Stephan, Rudi
Stephan, Rudi
Stephan, Rudi, German composer; b. Worms, July 29, 1887; d. in battle near Tarnopol, Galicia, Sept. 29, 1915. He studied counterpoint with Sekles at the Hoch Cons. in Frankfurt am Main (1905), then went to Munich, where he received instruction in composition from Rudolf Louis and in piano from Heinrich Schwartz (1906–08); also studied philosophy at the Univ. His output is marked by a secure command of harmony and counterpoint with a fine feeling for orch. color. Stephan’s tragic death was greatly lamented.
Works
DRAMATIC : Opera : Die ersten Menschen (1911–14; Frankfurt am Main, July 1, 1920). ORCH .: Musik fir Orchester (1912; Jena, June 6, 1913); Musik fir Geige und Orchester (Berlin, Oct. 10, 1913). CHAMBER : Musik fir sieben Saiteninstrumente (2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, harp, and piano; 1911; Danzig, May 30, 1912). VOCAL : Liebeszauber for Tenor and Orch. (1909–10; Munich, Jan. 16, 1911; withdrawn; rev. for Baritone and Orch., 1913); 18 songs (1908–14).
Bibliography
K. Holl, R. S.: Studie zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Musik am Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts (Saarbrücken, 1920; second ed., 1922); A. Machner, R. S.s Werk (diss., Univ. of Breslau, 1943).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire