Biography of Friedrich Kuhlau (1786-1832)
11.09.1786
Born in Uelzen, son of an oboist
1793
Looses by accident one eye and is shortly afterwards sent to Brunswick for learning music. He earns his money with singing in a street choir.
1802
First public concert. Shortly afterwards his first piano sonata is printed
1810
Escape to Denmark in order to outrun military services of the troops of Napoleon. Where he became flutist of the Royal Chapel and the opera.
1818
Call as court composer in Copenhagen and year of publication of "Variations et Caprices pour la Flute"
1820
Composition of "3 Fantasias op. 38" in Vienna
02.09.1825
Visits Beethoven in Baden near Vienna
1830
During a fire in the house of Kuhlau most of his compositions are destroyed
12.03.1832
Dies in Lyngbye near Copenhagen of tubercolosis
Was called the "Beethoven of flute and was one of the inventors of danish national opera
Further information/Sources:
- → Friedrich Kuhlau bei Wikipedia
- → Noten von Kuhlau auf imslp.org
- → Kulturkreis Uelzen
- → Kuhlau Wettbewerb Uelzen
- → CDs by/of Friedrich Kuhlau bei JPC (mit Hörproben)
- → Music by/with Friedrich Kuhlau at amazon.de
Sheet music for flute:
3 Duos op. 80
(2 flutes)
Edition Peters, Nr. 1239
Rating: difficult
- Duo I (Allegro con gusto - Andante con moto - Rondo Allegro moderato)
- Duo II (Adagio - Larghetto - Rondo (Allegro vivace))
- Duo III (Moderato assai - Andante - rondo alla Polacca)
Typical for Kuhlau. Not really easy for both players. In this edition there are no bar numbers and no other signs.Thus practising from the to parts without score is really hard. Best idea is to write numbers by yourself.
Dedicated to Gabrielski
3 Duos op. 81
(2 flutes)
Edition Peters, Nr. 1240
Rating: difficult
- Duo 1 (D-Dur) (Allegro vivace - Rondo (Allegro non tanto) )
- Duo 2 (F-Dur) (Allegro - Andante - Rondo (Allegro))
- Duo 3 (B-Dur) (Allegro - Andante con moto - Rondo (Allegro))
Parts using letters for structuring. Second part with a lot of accompanying figures but sometimes with melody, too. Nice melodies, fun to play as mostly with Kuhlau.
Only parts.
Dedicated to Tulou
3 Grands Solos op. 57
(flute, piano ad. Lib.)
Edition Peters, 31037
Rating: difficult
- Grand Solo 1, F-Dur
- Grand Solo 2, a-moll
- Grand Solo 3, G-Dur
Dedicated to Tulou
Introduction und Variationen op. 101 (G-Dur)
(flute, piano)
Zimmermann, ZM 2128
Rating: difficult
- Introduzione (Allegro moderato)
- Tema (Andantino)
- Variationen I - VIII
It is a theme from the opera Jessona by Louis Spohr. It is a sad text and thus it should not be played too fast.
Three Fantasias op. 38
(flute)
Universal Edition, UE 15525
Rating: difficult
- Fantasia 1 (Adagio - Allegro agitato - Ariette con variazioni)
- Fantasia 2 (Tempo giusto - Ariette con variazioni)
- Fantasia 3 (Adagio - Allegro vivace - Romanza con variazioni)
Written 1820 in Vienna.
Three Grand Duets op. 39
(2 flutes)
Cundy-Bettoney Co., 7233
Rating: difficult
- Duo I (Allegro assai con molto fuoco - Adagio ma non troppo - Rondo)
- Duo II (Allegro - Adagio lagrimoso - Rondo)
- Duo III (Allegro scherzando - Adagio con anima - Canon Allegro assai - Rondo alla Polacca)
Only parts. Dedicated to Fürstenau
Three Grand Trios Vol. 2 op. 86 (D-Dur)
(3 flutes)
Belwin Mills Publishing Corp.
Rating: difficult
- Vivace assai
- Ancien Air Suedois
- Rondo
Without score and with out numbering, thus it is hard to practice it. The print is hard to read.
