Carl Gustav Flügel (2 July 1812 – 15 August 1900) was a German composer.
Life and work Ancestors and childhood Flügel was born on 2 July 1812 in Nienburg an der Saale as the son of the ducal ferryman Johann Karl Flügel (1770–1828) and his third wife Johanna Friederike Heinze (1786–1855). The parents had married in 1809, the mother came from a family of locksmiths and schoolmasters. Apart from an older brother who died early (1810), Flügel had three younger siblings, Auguste (born 1814), Carl (1823–1833) and Friederike (born 1824).
Gustav was "destined for music" by his father.Flodoard Geyer: "Berlin. Gustav Flügel." in Berlinische Nachrichten von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen ('Spener'sche Zeitung') No. 297 (Berlin, 20 December 1849) identical in wording in Joh. Bapt. Heindl: Galerie Berühmter Pädagogen Schulmänner etc., vol. I (1858) . The two short biographies, which are almost identical in wording, seem to go back independently to a draft by Flügel himself and are thus to be regarded as the earliest autobiographical testimony of the composer.
The father had already sung as a poor boy in the church choir at Köthen, "and had, since he possessed a fine musical ear, occasionally had to act as soloist."Gustav Wandel: "Aus dem Leben eines deutschen Kirchenmusikers" in Sonntagsblatt des Reichsboten No. 26 (Berlin, 30 June 1912) , after a handwritten note by Flügel. Flügel's older colleague from Stettin, Carl Loewe, later sang in this same choir (1807–1809). Flügel's father was initially employed as a footman at the court of Prince Augustus Christian Frederick, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen (1769–1812), possibly because of his musical abilities. As in Bach's time, the servants also augmented the princely orchestra. It is questionable whether this position could be called fortunate: "The prince was no friend of intellectual work. He loved hunting and eating. The prince beat up his surroundings, from the court official to the footman, with the result that no one lasted long with him. [...] Anyone who belonged to the prince's dog or horse stable could easily count on the prince's affection, and was given court offices even if he was not suitable for them. In retaliation, the dog-whipped servants ransacked the kitchen and cellar and told the prince that the sauigel had been there again, knocking over bottles and kitchen boards. Of course, the servants beat up the kitchen boards and used them to chase the frightened prince to bed." (Oskar Hartung: Geschichte der Stadt Cöthen bis zum Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts. Köthen 1900, pp. 65 f.)
"Flügel's father was, in fact, a thoroughly musically inclined nature, which is evident from the fact that, without ever having had regular lessons, he had acquired some skill on various instruments, and knew how to tune the piano purely." Flügel himself writes of his father: "My father's love for music was incomprehensibly great, he was able to make great sacrifices for it. I can still hear him playing the violin at vespers. It is touching how, only by ear, he tried to expose me to chorales, went to church with me on Sundays, also visited with me the churches in the vicinity, where I tried my musical strength; gave me the opportunity to hear concerts and copied many musical works for me; brought the town musician from Staßfurt with his people to play music with them."Fritz Lubrich: "Gustav Flügel" in Die Orgel Jg. III No. 7. (1892) . Johann Andreas Jakob Flügel (1738–1800), Flügel's grandfather, may have possessed some musical skills as a night watchman. The proverbial watchman's song was also heard in Köthen. The night watch was closely connected with the town piper, who was also responsible for the night watch until the church tower collapsed at the beginning of the 17th century. After that, a special night watchman was appointed in place of the piper. During the day, this guard had to blow from the tower with horns, tines, trombones and "drums", and also "carefully perform the church music every Sunday according to the 'exercitio' that had previously been cultivated". (see Oskar Hartung: Geschichte der Stadt Cöthen bis zum Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts. (Köthen, 1900) 156–161). In any case, the night has a special meaning in Flügel's work. (Nachtfalter Op. 14 and 16, Durch Nacht zum Licht Op. 113 etc.)
The father was revered by Flügel throughout his life. Even in old age, he commemorated the day of his death. Flügel, on the other hand, only mentions his mother in passing. Yet she may well have contributed a great deal to her son's musicality. In this context, a passage from a later essay by Flügel is of interest: What means does a tenderly loving mother use to soothe her crying child when no other means will do? She sings a little song to her darling, even if her voice is rusty; and the child becomes calm under the mother's singing; it is as if the child's soul is immediately touched and soothed by the tones of the mother's voice.G. Flügel: "Was sollte in Bezug auf Gesang vor dem Besuche der Elementarschule und des Seminars (mit besonderer Rücksicht auf Seminar-Aspiranten) geschehen?" Schulblatt für die Provinz Brandenburg 21. Jg. No. 9/10 (1856) , here .
Flügel received his first organ lessons from the cantor Thiele, the father of the organ virtuoso Louis Thiele, whom he was soon allowed to replace on the organ bench during the summer holidays. From 1822, he attended the grammar school in Bernburg and continued his organ lessons in the churches there. The octogenarian spoke of this time as his "first musical love".
Studies under Fr. Schneider in Dessau (1827–1830) From 1827 to 1830 he studied music under Friedrich Schneider in Dessau, who generously supported the young musician. In the summer of 1828, Flügel performed his first work with friends in the Nienburg "Schwan": Der Gang nach dem Eisenhammer (after Schiller) for solo voices, choir and piano. His father died in Nienburg as early as January 1829.
