Biography of Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1879-1933)

21.11.1877
Born in Oberndorf, Germany named Siegfried Karg (Elert was the maiden name of his mother)
1888
Member of the Leipzig Johannis church choir
At the request of his custodian teacher seminar in Grimma
Escapes from the seminar, oboist of the municipal band in Markranstädt
1896
Studies at the Leipzig conservatory with Reinecke (composition) and Jadassohn (theory)
Student of Grieg and friend of Reger
1902
Piano teacher in Magdeburg
1904
Grieg recommended after a nervous crisis due to a love crisis the change of his first name in Sigfrid, in order to seem not too much Jewish, and to concentrate on composing. He is also promoting his werks at several publishers.
Motivated by the common time with Bartuzat in a military band during World War I, he writes several pieces for flute. He himself played oboe and saxophone in this orchestra.
1917
Sonata appassionata
1918
Sonata B flat major
1919
Teacher at Leipzig conservatory following Reger; composition of Impressions exotiques, Suite pointillistique and completion of 30 Caprices
09.04.1933
Dies in Leipzig

Sheet music for flute:

30 Capricen op. 107 (Etüde)
(flute)
Edition Steingräber, Nr. 2401
Rating: difficult
  1. Tempo giusto
  2. Un poco mosso, ma non brillante
  3. Allegro alla Händel
  4. Velocissimo e brillante
  5. Allegro giusto
  6. Appassionato e stretto
  7. Moto perpetuo
  8. Con molto brio
  9. Rapido e brillante
  10. Leggero e veloce
  11. Velocissimo e molto leggero
  12. Leggero, grazioso e veloce
  13. Leggerissimo e grazioso
  14. Moto perpetuo
  15. Mosso e leggerissimo
  16. Un poco mosso, umoristico
  17. Leggero veloce, giocoso
  18. Adagio (quasi cadenza)
  19. Vivacissimo, scintillante
  20. Ardito capriccioso ed assai
  21. In tempo di Walzer
  22. Agitato ed appassionato
  23. Adagio appassionato
  24. Rapido quanto e possibile
  25. Un poco vivace e capriccioso
  26. Capriccioso, con civetteria
  27. Un pochettino mosso
  28. Sciolto, elegante e rapido
  29. Velocissimo e frizzante
  30. Chaconne
Very fine music, difficult to play and really special. There is a elaborate introduction from Karg-Elert about the logical development of modern figuration.
Composed in 1918/1919 and probably inspired by Carl Bartuzat, at this time solo flutist of Leipziger Gewandhausorchester.
Impressions exotiques op. 134
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute/piccolo, piano)
Zimmermann, ZM 1957
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Idylle champêtre (Allegretto)
  2. Danse Pittoresque (Poco lento e malinconico)
  3. Colibri (Rubato)
  4. Lotus (Adagio, delicatissimo)
  5. Evocation a Brahma (Solenne, non troppo lento)
Jugend Musik op. 139a (H-Dur)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, clarinet, horn, piano)
Falls House Press
Rating: difficult
  1. Ziemlich bewegt (romantisch)
Sinfonische Kanzone (c-moll)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, piano)
Zimmermann, ZM 20120
Rating: mid-grade
Written during World War I (1917)
Sonata (Appassionata) op. 140 (fis-moll)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute)
Zimmermann, ZM 17760
Rating: very difficult
  1. Sehr lebhaft und mit starker Leidenschaft
Beautiful music, played a lot. Written in summer of 1917.
Dedicated to Bartuzat, with whom Karg-Elert played together in a military band during World War I.
Sonate Op. 121 (B-Dur)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, piano)
Zimmermann, Z. 10762
Rating: difficult
Composed in 1919

