Ernst Paul Flügel (31 August 1844 — 20 October 1912) was a German Romantic composer.
Life Born in Halle, Ernst Paul Flügel, was a son of Gustav Flügel (1812–1900) and his second wife Henriette née Oppermann (1823–1896).
Education Flügel received his first music education from his father, and later (from 1859) from the composer, conductor and music writer Carl Koßmaly in Stettin, who also taught him music theory and aesthetics.On 23 May 1861, Ernst Flügel was godfather at the baptism of his younger sister Anna. (Baptismal register of the Schloß- und Mariengemeinde Stettin 1861-1893 in the Ev. Zentralarchiv, Berlin (No. 4125). Baptism entry of Anna Agathe Wilhelmine Ernestine Flügel, dated 23 May 1861).
Since April 1862, Flügel was a pupil of the Royal Institute for Church Music in Berlin and from October 1862 also an eleve of the Royal Academy of Arts, "where the Director A. W. Bach Professor Grell, Music Director Jul. Schneider and Löschhorn, the proven teacher of pianoforte playing, are his teachers".Niederrheinische Musikzeitung Jg. 9, No. 13 (28 March 1863) , footnote Here he also enjoyed the private lessons of Hans von Bülow, F. Geyer and Friedrich Kiel. On 7 March 1863, the budding pianist Flügel gave his first widely acclaimed concert in Stettin."Stettin. On 7 March, Herr Ernst Flügel, the son of the local music director Herr Flügel, gave a concert in the Casinosaale, which attracted a large audience, who followed the performances with great attention and gave the young pianist rich and well-deserved applause. The concert giver, who had already given very pleasing samples of his musical talent in our city and who had recently begun his studies in Berlin under the direction of H. v. Bülow and Löschhorn, showed once again the day before yesterday his decisive talent for playing the pianoforte, which we can say gives rise to great hopes. The tastefully chosen programme offered in the first part the Piano Sonata No. 17 by Beethoven and a Prelude with Fugue in A minor for organ by J. S. Bach in an arrangement by Liszt; in both pieces, the pianist was given the opportunity to demonstrate his understanding of classical music, which had developed quite pleasingly for his age. The sonata in particular, and especially the second movement, was performed with deep feeling. The last movement of the sonata, as well as the fugue, which offered significant technical difficulties, were played with absolute clarity and masterly precision. In the second part of the programme, the concertmaster showed himself in the field of salon music in the performance of Schumann's fantasy piece des Abends, two compositions by Raff and Rubinstein and the great Polonaise in E flat major by Chopin. These pieces of music also enjoyed a dignified performance and in the great "Polonaise" in particular, technical bravura was united with a performance full of character, to which overall effect only later age usually enables. In general, one does not attain calmness and originality of playing through study, but rather through a treasure trove of experience gained from practical musical life over a number of years. In Fraulein Nanitz, who took part in the concert, we got to know a young contralto who has a powerful and melodious organ at her disposal. [...] Three songs sung by her were most satisfying: Songs Without Words by Mendelssohn and two compositions by the concertmaster: Ueber allen Wipfeln ist Ruh and Die Höh'n und Thäler singen." (Neue Berliner Musikzeitung (NBMz) vol. 17, no. 12 (18 March 1863) ); the concerto was also reviewed in the 'Neue Zeitschrift für Musik' vol. 58, no. 15 (10 April 1863) and in the Niederrheinische Musikzeitung (NdRhMz) vol. 9, no. 13 (28 March 1863) pp. 102f. In the public annual meeting of the Kgl. Academie der Künste zu Berlin on 3 August 1863, Flügel was also awarded a prize by the academic senate as a composition student.Die Dioskuren. Deutsche Kunst-Zeitung. Hauptorgan der Deutschen Kunstvereine. Jg. 8, No. 33 (16 August 1863) On the same day, a composition by the nineteen-year-old grand piano is performed there for the first time in a performance in honour of Frederick William III: Miserere mei Deus, a tercet with chorus.NBMz Jg. 17, No. 34 (19 August 1863); vgl. Die Dioskuren. Deutsche Kunst-Zeitung. Jg. 8, No. 32 (9 August 1863)
Music teacher in Treptow and Greifswald (1863–1867) Since the summer of 1863, Flügel lived as a music teacher in Altentreptow.Some biographers erroneously refer to "Treptow an der Trebel". Already on 1 November 1863, he gave his first concert there."Treptow a. d. Toll. Mr. Ernst Flügel, pupil of Mr. H. v. Bülow, held a concert on 1 November, which was very well received by the public. The programme included: Beetboven's Sonata, Op. 53, Chant polonais and Au bord d'une source by Liszt. Weber's Polacca, Op. 72. Grande Polonaise, Op. 22, by Chopin. Souvenir de Kieff by Schulhoff and Rubinstein's charming Barcarole, which, as always, did not fail to have an effect. This programme, which presented so many different directions, was performed by Herr Flügel to great applause, which he well deserved through his solid playing and musical understanding. (NBMz Jg. 17, No. 47 (18 November 1863) ).
