David, Johann Nepomuk

David, Johann Nepomuk , outstanding Austrian composer and teacher, father ofThomas Christian David; b. Eferding, Nov. 30, 1895; d. Stuttgart, Dec. 22, 1977. He studied with Joseph Marx at the Vienna Academy of Music (1921–22). After serving as a school-teacher, organist, and choirmaster in Wels (1924–34), he joined the faculty of the Leipzig Landeskonservatorium (later the Hochschule fur Musik) in 1934, becoming its director in 1942. He was subsequently director at the Salzburg Mozarteum (1945–48). In 1948 he was appointed prof. of composition at the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart, serving until 1963. In 1978 the International Johann Nepomuk David Soc. was organized in Stuttgart. His mastery of counterpoint is revealed in all of his works, which are polyphonic in structure.

Writings

(all publ. in Göttingen unless otherwise given):Die Jupitersymphonie (1953); Die zweistimmigen Inventionen von Johann Sebastian Bach (1957); Die dreistimmigen Inventionen von Johann Sebastian Bach (1959); Das wohltemperierte Klavier: Versuch einer Synopsis (1962); Der musikalische Satz im Spiegel der Zeit (Graz, 1963).

Works

ORCH Concerto Grosso for Chamber Orch. (1923); Flute Concerto (1934); 2 partitas (1935, 1939); 8 numbered syms.: No. 1 in A minor (1936), No. 2 (1938), No. 3 (1940), No. 4 (1945), No. 5 (1951; Stuttgart, May 3, 1952), No. 6 (1954; Vienna, June 22, 1955), No. 7 (1956; Stuttgart, Oct. 10,1957), and No. 8 (1964–65; Stuttgart, Nov. 20,1965); Kume, kum, geselle rnin, divertimento on old folk songs (1938); Variationen uber ein Thema von Johann Sebastian Bach (1942); Symphonische Variationen uber ein Thema von Heinrich Schutz (1942); 3 concertos for Strings: No. 1 (1950), No. 2 (1951) and No. 3 (1974; Berlin, Feb. 20, 1975); 2 violin concertos: No. 1 (1952; Stuttgart, April 25, 1954) and No. 2 (1957; Munich, April 22, 1958); Deutsche Tanze for Strings (1953; Wiesbaden, July 7, 1954); Sinfonia preclassica super nomen H-A-S-E (1953; St. Veit, Carinthia, Oct. 16, 1954); Sinfonia breve (1955; Baden-Baden, March 4, 1956); Melancholia for Viola and Chamber Orch. (1958; Lucerne, Aug. 31, 1961); Magische Quadrate (1959; Recklinghausen, March 23, 1960); Sinfonia per archi (1959; Linz, Nov. 30,1960); Spiegelkabinett, waltz (Dresden, Nov. 20, 1960); Organ Concerto (1965; Cologne, Nov. 28, 1966); Variationen uber ein Thema von Josquin des Pres for Flute, Horn, and Strings (1966; Munich, April 17, 1969); Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Small Orch. (1969); Chaconne (1972).CHAMBER : String Trio (1935); Duo concertante for Violin and Cello (1937); Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Guitar (1940); Trio for Flute, Violin, and Viola (1942); solo sonatas for Flute (1942), Violin (1943), Viola (1943), Cello (1944), and Lute (1944); Sonata for Flute and Viola (1943); Sonata for 2 Violins (1945); 4 string trios (1945, 1945, 1948, 1948); Clarinet Sonata (1948); Sonata for 3 Cellos (1962); Sonata No. 2 for Solo Violin (1963); Trio for Flute, Violin, and Cello (1974).O r g a n : Ricercare (1925); Chaconne (1927); 2Hymnen (1928); Passamezzo and Fugue (1928); Toccata and Fugue (1928); fantasia super “L’homme arme” (1929); Preambel und Fuge (1930); Das Choralwerk (21 vols., 1932–73); 2Fantasias and Fugue (1935); Ricercare (1937); Introitus, Chorale and Fugue on a Theme of Bruckner for Organ and 9 Wind Instruments (1939); Chaconne and Fugue (1962); Toccata and Fugue (1962); Partita iiber B-A-C-H (1964); 12 Orgelfugen durch alle Tonarten (1968); Partita (1970); Partita for Violin and Organ (1975).SACRED VOCAL: Stabat Mater for 6-part Chorus (1927); Deutsche Messe for Chorus (1952; Leipzig, Feb. 19,1953); Missa choralis (de Angelis) ad quattuor voces inaequales (1953; Linz, Jan. 17, 1954); Requiem chorale for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1956; Vienna, June 11, 1957); Ezzolied, oratorio for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1957; Berlin, May 17, 1960); O, wir armen Sunder, cantata for Alto, Chorus, and Organ (1966); Mass (1968); Komm, Heiliger Geist, cantata for 2 Choruses and Orch. (1972; Linz, March 26, 1974); also motets.

Bibliography

R. Klein, /. N. D. (Vienna, 1964); H. Bertram, Material—Struktur—Form: Studien zur musikalischen Ordnung beiJ. N. D. (Wiesbaden, 1965); H. Stuckenschmidt, /. N. D. (Wies-baden, 1965); G. Sievers, ed., Ex Deo nascimur: Festschrift zum 75. Geburtstag von J. N. D. (Wiesbaden, 1970); W. Dallmann, /. N. D.: Das Choralwerk fur Orgel (Bern, 1994); W. Dallmann, /. N. D.:Das Chorwerk fur Orgel: Versuch einer hinfurhrenden Analyse (Frankfurt am Main, 1994).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire