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Fenigstein Victor

(19. 12. 1924)

Fenigstein Victor
Fenigstein Victor
Cité Ledenberg 14
L-5341 Moutfort
Luxembourg
Tel: +352 35 50 01
Fax: +352 35 50 01



Genre: Classical Music
Professional activity: Composers
Biography
* 19. 12. 1924.

Victor Fenigstein attended six years of primary school, six and a half years of college and three and a half years of university in Zurich, Switzerland. He was instructed in violin by his uncle, Arnold Fenigstein, and became the violist with the ‘Tonhallenorchester’. In 1937 he received private piano lessons from Rywosch and received his concert diploma under Professor Emil Frey, with whom he later continued his private piano lessons until 1943 after the extradition of Rywosch by the aliens branch of the police. In 1943 he was accepted into the concert training class of Emil Frey at Zurich conservatory and received his cantonal teacher’s diploma in piano in 1945. He completed his obligatory military service in the year 1944/5 and from 1945 until 1947 studied under Edwin Fischer. 1946 until 1948 saw him found and manage the chamber music course for adults at the club school of the ‘Migros-Genossenschafts-Bundes’. On the 08.12.1947 he gave a piano evening in Tübingen (Germany) and was appointed the position of professor for piano at the City of Luxemburg Conservatory on winning an international competition in 1948. Fenigstein was appointed by the district council and gave piano lessons until his retirement in 1985.

15.10.1949 - Chopin piano evening in Verviers (Belgium).
16.11.1949 - Soloist at the festival concert for the one-hundred year anniversary of the death of Frederyk Chopin: Piano Concert in f-minor op.21 and Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise op.22.
1949 - Marriage to Marianne Sigg from Zurich, girlfriend since 1941.
1952 - First symptoms of multiple sclerosis recognised.
1965 - Diagnosed with a so-called ‘benign form’ of the disease. Composing followed as a substitute for an inability to perform in concert.
1950 - Birth of daughter Claudia.
1952 - Birth of daughter Annanina.


Work list

Et le jour se leva pour lui (1953)
Cantata

Instrumentation: for four soloists, mixed choir and large orchestra

Texts: Paul Eluard

After the poems by Paul Eluard.
The poems 'Liberté', 'La victoire de Guernica' and 'Avis' are rooted in the anti-fascism of the 1930's and 40's. Fenigstein also discovered the contemporary value of these pieces. He composed the cantata as a reaction to the Cold War era.

Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
Six réactions sur un thème de rythme (1954)

Instrumentation: for string quartet (2vn.va.vc)

La paix au Vietnam! A French trauma. This work is dedicated to H(enri) M(artin), a Frenchman who refused to join the army, campaigned against the dirty Indo-china colonial war and paid with five years imprisonment.

Duration: 16' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Trio pour violon, alto et violoncelle (1954)

Instrumentation: for violin, viola and violoncello

I. Andante
II. Tempo di Minuetto
III. Rondeau

Defiance and hope (Ernst Bloch). After the betrayed post-war hopes of the Cold War.

Duration: 18' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Die Henkerkomödie (1960)

Instrumentation: for voice and piano

Texts: Max Schmid

Musical concept by Max Schmid; music by Victey Forain (pseudonym for Victor Fenigstein).
Social parody.

Duration: 20' 00"
Manuscript
Der Mann im goldenen Käfig (1960)

Instrumentation: for voice and harpsichord

Texts: Max Schmid

Incidental music which now goes by the name of 'Cembalo Suite'.

