Scan 35
Groves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians,vol.3, 1907
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1KARGEL
3A minor, are all monothematic; on the other hand, Novák points out Karel's great power of thematic invention as shown in the 'Renaissance' symphony and the violin sonata.
5Karel's programme music—'The Ideals,' 'Demon' and 'The Awakening,' are not constructed on literary bases. They treat personal or universal problems, and merely originate from some definite idea, but their further structure is purely musical; therefore it is impossible to attach to them any detailed programme. He has also a very marked feeling for dramatic art. In his youth he made a diligent study of Wagner and Smetana. His only opera, 'Ilseina srdeč' (Ilsea's Heart), the libretto of which is taken from the modern artistic world of Bohemia, shows that the author possesses a powerful dramatic talent, with a special sense for stagecraft and scenic effect. Various external obstacles delayed the first production of this work for fifteen years after its composition. On this account, Karel has not up till now shown any wish to write a new work for the theatre. He has recently delighted his public with a song cycle of an epic character (op. 24).
7ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
8Orchestral Suite, op. 4 (arrangement for 4 hands, J. Otto, Prague); Comedy Overture (MS), op. 5; Scherzo-Capriccio, op. 6 (score, parts and piano arrangement, 4 hands, Simrock); Fantasia for orchestra, op. 8 (MS); 'The Ideals,' op. 11, symphonic epic (MS), Renaissance Symphony, op. 15, in E flat minor (MS), Four Slavonic Dances, op. 16 (score and arrangement 4 hands, Simrock), Symphony (concerto?) for violin and orchestra, op. 20 (MS), Capriccio for violin and orchestra, op. 21 (MS); Symphonic poem 'Demon,' op. 23 (score and parts, Simrock), incidental music to K. P. Hansson's drama 'The Game of Life,' op. 26 (also arranged as a Concert Suite, MS); 'Awakening,' op. 27, a symphony for solo, chorus and orchestra (not quite finished).
10CHAMBER MUSIC
11String Quartet in D minor, op. 3 (MS); Pianoforte Trio in G minor, op. 7 (MS); String Quartet in E flat, op. 12 (Simrock); Pianoforte Quartet in A minor, op. 22 (only two movements out of seven preserved in MS.); Violin Sonata in D minor, op. 17 (Simrock).
13PIANO
14'An Eternal Legend,' op. 1, melodrama for piano (MS); pieces for piano, op. 2 (J. Otto, Prague), Nocturne, op. 9 (Simrock), Thema con variazione, op. 13 (Simrock), Sonata in C minor, op. 14 (Simrock), Three Valse, op. 18 (Simrock); Burlesque, op. 19 (Simrock).
16VOCAL AND CHORAL
17'Ve. Září Helenského Slunce' (In the Glow of the Hellenic Sun) op. 24, four songs with Czech and German words (Hudební Matice, Prague), Regimental Marching Song, op. 25 (MS.).
19OPERATIC
20'Ilseina srdeč' (Ilsea's Heart), op. 10, opera in 3 acts, first performance National Theatre, Prague, Nov. 11, 1924; pianoforte score published by Hudební Matice, Prague.
22R. V.
24KARGEL (KARGEL), SIXT, a 16th-century lutenist, in the service of the Prince-Bishop of Strassburg c. 1571; living at Zabern, Alsace, 1586. He published a number of important collective books of lute pieces, the first of which has apparently been lost, as the first known, dated 1571, is a reprint; five books are enumerated in Q.-L.
26E. v. d. S.
28KARG-ELERT, SIGFRID (b. Oberndorf-on-Neckar, Nov. 21, 1879), composer. His real name was Karg, the 'Elert' having been added early in his career at the suggestion of his concert-agent. He studied at Leipzig Conservatoire under Reinecke, Jadassohn, Homeyer, etc., served for a time as professor at Magdeburg Conservatoire, and was appointed in 1919 to Leipzig Conservatoire, where he taught pianoforte, theory and composition. Though his earliest ambitions lay in the direction of composition, his chief distinction during his student days, and for some years after, was as a pianist of unusual brilliance. Some meetings with Grieg turned his ambitions once more towards composition, and the result has been a very large output in a great variety of forms—over 100 songs, sonatas for violin, pianoforte, etc., many sets of pieces for pianoforte, a symphony, string quartet, and much music for organ, etc.
30There is also a valuable series of studies and pieces written specially for the 'Kunst-Harmonium,' an instrument, usually of two manuals, with considerable resources in tone-colour of the imitative-orchestral type. Karg-Elert toured as a recitalist on this instrument, and his works for it range from little pieces of delicate fancy to lengthy works, including a sonata and a highly original Passacaglia, the latter being subsequently re-written for organ, in which shape it ranks with the finest examples of the type. Probably this association with the 'Kunst-Harmonium' led Karg-Elert to take up the study of the organ, mainly with a view to composing for the instrument. (For a time he acted as accompanist and soloist at St. John's, Leipzig.) There can be little doubt that he found his true métier as an organ composer. Few modern organ works have been more widely and deservedly esteemed than his 'Sixty-six Choral Improvisations,' 'Twenty Choral Preludes and Postludes,' 'Ten Poetic Tone Pictures,' the Passacaglia in E flat minor, and, among lighter works, the 'Three Impressions,' and 'Three Pastels.' He shows great harmonic resource—a factor that appears to advantage in his frequent treatments of ground basses—and an easy mastery of contrapuntal devices. His strong feeling for colour no doubt led to his great interest in organ registration—indeed his enthusiasm and ingenuity in devising subtle schemes of organ tone-colour often lead to demands that few players or instruments can meet. A tendency to extravagance shows itself in other ways, e.g. over-chromaticism, the piling up of gigantic stacks of notes, with chords of three (and even four) notes for pedal, a too-frequent employment of prestissimo rushes up the keyboard, violent dynamic contrasts, etc. But his pronounced mannerisms are trifling blemishes on an organ output of nearly 200 pieces, some of large scale and many of rare beauty and originality. He is at his best in his numerous treatments of chorales. It is not too much to say that the present revival of interest in the Chorale Prelude in this country is largely due to the impression made on English organists by his 'Sixty-six Chorale Improvisations,' which appeared in 1909. They show a variety
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