzo was not publicly premiered until after the composer's death.