Dedicated to B. Romberg
Three Virtuoso Duets for Two Flutes - Composed and dedicated to Moritz Löbel op. 102
(2 flutes)
Rating: mid-grade
- Duet One Opus 102,1 (Allegro assai - Andante cantabile - Rondo (Allegretto grazioso)
- Duet Two, Opus 102,2 (Adagio - Variations on an Old Swedish Air)
- Duet Three, Opus 102, 3 (Allegro vivace - Adagio - Rondo (Allegretto vivace))
One common score for playing.
Very long pieces, nice to play.
Trois Duos Concertants op. 10
(2 flutes)
Edition Peters, 1238
Rating: difficult
- Duo I (Allegro con espressione - Larghetto - Allegro assai)
- Duo II (Allegrissimo - Tema con Variazioni - Rondo Allegretto)
- Duo III (Alelgro assai - Rondo Allegro)
Dedicated to G. D. de Lorichs.
Trois grands duos - pour deux flûtes, troisième duo op. 39 (D-Dur)
(2 flutes)
Gerard Billaudot, R. 13 808
Rating: difficult
- Allegro scherzando
- Adagio con anima
- Allegro assai
- Rondo alla Polacca
Only parts, old edition in oversized format. Dedicated to Fürstenau.
Trois Grands Solos op. 57
(flute, piano ad. Lib.)
Edition Peters, 8392
Rating: mid-grade
- Nr. 1: Allegro con gusto - Adagio con espressione - Allegro vivace
- Nr. 2: Allegro con passione - Larghetto - Tema di Mozart (Allegretto)
- Nr. 3: Allegro - Adagio con molta espressione - Alla Polacca
Dedicated to Tulou.
Trois Trios op. 13
(3 flutes)
Gerard Billaudot, B 13 819
Rating: mid-grade
- Trio I (Adagio - Andante quasi adagio - Rondo Allegro)
- Trio II (Allegro non tanto - Allegro con moto)
- Trio III (Allegro - Adagio con dolcezza - Minuetto)
Hard to read and without any bar markers. Only parts, no score.
Variations et Caprices op. 10
(flute)
Amadeus Verlag, BP 398
Rating: difficult
- Femmes voulez vous éprouver
- Lasset Frieden uns stiften
- Capricio
- Es kann schon nicht alles so bleiben
- In des Waldes düstern Gründen
- Capricio
- Rondo
- Was ist der Mensch?
- Capricio
- On ne sauvait trop embellir
- Mich fliehen alle Freuden
- Capricio
Nice pieces of music with some strange titles.
CDs with/from Friedrich Kuhlau
Trio Cantabile
Hummel - Weber - Kuhlau (1998)
- Introduction (Cantabile) (03:32:00)
- Thema - Quasi Allegretto (00:58:00)
- Variation 1 - 7 (11:47:00)
- Allegro moderato (09:42:00)
- Adagio pathetico (04:32:00)
- Rondo Allegro (06:22:00)
- Allegro moderato (08:29:00)
- Schero - Allegro vivace (02:27:00)
- Schäfers Klage - Andante expressivo (04:33:00)
- Finale - Allegro (06:29:00)
Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Adagio, Variationen und Rondo op. 78:
Friedrich Kuhlau: Trio G-Dur op. 119:
Carl Maria von Weber: Trio g-moll op. 63:
Wolfgang Schulz, Stefan Vladar
Introduction & Variations (2002)
- Franz Schubert: Introduktion und Variationen über "Trockene Blumen" D 802 Op. Posth. 160 (19:32:00)
- Carl Czerny: Introduktion, Variationen und Finale in C-Dur Op. 80 (14:36:00)
- Friedrich Kuhlau: Introduktion und Variationen Op. 63 (11:53:00)
Quatuor Syrinx
- Bergers (01:55:00)
- Syrinx Magique (02:26:00)
- Dryade (01:59:00)
- Jacques Castérède: Flûtes en vacances - flûtes légères (02:26:00)
- Scott Joplin: Ragtime Dance "a Step-time two step" (01:50:00)