Duration: 16' 00"
Manuscript
Légende pour violoncelle et orchestre de chambre (1962)

Instrumentation: for solo voice, fl, cl, bn, tpt, smalldm, str

Duration: 16' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
The Teens' Sonatina (1963)

Instrumentation: for piano

I. Allegro
II. Marc Chagall (Impressions)
III. Presto

Duration: 7' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Neuf réactions sur un théme de rythme pour percussion (1963)

Instrumentation: temple block, crotales, snare drum, chinese cymbals, 2 tambourines, claves, bells, 6 tom toms, brush, 2 bass drums, 5 timp, 3 wood blocks, triangle, 2 tam tams, 3 turkish cymbals, little bells, 3 bongos, marimba, 3 congas, vibraphone

Duration: 10' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Sette miniature (1964)

Instrumentation: for flute (or oboe or clarinet), violoncello and piano

I. Molto teneramente
II. Furtivamente
III. Allegramente burlesco
IV. Molto grave
V. non espressivo, molto uguale
VII. Molto semplice

Duration: 8' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Silhouette d'une aimable crapule pour piano (1964)

Instrumentation: for piano

Caricatural depiction of a contemporary.

Duration: 5' 00"
Manuscript
Petite suite "des temps jadis" (1966)
Theatre and ballet music

Instrumentation: for orchestra (2(2pic).2(ca).2.2/2.2.2.0/timp.perc/hp.hpd/str)

Seven movements.

Duration: 17' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Etudes concertantes "i muratori" (1967)

Instrumentation: for solo violoncello, mezzo-soprano and large orchestra (2(2pic).2.2(2bcl).2.4sx(ad lib.)/2.2.2.0/4perc/pf.hpd/str)

Concert and ballet trilogy, three parts, twelve movements.
Developed under the influence of the collection of poems 'Resoconti' (reports) by Arturo Fornaro (German by Susi Bürdeke) and the Belgian pit disaster in Marcinelle (1956).

Duration: 55' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
The Friendship-Ostinato (1968)

Instrumentation: for piano and orchestra (1.2.2.2/2.1.1.0/timp/str)

Dance of the West-African blacks.
Became, in 1970, the third event from 'Three events for piano and classical orchestra'.

Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Aus deiner Jugend (1968)
Seven songs

Instrumentation: for medium voice and orchestra (2(pic).2(ca.2(bcl.2/2.1.3.1/3perc/hp/str)

Texts: I-V, VII Hermann Hesse VI R. M. Rilke

I. Über die Felder
II. Berceuse
III. Der Strassenkehrer
IV. Im Nebel
V. Die Blutbuche
VI. Zeilen aus "Stimme eines jungen Bruders"
VII. Zeilen aus "Entschluss"

Duration: 20' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Méditation pour violoncelle solo (1968)

Instrumentation: for violoncello solo

Duration: 3' 30"
Manuscript
Three Events for Piano and Classical Orchester (1970)

Instrumentation: for piano solo and orchestra (1.2.2.2/2.1.1.0/timp/str)

I. Allegro moderato
II. Andante con moto
III. Vivace (The Friendship-Ostinato)

An reduction for two pianos is also available.

Duration: 17' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
"Was ist .." (Johann Wolfgang Goethe from "Zahme Xenien, VII") (1971)

Instrumentation: for four-handed piano

Texts: J. W. Goethe

Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
What shall we do (1971)

Instrumentation: for flute and harp

Duration: 9' 00"
Manuscript
Trois hommages pour piano (1963-1973)

Instrumentation: for piano

I. A la mémoire d'un homme vrai (Salvador Allende) 1973
II. La fille aux grands yeux (1963)
III. Le clown (Scherzino) 1968

Duration: 10' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
ICARES (1973)

Instrumentation: for flute and a few friends (2hn, 2tpt, tbn, btba, va, vc, 2perc)

Duration: 9' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Fünf Orchesterstudien für junge Streicher (1973)

Instrumentation: for violins (up to four and more) and violoncelli (up to four and more)

I. Die Feuerwehrleute ...
II. ... bewundern die Rose ...
III. ... die sehr dornenreich ist ...
IV. ... und einem sehr seriösen Stromer gehört ...
V. ... welcher auf einer nikotinfreien Tabakwolke schwebend...das Paradies erreicht.

Duration: 8' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Vier Rufspiele (1974)

Instrumentation: for flute (or soprano saxophone and alto saxophone) and piano

Duration: 9' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Six Folksongs (1974/1982)

Instrumentation: for flute, violoncello and small drum (available in a version for flute, guitar and percussion)

I. A mhic jain ... (Scotch)
II. From Luxembourg ...
III. Crézio de fairé (Ardèche, France)
IV. French mood
V. Swiss sound
VI. Jain Shmoltaich

Duration: 12' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Quattro "bis" (1974)

Instrumentation: for violoncello solo

I. Piccolo Prestigiatore
II. Sogno
III. Funambolo
IV. Rompiscatole

Duration: 11' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Some proposals to a Solo-Flute (1974)

Instrumentation: for flute solo

I. Initial Proposal
II. Second Proposal
III. Third Proposal
IV. Last Proposal
V. The End

Duration: 12' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Complaintes "de notre temps" (1976)

Instrumentation: for violoncello and piano

Duration: 6' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Mara-(im)pulse (1978)

Instrumentation: for string orchestra (4.4.3.2.1) or multiples

Duration: 10' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Kadenzen zu den Klavierkonzerten KV 482, 491, 466, 467 und 537 von Wolfgang Amedé Mozart (1968-1979)

Instrumentation: for piano

Duration: each ca. 3'30"

Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Seventeen millions (1979)

Instrumentation: for mezzo-soprano, speaker and large orchestra (3(pic).2.2(bcl).3/4.4(small tpt).cn.3.1/timp.6perc/hp.cel.pf/str)

Texts: Peter Weiss, John Milton (in der dtsch. Übersetzung von Hans Heinrich Meier), die UNICEF, Arthur Rimbaud, Victor Fenigstein

Duration: 25' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
"Trois Esquisses" (1964/1980 und 1994)

Instrumentation: for double-bass and string orchestra (or piano)

I. Espiègle
II. Gravement
III. Inexorablement
String orchestra: 3.4.2.2.1 or numerous alternative versions for string quartet, saxophone quartet, clarinet quartet or for the following solo instruments accompanied by string orchestra or piano: violin, viola, violoncello, flute, oboe, bass clarinet, horn, trumpet, tenor trombone or percussion.
This piece was originally entitled "Trois esquisses juives" but this was

Duration: 8' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Passages pour trompette et cordes (1976/1980)

Instrumentation: for solo tpt; 2,2,2,2,1

Duration: 15' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Sechs Tänze (1980)
Berlock dances

Instrumentation: for clarinet quartet

I. Thibaut von Vallormes
II. Guillemette
III. Denise
IV. Tante Angelika
V. Paris (homage to J.-Ph. Rameau)
VI. Quoneschi

After the novel 'Die Berlocken' from the 'Sinngedicht' by Gottfried Keller.

Duration: 25' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Fang vierhändig an! / Dès le début à quatre mains / Duets right from the start (1980)

Instrumentation: for four-handed piano

Methodical piano pieces for the beginner.

Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Danses des Breloques "Gottfried Keller" (1981)

Instrumentation: for large orchestra (1.2.2.ca.2(small cl).bcl.2.cbn/2.1.2.1/timp.4perc/hp.cel.pf/str)

I. Thibaut von Vallormes
II. Guillemette
III. Denise
IV. Tante Angelika
V. Paris (homage to J.-Ph. Rameau)
VI. Quoneschi

Duration: 25' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Memento et Epitaphe (1981)

Instrumentation: for alto saxophone and piano

I. Memento le 12. XI. 1977 à Pretoria
II. Epitaphe pour tous les "St. B." (Steve Biko)

Duration: 9' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Viermal Beängstigendes und Tröstliches (1981)

Instrumentation: for string quartet (2vn.va.vc)

Duration: 9' 00"
Manuscript
Versuch für Flöte, Violine, Marimba und Klavier (1981)

Instrumentation: for flute, marimba and piano

Duration: 7' 00"
Manuscript
Les effarés (1981)

Instrumentation: for voice and piano

Texts: Arthur Rimbaud

Duration: 5' 00"
Manuscript
Die heilige Johanna der Schlachthöfe (Bertolt Brecht) (1983-1985)

Instrumentation: for voices and orchestra (1.1.1.asx.1/1.1.1.0/timp.2perc/pf.acn/gtr.bango)

Texts: Bertolt Brecht

Literal musicalisation of a novel, true to the last comma.

Johanna Dark: alto
Pierpont Mauler: tenor-baritone
Cridle: tenor
Graham: bass
Lennox: baritone
Meyers: tenor
Slift: bass-baritone
Frau Luckerniddle: mezzo-soprano
Gloomb: tenor
ein Arbeiter: tenor
Paulus Snyder: tenor-baritone
Martha: soprano
Jackson: tenor
Mulberry: bass
Foreman: tenor
Bloke: tenor-baritone
1. Labour leader: bass
2. Labour leader: tenor
A detective: tenor


Duration: 5h 00"
Manuscript
Sonnets I - CLIV (Shakespeare) (1985-1986)

Instrumentation: for voice with and without instrumental accompaniment (various instrumentations)

Texts: Shakespeare

A singspiel (=English opera) in five acts for the opera stage (or alternating public settings).

Duration: 9h 00"
Manuscript
Die Mutter des Mörders (1987)

Instrumentation: for mezzo-soprano and several instruments (fl, bn, cornet à pistons, tbn, vn, va, db, per)

Texts: Egon Erwin Kisch

'Singspiel' (German equivalent of the English opera) or radio play. Literal musicalisation of a novel, true to the last comma.

Journalist/son: baritone
The mother: mezzo-soprano

Duration: 35' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Concerto pour hautbois et orchestre à cordes (1961/1991)

Instrumentation: for oboe or soprano saxophone and string orchestra with three violas

I. Grave - Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Molto leggero

Duration: 20' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Vortragsstück in Form von vier kurzen Berichten (1972/1991)

Instrumentation: for flute (or altosaxophone) an piano

Duration: 6' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Two pieces (1978/1991/1992)

Instrumentation: for flute (or violine or alto saxophone) and string orchestra (4.4.4.2.1)

I. Fragment of a "Ibrahim Selmon & Company-Memorial"
II. "Schaggele, sag scheen gräzi"

Reduction for piano also available.

Duration: 14' 00"
Edition Kunzelmann
Grütstr. 28
CH-8134 Adliswil
Zwölf Lieder zu Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder (1997)

Instrumentation: for voice without accompaniment

Texts: Bertolt Brecht, John Willet

English version after the translation by John Willet (N° 4 Ralph Manheim).

Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
Ballade vom Reichstagsbrand (2001-2003)

Instrumentation: for one male and one female singer with piano

Texts: Bertolt Brecht

Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
MUSICAL MOMENTS (THE OUZEL) / MOMENTS MUSICAUX (LE MERLE) / MUSIKALISCHE AUGENBLICKE (DIE AMSEL) (2003)

Instrumentation: for instrumental ensemble

Duration: 25' 00"
Manuscript
alfabet (26 Stëcker fir de piano) [sic!] (2003)

Instrumentation: for piano

for dreaming, sweating, listening, learning, laughing, behaving "ill-mannered" and playing with the piano, composed by Victor Fenigstein for all his actual and, who knows, future friends.

Duration: 65' 00"
Manuscript
MUSICAL MOVEMENTS I-III (2003-2004)

Instrumentation: for sixteen strings (9vn.3va.3vc.db)

Duration: 16' 00"
Manuscript
SEVEN MELODIES WITHOUT WORDS AND ONE WITH WORDS AND SEVEN VARIATIONS (2004)

Instrumentation: for piano (for melody seven sopranos or tenors)

Texts: Goethe

Duration: 45' 00"
Manuscript
"Komische" (1960-2004)
Suite

Instrumentation: for harpsichord

Texts: Max Schmid

In eleven movements, three of which are sung with cembalo accompaniment (with texts by Max Schmid).

Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
TEMOIGNAGE (2004)

Instrumentation: for flute and five strings (2vn.va.vc.db) or a multiple of five

Duration: 9' 00"
Manuscript
Bibliography
Fenigstein, Victor: Die Heilige Johanna der Schlachthöfe - ein Singespiel, in: Programmheft zur Uraufführung am 7.12.1986, Städtische Bühnen, Augsburg 1986
Hennenberg, Fritz: Shakespeare's Sonnets I-CLIV, vertont von Victor Fenigstein, in: Shakespeare Jahrbuch 138 (2002)
Hennenberg, Fritz: "Es helfen nur Menschen, wo Menschen sind." Victor Fenigsteins Singespiel "Die heilige Johanna der Schlachthöfe" nach Bertolt Brecht, in: Luxemburger Wort (17.5.2001) (2001)
Hennenberg, Fritz: Artikel "Victor Fenigstein", in: Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Personenteil, Bd. 6, hrsg. von Ludwig Finscher, Bärenreiter, Kassel/Basel 2001, S. 951-952
Hennenberg, Fritz: Fang vierhändig an! Anmerkungen zu einem klavierpädagogischen Studienwerk von Victor Fenigstein, in: Ueben und Musizieren 2 (2000), S. 56-59
Hennenberg, Fritz: Artikel "Victor Fenigstein", in: Komponisten der Gegenwart, hrsg. von Hanns-Werner Heister (et al.), Text + Kritik, München 1999
Hennenberg, Fritz: Bewährung von Liebe und Freiheit. Zu "Et le jour se leva pour lui" von Victor Fenigstein, in: Luxemburger Wort, die Warte 12 (1999)
Hennenberg, Fritz: Leidenschaft und Strenge, in: Frankfurter Rundschau (19.12.1999) (1999)
Hennenberg, Fritz: Im künstlerischen Bild den Zustand der Welt reflektieren. Ein Porträt des Komponisten Victor Fenigstein, in: Dissonanz 53 (1997), S. 21-24
Weber, Loll: Der Komponist Victor Fenigstein, in: Nos Cahiers 12 (1991), S. 85-98
Baldauf-Beck, Simone (et al.): Kuss und Schuss waren zuviel. Ein Gespräch mit dem Komponisten Victor Fenigstein, in: Son et Lumière (1990)
Bertemes, Paul: Der Komponist Victor Fenigstein. Auf der Suche nach der Einfachheit, in: D'Letzeburger Land (9.11.90) (1990)
Victor Fenigstein in Akten und Erinnerungsfetzen, in: Theaterzeitung der Städtischen Bühnen Augsburg (Nov./Dez. 86), hrsg. von Städtische Bühnen Augsburg, Augsburg 1986, S. 8-10
Fenigstein, Victor: Die Heilige Johanna der Schlachthöfe - ein Singespiel, in: Programmheft zur Uraufführung am 7.12.1986, Städtische Bühnen, Augsburg 1986
Wagner, Guy: Victor Fenigstein, in: Luxemburger Komponisten heute, Editions Phi, Echternach 1986, S. 56-59 / 152-153
Blasen, Léon: Victor Fenigstein, in: Télécran 7 (1984), S. 39-40
Kraus, Marco: Aspekte des Verhältnisses von Materialstruktur, Form und Inhalt am Beispiel des ersten "Berlocken-Tanzes", in: Schweizerische Musikzeitung 123 (1983), S. 87-91
May, Helmut: Orchesterstudien für Geiger und Cellisten, in: Musik und Bildung 8 (1976), S. 533-534


Last updated: 2020-10-06 16:48:10