- Sigfrid Karg-Elert
Sigfrid Karg-Elert (
November 21 1877 -April 9 1933 ) was a German composer of considerable fame in the early twentieth century, best known for his choral works,lied er, chamber andorchestra l music, works for thepiano , and especially his compositions for organ andharmonium .Born in
Oberndorf am Neckar ,Germany , Sigfried Karg studied music at theLeipzig Conservatory , where he would become a staff member in 1919. In the early part of his career, his agent suggested he add Elert to his surname.Notable influences of his work include composers
Claude Debussy , Aleksandr Scriabin, andArnold Schoenberg . His favorite instrument to compose for was theKunstharmonium , a versatile French creation that allowed him the range of colors he preferred.Karg-Elert's works, especially those written for organ, enjoyed reasonable popularity in the
United States , theUnited Kingdom , andFrance . His performance skills were less admired, and his single tour of the United States in the early 1930s was not well-received. He succumbed to a long illness in 1933, and is buried inLeipzig . The popularity of his compositions declined for a period before a successful revival in the late 1970s.Notable works
* 66 Chorale improvisations for organ (including "Nun danket alle Gott")
* Passacaglia in E flat minor
* Cathedral Windows for organ
* 33 Stylistic studies forharmonium
* 30 Caprices forflute
* 20 Chorale preludes and postludes
* 25 Caprices for SaxophoneThe 30 Caprices for flute were written specifically for a friend of Karg-Elert's, a flautist bound for service in the war. These short exercises were designed to challenge linear one-staff thinking and in short, keep the friend from becoming bored. They are now a standard set of technical, dynamic, and phrasing exercises for young flute students all over the world.
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External links
* [http://www.karg-elert-archive.org.uk/ The Karg-Elert Archive]
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