Dessau provided the aspiring musician with role models and inspiration through concerts by musical greats of the time, impressing him among others Henriette Sontag, Adolf Friedrich Hesse and Niccolò Paganini. "I have never again experienced a more wonderful crescendo and decrescendo," Flügel wrote in his autobiography in 1882.
Together with Julius Schubring, Flügel studied unprinted organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, whom he revered throughout his life.
Nienburg, Bernburg, Köthen (1830–1836) Between 1830 and 1836, he worked as a music teacher in Nienburg, Bernburg and Köthen. IThere, he also substituted for the sick organist at the newly built by , and could also have taken over his position if he had been "able to bring himself to become Catholic".
On 26 June 1835, the young Flügel visited Robert Schumann (first mention in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik), with whom he kept in touch by letter and in person for years to come. (The Nachtfalter Op. 16 is dedicated to Clara Schumann).
Magdeburg (1836) On Schumann's advice, Flügel moved to Magdeburg in April 1836, where Richard Wagner was also working at the city theatre at the time. There, Flügel also met his future wife, the piano teacher Minna Oppermann (1813–1847). They wrote songs, piano sonatas and several (now lost) string quartets, which were performed in private. Two of Flügel's letters to Schumann were printed anonymously in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik and are thus the earliest surviving testimony of Flügel as a music writer:Die Identität ergibt sich aus den Briefbuchvermerken Schumanns No. 380 and 417 (Lfd. Nr. der Berliner Correspondenz 1836–1846)
* * A.e.Br. Magdeburg. 23 June "I would have liked to write you a lot about the musical activity here, but music is practised here very quietly and only by a few seriously. Everything is schoolmasterly and too prosaic. The Singverein is rehearsing for the Braunschweig Music Festival. The young music society was close to being dissolved, but it still exists, but is especially little attended now. The HH. Gebrüder Ganz from Berlin have been expected here for several weeks. – A great loss for Magdeburg's musical life is the departure of Schappler, violoncellist, a very talented young man, who intends to go to Leipzig at the end of July or August. – On 9 June, The Creation was performed in Burg with a full house and the hall heated to 27°C. Teacher Kühne conducted. Kühne led the studies and performance, Schappler and Maizier (violinist) from Magdeburg participated. The performance, with so few means and so much zeal, deserves all encouragement."NZfM 5.2 (5 July 1836) 8. * * A. e. Br. Magdeburg. Early August. – You will certainly have read about the important fires in Magdeburg? These also set the musical firemen in motion again. The Singverein gave a concert for the burned down. The music society will soon follow. Among others, Spontini's Overture to Olympia 60 fingering for three grand piano instruments will be performed; also the great scene of the second act with chorus; furthermore, the C minor quartet by Mozart (written in April 1787); Finale from Oberon, etc. – In addition to the various musical societies, there is also a quartet for string instruments here, in which Beethoven's works in this genre are performed in weekly private meetings. In this quartet, Maizier and Fischer alternately play the first violin, Mühling Jr. and Schefter the second violin, Wendt the viola and Schappler the cello. Each member contributes his or her share to the success of the whole and all are inspired by the best will. Every art lover is also welcomed. [...] - On the eve of the 3rd of August, a concert was organised by Mr. M.D. Wachsmann in the Domsaal. A Beethoven piano concerto was played with great skill by a high school student, Mr. Weick, a pupil of Ehrlich. – Mr. M.D. Wachsmann is a zealous promoter of classical music, he works unseen, in silence. If only he had more means at his disposal."NZfM 5.20 (6 September 1836) 81.
Schönebeck a.E. (1838–1840) In the spring of 1838, Flügel was invited by the board of the singing society in Schönebeck to settle there and take over the directorship. He accepted the post at the end of March 1838 and thus gained his first permanent position, although he continued to work as a music teacher on the side and probably had to remain so. "And I was all the more willing to do so, since this brought me back into the vicinity of those Magdeburg musicians who were friends of mine and with whom I had previously had much friendly contact. At the end of March I left Köthen and moved to the town already known to me through Ruprecht"Flügel had already frequently visited his old friend and fellow pupil, the music teacher Louis Ruprecht from Egeln, in Schönebeck in the years before 1836, (Urania 39.5 (1882) 68). In Magdeburg in 1836, he lived with Ruprecht, "who had left Schönebeck as a married man, in the same house at the Wasserkunst" (Urania 39.5 (1882) 6) known Schönebeck over. What could be more natural than to pay a visit to the neighbouring Magdeburg after finishing the establishment? – Through Schefter, I had been introduced to the Oppermann family, where music was diligently played; Fräulein Minna, who also gave music lessons, played Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 3 op. 53 for me at that time; however, she was not only well-musical, but, with a thorough education*), possessed a spirit directed towards the noble and high.""Biographische Charakterbilder der Gegenwart. (Fortsetzung) Gustav Flügel." (Autobiography) Urania 39.9 (1882) 134 f.
"When I gave my first concert in Schönebeck on 8 May 1838 with the participation of Schefter, Schapler, Wendt and Fischer, I was able to present Fräulein Minna Oppermann to my friends as my bride and on 11 September of the same year we were married in St. Jacobi's Church in Magdeburg. Herewith begins a whole new chapter of my life"G. Flügel in Urania 39.9 (1882) 135.