Gustav Classens

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Gustav Classens
Born
Gustav Xavier Maria August Classens

(1894-10-12)12 October 1894
Cologne Conservatory
Occupations
  • Conductor
  • Chorale conductor
Organizations

Gustav Classens (12 October 1894 – 18 June 1977) was a German conductor who shaped musical life in Bonn. He was municipal music director and conductor of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn from 1933 to 1949, continuing concerts during World War II and reviving them after the war. He was then for decades conductor of the choir Chor der Bonner Bach-Gemeinschaft that he founded.

Career

Gustav Xavier Maria August Classens was born in

Cologne Conservatory from 1913, piano with Otto Klauwell (1851–1917), music theory with Franz Bölsche (1867–1933) and Konrad Ramrath (1880–1972), and score playing with Ewald Strässer (1869–1935). His studies were interrupted by World War I. He served as Gefreiter and was severely injured in 1915. When he returned to his studies in 1919, he took conducting classes with Hermann Abendroth. He graduated in 1923 in piano and conducting.[1][2]

Classens gave concerts as a pianist and assisted Abendroth with his concerts at the

Bonn Opera, after Heinrich Sauer (1870–1955) had retired in 1931. Classen's intention was to make Bonn a Beethoven city, as Salzburg was a Mozart city.[1]

He had to compromise with the Nazi regime, such as conducting in 1934 the premiere of Deutsches Heldenrequiem, dedicated to Hitler by its composer

Die Jahreszeiten, Beethoven's Missa solemnis and Ninth Symphony, Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, and an evening dedicated to Max Reger with two Bonn premieres.[1] He managed to continue concerts under difficult conditions during World War II and revived the orchestra after the war.[1] He held the position of GMD until 1949.[4]

In 1949, Classens founded a choir which he named Chor der Bonner Bach-Gemeinschaft (Choir of the Bonn Bach Society).

Psalmus Hungaricus.[6]

From 1952 to 1966, he was also music teacher at the Otto-Kühne-Schule [de].[1] Classens died in Bonn at the age of 82.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Niesen, Josef. "Gustav Classens / Dirigent und Chorleiter (1894–1977)" (in German). Portal Rheinische Geschichte. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b Fellerer, Karl Gustav (1967). "Gustav Classens". Rheinische Musiker (in German). Vol. 5. A. Volk. p. 31.
  3. ^ "Schloßmacher, Norbert (Hg.) / 100 Jahre Beethoven Orchester Bonn / Impressionen aus einem Jahrhundert Orchestergeschichte" (in German). Kölner Kammerorchester. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Geschichte". Das Orchester (in German). June 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Kurz gefasst: Ein Rückblick auf die Chor-Geschichte" (in German). Bach-Chor Bonn. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Konzertliste der Bonner Bach-Gemeinschaft / ab 2012 Bach-Chor Bonn" (PDF) (in German). Bach-Chor Bonn. 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gustav_Classens&oldid=1219042896"