In early 1864, Alfred Dörffel in Leipzig published Flügel's Opus 1, Wanderungen (piano pieces).Reviews in the Euterpe Jg. 24, No. 2 (February 1865) ; AMZ (N.F.) Jg. 1, No. 10 (7 March 1866) . (The reviewer feels reminded of Schumann's Kinderszenen and Album for the Young); NBMz Jg. 20, No. 27 (4 July 1866) : "In many respects a successful and pleasantly hopeful op. 1. It betrays the educated musician in whom an ideal outlook dwells. May he only dare to write longer and broader works, but at the same time restrain his striving for originality, so that he does not go astray! [...] Onwards and forwards!" On 23 February 1864, the pianist gave a second, extremely well-attended and well-received concert in Stettin."Stettin, 24 February. The concert, which Herre Ernst Flügel gave yesterday in the Casinosaale, had gathered an extremely numerous audience, filling the hall to the last corner. A glance at this audience and a glance at the programme could serve to confirm a remark made recently on the occasion of another concert, that even in our city naked virtuosity is losing ground to the same extent that the direction towards the production of serious and substantial music is gaining. Herr E. Flügel has made great and significant progress in the time we have not heard him. A more mature age requires a more mature understanding, greater physical as well as mental strength. That the young player does not yet appear before us as an accomplished artist, who would criticise that in view of the difficulty of the chosen tasks; where is art accomplished at all if it takes the works of the most sublime tone poets as its basis! - The concert began with Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue. As far as the performance of this work is concerned, in which Bülow, who recently published it, sees the beginnings of romanticism in music, it was purified by understanding, clear, concise and secure; it proved that the player is over the very significant technical difficulties. The performance was by no means lacking in the clear transparency that makes the work comprehensible even to the layman. But that the young artist also has access to the world of the imagination and the heart was demonstrated in his performance of Beethoven's F minor Sonata, which was played last. We can hardly imagine how this sublime work could be performed in a more spirited, enthusiastic and heartfelt manner. Between these two end pillars of the programme was the Schubert Fantasy for four hands, played by the concert host and his father, Herr Gustav Flügel. The two piano compositions by the latter, by Flügel (the father): Stille Frage and Falter im Sonnenschein, are two charming trifles, which in terms of inner value are far above the level of ordinary salon compositions and reach the best in this genre. Schumann's Romance (Op. 28, No. 2) is a bijou, Au bord d'une source by Liszt is a pleasing piece; the Metamorphosen by Raff are somewhat confused and their length detracts from the impression. All the pieces were performed by the concertmaster with elegance and great dexterity, and it could not fail that a great and just applause was accorded to him." (NdRhMz Jg. 12, No. 10 (5 March 1864) ). Cf. Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung (AMZ) (N.F.) Jg. 2, No. 10 (9 March 1864) ; AMZ (N.F.) Jg. 2, No. 42 (19 October 1864) pp. 716f.; In early March 1864, Flügel travelled to Leipzig,"During this week, Leipzig was visited by Hr. Ernst Flügel, Tonkünstler aus Stettin [...]" (NZfM (4 March 1864) perhaps to find a publisher for further compositions. At the beginning of 1865, Flügel became a member of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Musikverein.(between 9 December 1864 and 17 February 1865 (NZfM Bd. 61 No. 8 (17 February 1865) ). On 21 September 1865, the seminary choir of Weißenfels performed a Salvum fac regem by Flügel at the Roßbach Monument in the presence of the King.The seminary teacher Ernst Hentschel had first asked Gustav Flügel in Stettin for a corresponding composition on 8 September 1865. (Gustav Flügel: "Erinnerungen" Euterpe Jg. 40, No. 1 (1881) .). The latter passed the order on to his son Ernst. "We have, after very diligent practice, sung the Salvum of your son on the 21st of this month at noon 1 o'clock at the Rossbach Monument in front of His Majesty and his brilliant suite! Yours did not, as the institution was only allowed to be set up as such and instruments were therefore not permitted. His Majesty spoke out very graciously against me and ordered something else to be sung, which was followed by a little royal song. A thousand thanks to you and your richly gifted son! The salvum makes a splendid effect, lasted 4 minutes. - More soon!" (Ernst Hentschel in a letter to G. Flügel of 23 September 1865 (Euterpe Jg. 40, No. 1 (1881) )
In July 1866, Flügel took part unscathed in the Austro-Prussian War at the campaign of the Main as vice sergeant. From the summer of 1866, Flügel worked for a short time as a music teacher in Greifswald.cf. Ida Gebeschus: "Karl Löwe und die pommerschen Tonkünstler seiner Zeit" NZfM vol. 92 (63), No. 48 (25 November 1896) . On 13 December 1866, he also gave a concert here and shone with his pianistic abilities."Ein recht gelungenes und gut aufgenommenes Wagniß" NZfM vol. 63, No. 1 (1 January 1867) . Among other works, a Sonata for Piano and Violin by E. Flügel was heard, cf. Euterpe vol. 26, No. 10 (1867) 183. Also published in Greifswald in 1867 were the Liederhefte Op. 2–4.AMZ vol. 3, No. 18 (29 April 1868) and No. 26 (24 June 1868) pp. 204f.; NBMz Jg. 22, No. 25 (17 June 1868) pp. 194f.; Euterpe Jg. 27, No. 9 (1868) . On 21 May 1869, Ernst Hentschel, the editor of the Euterpe, wrote to his father Gustav Flügel in Stettin: "Dear friend! When I asked our friend St . ... last year to take over the review of your son's beautiful songs, it was with the intention of avoiding the appearance of partisanship that would have rested on my pen and thus to promote the interest of the songs all the more surely. The assessment was more reserved, even critical, than I could have been pleased with; but what could I do! To change or reject it would have put me and St. at odds with each other, which would have been just as fatal to me as it would have been detrimental to the paper and its reputation! So I had to decide to let the matter go as it could, even though I did it not without uneasiness and worry. Your long silence afterwards seemed to indicate to me that you were unpleasantly touched after all! I always wanted to write to you, but I never got round to it - and so your friendly letter finally appeared, relieving me of my fears, for which I am very grateful to you. (Gustav Flügel: "Erinnerungen" Euterpe Jg. 40, No. 2 (1881) ).
Organist in Prenzlau (1867–1879)