CDs with/from Sigfrid Karg-Elert

Michel Debost, Christian Ivaldi
Flute Panorama CD 1 (1993)
2 - Paris-Leipzig 1900
Skarbo
    Charles-Marie Widor: Suite op. 34:
  1. Moderato (04:02:00)
  2. Scherzo (02:38:00)
  3. Romance (04:28:00)
  4. Final (05:30:00)
    5. Carl Reinecke: Sonate "Undine" opus 167:
  5. Allegro (06:40:00)
  6. Intermezzo Allegretto vivace (03:45:00)
  7. Andante tranquillo (03:26:00)
  8. Finale (05:35:00)
    9. Philippe Gaubert: Sonate:
  9. Modere (04:35:00)
  10. Lent (03:54:00)
  11. Allegro moderato (06:17:00)
  12. Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Sonata Appassionata (04:21:00)
  13. Gabriel Fauré: Morceau de Concours - Adagio non troppo (02:45:00)
Andreas Kersten, Antje Langkafel
Sigfrid Karg-Elert (2002)
jpc
Antes Edition
  1. Sinfonische Kanzone (1917) op. 114 (08:22:00)
    2. Sonate B-Dur op. 121:
  2. Idyllisch, nicht schleppend (04:38:00)
  3. Äußerst langsam (05:30:00)
  4. Sehr geschwind und leichthin (05:17:00)
    5. Impressions exotiques (1919) op. 134:
  5. Idylle champetre (02:17:00)
  6. Danse pittoresque (02:19:00)
  7. Colibri (02:20:00)
  8. Lotus (02:54:00)
  9. Evocations a Brahma (03:39:00)
    10. Suite pointillistique (1919) op. 135:
  10. Im Stil einer Arabeske (03:41:00)
  11. Der kranke Mond (05:02:00)
  12. Scherzo (Diavolina und Innocenz) (06:03:00)
  13. Im Stil einer Hymne (04:34:00)
Thies Roorda, Nata Tsvereli
Sigfrid Karg-Elert - Complete Works for Flute (CD 1) (2014)
jpc
Naxos
    Impressions exotiques for flute (piccolo) and piano op. 134:
  1. Idylle champêtre - Allegretto (02:47:00)
  2. Danse pittoresque - Poco lento e maliconico (03:05:00)
  3. Colibri - Rubato (02:26:00)
  4. Lotus - Adagio delicatissimo (03:36:00)
  5. Evocation à Brahma - Soemne, non troppo lento (03:43:00)
  6. Sonata appassionata for flute solo, op. 140 (04:39:00)
  7. Sinfonische Kanone for flute and piano op. 114 (09:03:00)
    8. Suite pointillistique for flute and piano op. 135:
  8. Im Stile einer Arabeske - Leicht bewegt (04:09:00)
  9. Der kranke Mond - Äußerst gedehnt - Larghetto (05:11:00)
  10. Diavolina und Innocenz - Scherzo - Äußerst locker und geschwind (06:42:00)
  11. Im Stile einer Hymne - Gewichtig breit, doch nicht zu langsam (04:24:00)
Thies Roorda, Nata Tsvereli
Sigfrid Karg-Elert - Complete Works for Flute (CD 2) (2014)
jpc
Naxos
    Sonata B-Dur for flute and piano op. 121:
  1. Idyllisch, nicht schleppend - Allegro amabile (04:45:00)
  2. Äußerst langsam - Adagissimo (06:16:00)
  3. Sehr geschwind und leichthin (05:10:00)
    4. 30 Caprices for solo flute, op. 107:
  4. No. 1 Tempo giusto (01:21:00)
  5. No. 2 Un poco mosso, ma non brillante (00:56:00)
  6. No. 3 Allegro alla Händel (non troppo brlllante) (01:48:00)
  7. No. 4 Velocissimo e brillante (00:40:00)
  8. No. 5 Allegro giusto (01:08:00)
  9. No. 6 Appassionato e stretto  (01:04:00)
  10. No. 7 Moto perpetuo (00:50:00)
  11. No. 8 Con molto brio (00:57:00)
  12. No. 9 Rapido e brillante (00:54:00)
  13. No. 10 Leggero e veloce (00:52:00)
  14. No. 11 Velocissimo e molto leggero (01:00:00)
  15. No. 12 Leggero, grazoso e veloce (00:58:00)
  16. No. 13 Leggerissimo e grazioso (01:17:00)
  17. No. 14 Moto perpetuo (00:52:00)
  18. No. 15 Mosso e leggerissimo (00:58:00)
  19. No. 18 Adagio (quasi cadenza) (01:25:00)
  20. No. 19 Vivacissimo, scintillante (00:54:00)
  21. No. 20 Ardito capriccioso ed assai mosso (01:00:00)
  22. No. 21 In tempo di Walzer (01:31:00)
  23. No. 22 Agitato ed appassionato (00:56:00)
  24. No. 23 Adagio appassionato (quasi recitativo) (01:54:00)
  25. No. 24 Rapido quanto è pssiile (con suono sempre aguzzo) (00:39:00)
  26. No. 25 Un poco vivace e capriccioso (01:05:00)
  27. No. 26 Capriccioso, con civetteria (00:53:00)
  28. No. 27 Un pochettino mosso (ben articolato) (01:25:00)
  29. No. 28 Sciolto, elegante e rapido (00:54:00)
  30. No. 29 Velocissimo e frizzante (00:43:00)
  31. No. 30 Chaconne (03:54:00)
Peter-Lukas Graf
Werke für Flöte solo (1989)
claves Records
    Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonate a-moll:
  1. Allemande (03:32:00)
  2. Corrente (02:42:00)
  3. Sarabande (03:52:00)
  4. Bourrée anglaise (01:42:00)
  5. Marin Marais: Variationen über "Les Folies d'Espagne" (09:32:00)
  6. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Solosonate a-moll (11:59:00)
  7. Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Sonata appassionata fis-moll (04:22:00)
    8. Willy Burkhard: Suite op. 98:
  8. Tranquillo (03:34:00)
  9. Dialog (03:00:00)
  10. Lied (03:02:00)
  11. Allegro agitato (02:21:00)
  12. Edgar Varèse: Density 21.5 (04:26:00)
  13. Luciano Berio: Sequenza (06:40:00)
  14. Kazuo Fukushima: Mei (04:45:00)
Das sind die absoluten Standard-Solostücke, all die Werke, die jeder irgendwann mal spielen wird: beide Bachs, Sequenza, Fukushima, Marais. Gespielt von einem der ganz großen. War eine meiner allerersten Flöten-CDs überhaupt. Fast ein Stückchen Flötengeschichte und in jedem Fall ein würdiges Objekt für das CD-Regal jedes Flötisten.

Literature von/über Sigfrid Karg-Elert

Last edit 30.05.2020