Józef Koffler

Infobox Scientist
name = Józef Koffler
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image_width = 200px
caption = Józef Koffler around 1931
birth_date = 1896-11-28
birth_place = Stryj, flag|Austria-Hungary
death_date = 1944
death_place = Krosno, POL
residence =
citizenship =
nationality =
ethnicity =
field = Music
work_institutions = Conservatory of Vienna, Austria
alma_mater = Conservatory of Vienna, Austria
doctoral_advisor =
doctoral_students =
known_for = First Polish twelve-tone composer
author_abbrev_bot =
author_abbrev_zoo =
influences =
influenced =
prizes =
religion =
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Józef Koffler (November 28, 1896–1944), was a Polish composer, music teacher, musicologist and musical columnist.
He was the first Polish composer living before the Second World War that applied the twelve tone composition technique (dodecaphony).

Biography

He was born on the 28 November 1896 in Stryj, Austria-Hungary (today Ukraine). He studied from 1914 to 1916 in Lwów (today Lviv in Ukraine) and from 1918 to 1924 he studied music in Vienna. His teachers were Paul Graener and Felix Weingartner. From 1928 till 1941 Koffler was professionally active as music teacher in Lwów. Koffler was a protoplast of twentieth-century avant-garde Polish music. Polish exile composer Roman Haubenstock-Ramati studied in 1920 - 1923 composition with Koffler in Lwów.

When German troops entered the town Koffler was captured with his wife and son and forcibly relocated to the ghetto in Wieliczka (Poland). His further fate, date, location and way he died are unknown. At the beginning of 1944 he and his family probably were killed by one of the German Einsatzgruppen near Krosno (in southern Poland) where he was hiding after the liquidation of the ghetto in Wieliczka.

Most of Koffler's unpublished scores vanished in the turmoil of the Second World War, when he died in the Holocaust. Only two works amongst his numerous compositions were published after the war. They were released by the Polish editing house PWM and are available today. They are: "String Trio" op. 10 and Cantata "Love" op. 14. Several of his works are were released on CD records.

List of compositions by date and the opus number

*"Slave songs" ("Chanson Slave") (before 1918)
*"Two songs"("Zwei Lieder") – for soprano and piano op.1 (1917)
*"Ouverture "Hanifa" op.2 (vanished)
*"Oriental Suite " op.3 (vanished)
*"Sielanka" („Idyl”) for chamber orchestra op.4 (vanished)
*"String quartet” op.5 (vanished)
*"40 Polish folk songs" op.6 (1925)
*"Musique de ballet" op.7 (1926)
*"Musique. Quasi una sonata" op.8, to Karol Szymanowski (1927)
*"15 variations on a 12 tone series" ("15 variations d'après une suite de douze tons") op.9 (1927)
*"String trio" op.10 (1928)
*"I Symphony" op.11 (1930)
*"Sonatina" op.12 (1930)
*"15 variations on a 12 tone series" op.9a, string orchestration of the opus 9 (1931)
*"Piano concerto" op.13 (1932)
*Cantata "Love" ("Die Liebe") for voice, viola, cello and clarinet op.14 with text of Corinthian 1. Letter Ode to Love and St. Poul (1931)
*Ballet-Oratorium"Alles durch M.O.W." ("Institute of Daily Correspondence") for dancers, soprano and baritone solo, choir and orchestra op.15 (1932)
*"Divertimento" ("Little serenade") for oboe, clarinet and bassoon op.16 (1931, vanished)
*"II Symphony" op.17 (1933)
*"Capriccio" for violin and piano op.18 (1936)
*"Piano sonata" op.19 (1935, vanished)
*"String quartet" op. 20 (1934, vanished)
*"III Symphony" op.21 (1935)
*"Quatre poèmes" for violin and piano op.22 (1935)
*"Variations sur une valse de Johann Strauss" op.23 (1935)
*”Elaboration of Polish Christmas carols for choir (1934-1936)
*"Polish suite" for chamber orchestra op.24 (1936)
*"Little suite" according to "Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach" of J. S. Bach (approximately 1937, vanished)
*Orchestration of the "Goldberg variations" of J. S. Bach for small orchestra (1938)
*"Händeliana", 30 variations on the theme of Passacaglia of Händel (before 1940, vanished)
*"Joyful ouverture" op.25 (1940, vanished)
*"IV Symphony" op.26 (1940)
*"Four pieces for children" ("Cztery utwory dziecięce") for piano (before 1940)
*"Ukrainian sketches" ("Szkice ukraińskie") op.27 for string quartet (before 1941)
*Music for scene dramas (vanished)

List of compositions (completeness)

Works fully preserved

*"Slave song" (before 1918)
*"Zwei Lieder" – "Two songs" for soprano and piano op.1 (1917)
*"40 Polish folk songs" op.6 (1925)
*"Musique de ballet" op.7 (1926)
*"Musique. Quasi una sonata" op.8, to Karol Szymanowski (1927)
*"15 variations on a 12 tone series" ("15 variations d'après une suite de douze tons") op.9 (1927)
*"15 variations on a 12 tone series" op.9a, orchestration of the opus 9 for string orchestra (1931)
*"String trio" op.10 (1928)
*"I Symphony" op.11 (1930)
*"Sonatina" op.12 (1930)
*"Piano concerto" op.13 (1932)
* "Love" ("Die Liebe") cantata for voice, viola, cello and clarinet op.14 (1931)
* Ballet-Oratorium" “Alles durch M.O.W." ("Institute of Daily Correspondence") for dancers, soprano and baritone solo, choir and orchestra op.15 (1932)
*"II Symphony" op.17 (1933)
*"Capriccio" for violin and piano op.18 (1936)
*"III Symphony" op.21 (1935)
*"Quatre poèmes" for violin and piano op.22 (1935)
*"Variations sur une valse de Johann Strauss" op.23 (1935)
* Elaboration of Polish Christmas carols for choir (1934-1936)
* Orchestration of the "Goldberg variations" of J. S. Bach for small orchestra (1938)
*"IV Symphony" op.26 (1940)
*"Four pieces for children" ("Cztery utwory dziecięce") for piano; before 1940)
*"Ukrainian sketches" ("Szkice ukraińskie") op.27 for string quartet (before 1941)

List of vanished works (or considered to be vanished)

*"Ouverture "Hanifa" op.2 (vanished)
*"Oriental suite" op.3 (vanished)
*"Sielanka" („Idyl”) for chamber orchestra op.4 (vanished))
*"String quartet" op.5 (vanished)
*"Divertimento" ("Little serenade") for oboe, clarinet and bassoon op.16 (vanished)
*"Piano sonata" op.19 (1935)
*"String quartet" op. 20 (1934)
*"Polish suite" for chamber orchestra op.24 (1936)
*"Little suite" according to "Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach" of J. S. Bach (approximately 1937, vanished)
*"Joyful overture" op.25 (1940, vanished)
*"Händeliana", 30 variations on the theme of Passacaglia of Händel (before 1940, vanished)

List of compositions by instrument

Piano music

*"Slave song" (before 1918)
*"40 Polish folk songs" op.6 (1925) (the songs can be performed without the solo voice)
*"Musique de ballet" op.7 (1926)
*"Musique. Quasi una sonata" op.8, to Karol Szymanowski (1927)
*"15 variations on a 12 tone series" ("15 variations d'après une suite de douze tons") op.9 (1927)
*"Sonatina" op.12 (1930)
*"Piano sonata" op.19 (1935, vanished)
*"Variations sur une valse de Johann Strauss" op.23 (1935)
*"Four pieces for children" ("Cztery utwory dziecięce") for piano; before 1940)

Chamber music

*"String quartet" op.5 (vanished)
*"String trio" op.10 (1928)
*"Divertimento" ("Little serenade") for oboe, clarinet and bassoon op.16 (1931, vanished)
*"Capriccio" for violin and piano op.18 (1936)
*"String quartet" op. 20 (1934, vanished)
*"Quatre poèmes" for violin and piano op.22 (1935)
*"Ukrainian sketches" ("Szkice ukraińskie") op.27 for string quartet (before 1941)

Orchestral music

*"Uverture "Hanifa" op.2 (vanished)
*"Oriental suite" op.3 (vanished)
*"Sielanka" („Idyl”) for chamber orchestra op.4 (vanished)
*"15 variations on a 12 tone series" ("15 variations d'après une suite de douze tons") op.9 (1927)
*"I Symphony" op.11 (1930)
*"Piano concerto" op.13 (1932)
*"II Symphony" op.17 (1933)
*"III Symphony" op.21 (1935)
*"Polish suite" for chamber orchestra op.24 (1936, vanished)
*"IV Symphony" op.26 (1940)
*"Joyful ouverture" op.25 (1940, vanished)
*"Händeliana", 30 variations on the theme of Passacaglia of Händel , before 1940, vanished)
*"Little suite" according to "Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach" of J. S. Bach (approximately 1937, vanished)
* Orchestration of the "Goldberg variations" of J. S. Bach for small orchestra (1938)
*Music for scene dramas (vanished)

Vocal music

*"Zwei Lieder" – "Two Songs" for soprano and piano op.1 (1917)
*"40 Polish folk songs" op.6 (1925) (see also under piano works)
* "Love" ("Die Liebe") cantata for voice, viola, cello and clarinet op.14 (1931)
*Ballet-Oratorium"Alles durch M.O.W." ("Institute of Daily Correspondence") for dancers, soprano and baritone solo, choir and orchestra op.15 (1932)
*”Elaboration of Polish Christmas carols for choir (1934-1936)

Discography

*Józef Koffler, Musique de ballet, Op. 7, Steffen Schleiermacher – piano, MDG MDG6131433, 1996, The Viennese School - Teachers and Followers
*Józef Koffler, Sonatine for piano op.12, Joseph Holt, piano, Darkness & Light, Vol. 2, JDT 3086, 1182819, Music Performed in Concert from The Chamber Music Series at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, 1997
*Józef Koffler, Piano Works I, Sternlicht Elzbieta, piano, Acte Préalable, AP0123, 2005, booklet: prof. Boguslaw Schaeffer (Polish, English French), Total Time: 52'11"
*Józef Koffler, Piano Works II, Sternlicht Elzbieta, piano, Acte Préalable, AP0122, 2005, booklet: prof. Boguslaw Schaeffer (Polish, English French),Total Time: 40'32"

Bibliography

*Jerzy Freiheiter, "Józef Koffler." Muzyka 7-8 (1936): 85-86.
*Zygmunt Folga, "Józef Koffler's Twelve-Tone Serialism" (Dodekafonia Józefa Kofflera). Muzyka 4 (1972): 65-83.
*Maria Zduniak, "Music and Activity of Józef Koffler in the Interwar Period" (Twórczość i działalność Józefa Kofflera w okresie 20-lecia międzywojennego). Zeszyty naukowe Akademii Muzycznej we Wrocławiu, (Wrocław, 1983): 37-59.
*Leszek Mazepa, "The Soviet Period in the Life and Works of Józef Koffler" (Okres radziecki w życiu i twórczości Józefa Kofflera). Muzyka 1 (1983): 67-100.
*Maciej Gołąb, "Twelve-Tone serialism of Józef Koffler" (Zwolftontechnik bei Józef Koffler. Ein polnisher Beitrag zur Geschichte der Dodekaphonie in der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts), Musik des Ostens. 10 (1986): 167-179.
* Maciej Gołąb, "Twelve-Tone Serialism. Studies of the Theory and Composition of the First Half of the Twentieth Century" (Dodekafonia. Studia nod teorią i kompozycją I polowy XX wieku. Bydgoszcz, 1987.
* Maciej Gołąb, "Creativity of Józef Koffler - Problems with style organization" (Das Schaff des Józef Kofflers) - Probleme einer Stilgestaltung. Verfemte Musik. Komponisten in den Diktaturen unseres Jahrhunderts. Ed. J. Braun, V. Karbusicky, H.T. Hoffmann. Frankfurt am Main, 1995, pp. 205-217.
*Józef Koffler, Score of "Love Cantata" for solo voice, clarinet, viola and violoncello Op. 14, publisher: PWM, Cat. no: 8719, 1995, language versions: Polish, German.
*Maciej Gołąb, "Józef Koffler", Kraków: Musica Iagellonica, 1995. English translation by Maksymilian Kapelański, Marek Żebrowski and Linda Schubert, Los Angeles: Polish Music Center, 2003.
*Maciej Gołąb, "Józef Koffler and the Viennese School" (Józef Koffler i Szkoła Wiedeńska). Muzyka 2 (1996): 3-16.
*Iwona Linstedt, "Twelve-Tone serialism in the symphonies of Józef Koffler (Dodekafonia w symfoniach Jozefa Kofflera), Muzyka 2 (1996): 17-74.
*Iwona Lindstedt, "Instrumentation and Form in the Symphonies of Józef Koffler" (Instrumentacja a forma w symfoniach Józefa Kofflera). Muzyka 2 (1996): 75-130.
*Muzyka 2 (1996). Special 100-year's anniversary issue tributed to J. Koffler"
*Leszek Mazepa, "The Press of Lvov on the Performances of Józef Koffler's Compositions" (Relacje prasy lwowskiej o wykonaniach utworow Józefa Kofflera). Muzyka 2 (1996): 139-158.
*"Displaced Music" ("Odrzucona muzyka"), Editor Pfau, Saargebiet, 1998, vol. 18: "Persecution and Re-discovery". Lecture-concerts of "musica reanimata" about the composers Max Brand, Alfred Goodman, Józef Koffler and Ursula Mamlok

ee also

*20th century classical music
*Twelve-tone technique
*Serialism
*List of Jewish musicians
*List of Polish composers
*Music of Poland
*List of composers influenced by the Holocaust
*List of victims of Nazism
*List of Polish Jews
*History of Jews in Poland

External links

* [http://www.usc.edu/dept/polish_music/PMJ/issue/6.1.03/ Józef Koffler - Biography and list of works]
* [http://www.culture.pl/pl/culture/artykuly/ Józef Koffler - Biography]

Persondata
NAME= Koffler, Józef
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Κоффлер, Юзєф(Russian)
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Polish Composers, Jewish composers, Dodecaphony, Lwów, Lviv, Twelve-tone technique
DATE OF BIRTH= 1896, November 28
PLACE OF BIRTH= Stryj, Ukraine
DATE OF DEATH= 1944
PLACE OF DEATH= Krosno, Poland