- Fêtes (01:52:00)
- Passepied (01:54:00)
- Complaintes (01:32:00)
- Tambourin (01:32:00)
- Nikolai Rimskij-Korsakow: Le vol du Bourdon (01:18:00)
- Friedrich Kuhlau: Rondo (04:30:00)
- Persan bleu (02:09:00)
- Pume (01:13:00)
- Siamois (01:35:00)
- Lynx (02:50:00)
- Chat perché (00:00:01)
- Stephane Touron: Frivole (01:09:00)
- Jacques Petit: Pop (01:45:00)
Marc Berthomieu: Arcadie:
Pierre Max Dubois: Quatuor:
Marc Berthomieu: Les Chats:
Madoka Inui, Peter Schmidl, Matthias Schulz, Wolfgang Schulz
- Allegro con spirito (06:06:00)
- Andante (06:52:00)
- Molto allegro (06:37:00)
- Allegro moderato (06:10:00)
- Adagio patetico - Sostenuto assai (03:51:00)
- Rondo - Allegro (05:13:00)
- Allegrissimo (01:40:00)
- Presto (01:36:00)
- Larghetto (02:31:00)
- Scherzando (03:53:00)
- Larghetto (04:00:00)
- Allegro (03:15:00)
- Camille Saint-Saëns: Tarentelle (06:18:00)
- Allegro malinconico (04:24:00)
- Cantilena - Assez lent (03:27:00)
- Presto giocoso (03:27:00)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in D-Dur KV 448:
Friedrich Kuhlau: Grand Trio in G-Dur Op. 119:
Jean Françaix: Le Colloque des deux perruches:
Francis Poulenc: Sonata:
Anthony Newman, Eugenia Zukerman
Time Pieces (1989)
- Joseph Haydn: 12 Pieces for musical clock (15:28:00)
- Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Grande Roundeau Brilliante (13:52:00)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Andante (06:37:00)
- Allegro (04:12:00)
- Andante (02:02:00)
- Rondo (04:15:00)
Friedrich Kuhlau: Sonate:
Marie-Christine Amann, Michel Roublot
Variations - Art &Virtuosite
- Paul-Agricole Génin: Air Napolitain - Theme & variations (00:00:00)
- Frederick Chopin: Sur un theme de Cendrillon, opera de Rossini, Variations 1,2,3 & 4 (00:00:00)
- Theobald Böhm: Variations brillantes sur un air suisse Theme & variations 1,2 & 3, Adagio & Variation 4 (00:00:00)
- Paul-Agricole Génin: Carnaval de Venise op. 14 Theme & variations 1,2,3,5,6 & 8 (00:00:00)
- Gioacchino Rossini: Sonate dite opera, extrait de Cendrillon. Theme et variation (00:00:00)
- Friedrich Kuhlau: Air irlandais - la Derniere rose de l'ete. Theme et variations 1,4,5,6 & 7 (00:00:00)
- Francois Borne: Fantaisie brillante sur Carmen de G. Bizet (00:00:00)
- Théodore Gouvy: Introduction & Polonaise (00:00:00)
Das war ein Geschenk des Institut Theodore Gouvy. Die anderen Werke sind alle mehr oder weniger gut bekannt. Virtuose Flötenmusik, schön gespielt.
Literature von/über Friedrich Kuhlau
- Flöteninstrumente und ihre Baugeschichte - Spielpraxis - Komponisten und ihre Werke - Interpreten1. edition Laaber: Laaber-Verlag,2009. - ISBN: 978-3-89007-545-7
- Celle: Edition Moeck,1987. - ISBN: 3-87549-028-2
- The instrument - the performer - the music9. edition Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press,- ISBN: 0-89672-285-6
- Mehring, Arndt: Friedrich Kuhlau im Spiegel seiner FlötenwerkeFrankfurt: Zimmermann,1992. - ISBN: 3-921729-64-5
- Tonger, P. J.: Conversations-Lexikon der TonkunstBeilage der Neuen MusikzeitungKöln: Wilhelm Hassel,1910.
Last edit 02.04.2012