Siegl, Otto

Siegl, Otto, Austrian composer, conductor, and pedagogue; b. Graz, Oct. 6, 1896; d. Vienna, Nov. 9, 1978. He was a pupil of Mojsisovics, Kroemer, Kunzel, and Kornauth at the Graz Schule des Steiermärkischen Musikverein (1901–15; 1918–20). hi 1921–22 he was a violinist in the Vienna Sym. Orch., and then was asst. conductor of the Graz Opera (1922–24). After serving as music director in Paderborn and Herford, as a choral conductor in Essen and Bielefeld, and as a theory teacher in Hagen, he was a teacher (1933–35) and a prof. (1935–8) at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik. He also was conductor of the chorus at the Univ. and of the Gürzenich choir of Cologne (1934–48). Returning to Vienna, he taught theory at the Academy of Music (from 1948), where he later was head of the theory and conducting depts. (from 1955), and served as a prof. (1958–67). In 1957 he received Austria’s Great State Prize for music.

Works

ORCH.: Flute Concerto (1955); Cello Concerto (1957); 2 syms. (1958, 1959); Chamber Concerto for Piano and Orch. (1960); Concerto for Clarinet and Strings (1968). CHAMBER: 4 cello sonatas (1923, 1923, 1924, 1967); 5 string quartets (Burleskes, 1924; 1924; 1932; 1941; Festliches, 1956); 2 viola sonatas (1925, 1938); 2 violin sonatas (1925, 1940); 2 string quintets (1940, 1954); Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1959); Quintet-Serenade for Clarinet, Bassoon, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1961); Sonata for Clarinet and Cello (1965); 2 clarinet sonatas (1965, 1968); Flute Sonata (1968). VOCAL: Missa Mysterium magnum for Chorus (1926); Eines Menschen Lied, cantata for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1931); Klingendes Jahr, cantata for Soprano, Men’s Chorus, Piano, and String Orch. (1933); Missa parva for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1953); Wort und Wunder, cantata for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1955); Missa humilitatis for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1959); Stern des lebens, oratorio for Soloists, Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1959).

Bibliography

W. Trienes, O. S.(Mülheim, 1956); W. Suppan, O. S. (Vienna, 1966).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire