Description

RICHARD KLEMM (DRESDEN, 25 MARCH, 1902 – BERLIN, 1988)

 

 

 

 

His father (Oskar Richard Klemm) was a versatile musician, who besides his main instrument (the double bass) played various other instruments which gained him a musical reputation through his engagements at private celebrations and events such as weddings.

As a child Richard Klemm received from his father a musical education in several instruments (the cello, piano, violin and trumpet), and he also sang in the boys’ choir Dresdner Kreuzchor. In 1919 Klemm left Dresden and took up the position of cellist with the Königsberg Kurorchester. During the years 1923-1926 he studied the cello with Hugo Becker in Berlin, composition with Paul Juon, and the piano. He graduated in both musical disciplines, the cello and the piano. For his final graduation examination pieces he played the solo cello sonata by Zoltán Kodály and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

After completing his studies Richard Klemm became a cellist with the Staatskapelle Berlin (the orchestra of the Berlin State Opera. At the same time he also played in the chamber music ensembles of the Staatskapelle Berlin as well as with the Kniestädt Quartet. In 1950 he taught himself to play the viola da gamba. In 1958 Richard Klemm was appointed professor at the West Berlin Academy of Music. Several of his pupils became cellists with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Wolfgang Boettcher, Christoph Kapler, Jörg Baumann, Alexander Wedow). Klemm’s compositional work for four cellos contributed to the founding of The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. He also composed pieces for the viola da gamba and passed on the playing technique of this instrument to his pupils. Later, his colleague Siegfried Borris wrote for him a concerto for viola da gamba and orchestra. For many years Klemm was a member of the Richard Wagner Festival Orchestra in Bayreuth.

His best-remembered compositions are the pieces he wrote for four cellos (“Bolero”, “Habanera”, “España” and “Concert Waltz”). He wrote arrangements of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Art of Fugue for string quartet, as well as arrangements for four cellos of the cello concertos of Joseph Haydn, Robert Schumann and Camille Saint-Saëns. In recognition of his service to music Richard Klemm was awarded a medal: the Bundesverdienstkreuz (German Service Cross with ribbon).

He was married to Ilse Ebermann and had three sons.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Helmut Krebs, Fritz Demmler, Helmut Schlövogt, Bruno Weissenfels, Rudolph Reiprich, Richard Klemm, Helma Bemmer, Wolfgang Meyer, Hans-Martin Linde, Concert Group Of The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, August Wenzinger / S. De Brossard, F. Couperin, Jacques-Christophe Naudot, Jean-Marie Leclair – 4 Sacred Vocal Works / Concerti

Label: Archive Production – ARC 3193

Series: History Of European Music, VII. Research Period: Western Europe From 1650 To 1800 – Series B: At The Court Of Louis XIV, VII. Research Period: Western Europe From 1650 To 1800 – Series D: Chamber And Keyboard

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono

Country: Germany

Released: 1962

Genre: Classical

Style: Baroque

4 Sacred Vocal Works

Flute – Fritz Demmler

Harpsichord – Wolfgang Meyer

Oboe – Helmut Schlövogt

Tenor Vocals – Helmut Krebs

Viola da Gamba – Richard Klemm

Violin – Bruno Weissenfels, Rudolf Reiprich

Violoncello – Helma Bemmer

A1 Deus Virtutum Convertere

Composed By – François Couperin

A2 Ostende Nobis

Composed By – François Couperin

A3 Quemadmodum Deciderat Cervus

Composed By – Sébastien De Brossard

A4 Audite Omnes Et Expanescite

Composed By – François Couperin

B1 Concerto In G Major For Recorder, Strings And Continuo, Op. 17 No. 5

Composed By – Jacques-Christophe Naudot

Conductor – August Wenzinger

Orchestra – Concert Group Of The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

Recorder [Sopranino] – Hans-Martin Linde

B2 Concerto In C Major For German Flute, Strings And Continuo, Op. 7 No. 3

Composed By – Jean-Marie Leclair

Conductor – August Wenzinger

Flute – Hans-Martin Linde

Orchestra – Concert Group Of The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

Engineer – Gerhard Henjes (tracks: B1, B2), Harald Baudis (tracks: A1 to A4)

Producer – Dr. Hans Hickmann

Sleeve Notes – Bertrand Ott

English Language release

Other (Date code back cover): 5+62

Matrix / Runout (Runout Side A {A1 90°}): A2 BA/S A1 14193 A 14693A MIG

Matrix / Runout (Runout Side B {A1 90°}): A2 HE/S A1 14193 B 14693 B MIG

 

Formerly attributed to Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Now commonly attributed to Roman Hoffstetter (1742-1815)

String Quartet in F major Op.3 No.5

Andante cantabile (billed on disc label as ‘Serenade’) (side / MD 9440)

Kniestädt Quartet

Members not named on disc labels; known from contemporary concert reviews)

Georg Kniestädt (violin I)

Willy Kirch (violin II)

Johann Steinweg (viola)

Richard Klemm (’cello)

Recorded: c. 1936-38, Tonographie studios, Berlin

Format: coarse-groove, 78 rpm, 12” / 30 cm, electrical

Matrices: as above

Issued: late 1930s

Face numbers: as above (no catalogue numbers)

Schallplatten-Volksverband (‘National Record Association’) mail-order club launched 1929 by Berlin record company Clangor

Matrix numbers visible under disc labels both with and without prefix; runout shows ‘Tono’, signature of recording studio

 

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

String Quartet in d minor D.810

(Disc labels give nickname ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’ or ‘Death and the Maiden’, after song which furnished theme of II.)

Allegro (sides MD 9433 / MD 9434, MD 9435 /)

Andante con moto (sides / MD 9436, MD 9437 /)

Scherzo. Allegro molto (side / MD 9438)

Presto (side MD 9439 /)

Kniestädt Quartet

Members not named on disc labels; known from contemporary concert reviews)

Georg Kniestädt (violin I)

Willy Kirch (violin II)

Johann Steinweg (viola)

Richard Klemm (’cello)

Recorded: c. 1936-38, Tonographie studios, Berlin

Format: coarse-groove, 78 rpm, 12” / 30 cm, electrical

Matrices: as above

Issued: late 1930s

Face numbers: as above (no catalogue numbers)

Schallplatten-Volksverband (‘National Record Association’) mail-order club launched 1929 by Berlin record company Clangor

Matrix numbers visible under disc labels both with and without prefix; runout shows ‘Tono’, signature of recording studio

 

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Septet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and double bass in E flat major Op.20

Adagio. Allegro con brio (disc MD 9451 / MD 9452)Adagio cantabile (disc MD 9453 / MD 9454)

III.Tempo di menuetto. Trio (side MD 9455 /)

Tema con variazioni. Andante (sides / MD 9456, MD 9457 /)

Scherzo. Allegro molto e vivace. Trio (side / MD 9458)

Andante con moto alla marcia. Presto (disc MD 9459 / MD 9460)

Members of Berlin State Opera Chamber Society

Georg Kniestädt (violin / director)

(Remaining members not named on disc labels but identified from contemporary concert reviews)

Leonhard Kohl (clarinet)

Willy Fugmann (bassoon)

Hansd Berger (horn)

Johann Steinweg (viola)

Richard Klemm (’cello)

Georg Zschenker (double bass)

Recorded: c. 1936-38, Berlin

Format: coarse-groove, 78 rpm, 12” / 30 cm, electrical

Matrices: as above

Issued: late 1930s

Face numbers: as above (no catalogue numbers)

Schallplatten-Volksverband (‘National Record Association’) mail-order club launched 1929 by Berlin record company Clangor

Matrix numbers visible under disc labels both with and without prefix; runout shows ‘Tono’, signature of recording studio