Fidelio F. Finke


Fidelio Friedrich "Fritz" Finke was a Bohemian-German composer.

Life

Finke was born the son of a teacher in 1891 in the north-Bohemian village of Josefstal. From 1906 to 1908, he attended a teacher's seminar in Reichenberg. He received organ, piano and violin lessons, and from 1908 to 1911, studied at the Prague Conservatory, where he studied piano and composition. From 1911 onward, he worked as a private music teacher and from 1915 as a teacher of musical theory at the Prague Conservatory. In 1920, he moved to the German Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Prague, where he worked as a teacher of musical theory and composition. He became a professor in 1926, and worked as the rector from 1927 to 1945. His students included Friederike Schwarz.
During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, he composed works expressing sympathy for the Nazis, most notably the hymn O Herzland Böhmen. His opportunistic application for membership within the Nazi party expired in 1942 because of his political unreliability.
After imprisonment and expropriation as a result of the Beneš decrees as well as a suicide attempt in 1945, Finke was brought to Dresden by the Soviet occupation forces via Moscow. There, he founded the State Academy of Music and Dresden Theatre, and was, until 1951, its rector. Until 1958, he was a professor of sound recordings at the Leipzig Academy of Music. His total works comprise about 170 compositions.
Finke was a member of the SED from 1946 until his death in 1968 in Dresden. He was buried in Heidenfriedhof Cemetery. His signature graces his gravestone. Finke's estate is preserved by the Academy of Arts in Berlin.

Selected works

Stage

Die versunkene Glocke, Opera in 4 acts after the drama by Gerhart Hauptmann ; unfinishedDie Jakobsfahrt, Opera in 3 acts after the legend by Lied der Zeit, Dance Pantomime in 2 parts Ruth, die Ährenleserin, begegnet Boas, Characteristic Dance for solo dancer and piano Der schlagfertige Liebhaber, Opera buffa in 3 acts after Karl Zuchardt ; unfinished Der Zauberfisch, Children's Opera in 2 acts after folk tales by the Brothers Grimm ; libretto by Wilhelm Hübner

Orchestral

Schauspielouvertüre
  • Suite for string orchestra Variationen und Fuge for chamber orchestra Pan, Symphony for large orchestra Konzert für Orchester Kleine Festmusik for concert band Acht Bagatellen Vier Studien Ciacona
  • Suite No. 2
  • Suite No. 3
  • Suite No. 4 for 16 wind instruments and percussion
  • Suite No. 5 Musik für elf Bläser
  • Suite No. 6 Symphonische Märsche, Suite No. 7
  • Suite No. 8 for wind quintet, 2 pianos and string orchestra Divertimento for chamber orchestra
  • ''Festmusik''

Concertante

  • Concerto for piano and small orchestra Capriccio über ein polnisches Volkslied for piano and orchestra

Chamber music

  • String Quartet No. 1 ; dedicated to Arnold Schoenberg
  • Piano Trio 8 Musiken for 2 violins and viola
  • Sonata for violin and piano
  • String Quartet No. 2 „Der zerstörte Tasso“ Ciacona nach Vitali for violin and piano
  • String Quartet No. 3
  • Sonata for cello
  • Sonata for flute and piano 100 Stücke for recorder solo
  • Sonatina for harp
  • Sonata for horn and piano
  • Sonata for clarinet and piano
  • Sonata for viola and piano
  • Wind Quintet Toccata for accordion
  • String Quartet No. 5 … ismen und … ionen for flute, viola, cello, double bass, piano and harp ; movement IV completed by Heinrich Simbriger

Piano

Polka groteska
  • Sonata in E minor Thema con Variazioni, Op. 9 Fantasia auf der Fahrt, Op. 12 Intermezzo 4 Klavierstücke Eine Reiter-Burleske, Symphonic Poem for piano Romantische Suite Gesichten, 7 Piano Pieces Klaviermusiken für Kinder 19 kleine Klavierstücke Marionetten-Musiken, 6 Piano Pieces 10 Kinderstücke
  • Suite No. 2
  • Concertino for 2 pianos Lehrer und Schüler, 10 Pieces for piano 4-hands 10 Kinderstücke for piano 4-hands Egerländer Sträußlein: Eine Reihe kleiner Stücke für Klavier nach Egerländer Volkslieder Tänze aus dem Isergebirge for piano 4-hands
  • Sonatina Klavierstücke nach slawischen Volksliedern
  • ''Drei Klaviersätze nach deutschen Volksliedern''

Organ

Fantasie, Variationen und Doppelfuge über den Choral „Aus tiefer Not“ Toccate und Fuge Sieben Choralvorspiele
  • ''Suite für Orgel''

Choral

Trinklied for mixed chorus ; words by Gotthold Ephraim LessingEs fuhr eine Fischerin for female chorus and piano ; words from Des Knaben Wunderhorn7 Frauenchöre ; words from folk poetry and by Eduard Mörike, Clemens BrentanoMein Trinklied for 3 male voices, male chorus and wind orchestra Weihnachtskantilene for mixed chorus ; words by Matthias ClaudiusDer große und der kleine Hund for mixed chorus; words by Matthias ClaudiusSechs vierstimmige Kanons ; words by Wilhelm BuschChor der Toten for mixed chorus ; words by Conrad Ferdinand MeyerWir tragen ein Licht for mixed chorus ; words by Franz HöllerDeutsche Kantate for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, boys chorus, orchestra and organ ; words by Franz HöllerWeihnachtslied for mixed chorus O Herzland Böhmens for mixed chorus, organ and brass 3 Kanons for mixed chorus ; words by Emanuel Geibel, Wilhelm Busch, Ludwig Christoph Hölty2 russische Volkslieder for female chorus and piano Weihnachts-Kantilene, Little Cantata for children's or female chorus with optional violin, cello and organ ; words by Matthias ClaudiusDas Göttliche Edel sei der Mensch for mixed chorus ; words by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheFreiheit und Friede, Cantata for mixed chorus ; words by Bertolt BrechtAufbaulied for mixed chorus with instrumental accompaniment Naturtrieb wie die goldnen Bienlein schweben for mixed chorus Erziehung durch Natur ich hör das süße Lallen for mixed chorus Die Zeit so ist nun mal die Zeit for female chorus Glaubensbekenntnis, Cantata in One Movement for mixed chorus ; words by Christo BoteffBauernballade for mixed chorus ; words by Johannes Robert BecherWir, Volk der schaffenden Hände, Three-voice canon

Vocal

3 frühe Lieder Frühling Abschied, Lyric Scene after Franz Werfel for soprano, tenor and orchestra Fallender Schnee 3 Lieder Kleinseitner Adagio 3 Lieder ; words by Rainer Maria RilkeDrei Lieder nach Carl Bayer for voice and piano Märlein ; words by Hans WatzlikFrau Nachtigal, Madrigal for soprano, alto, tenor, high and low bass ; words from Des Knaben WunderhornSudetendeutsche Volkslieder Lob des Sommers, 4 Songs for voice and piano ; words by Rainer Maria Rilke4 Lieder ; words by Emil MerkerEinmal for bass and piano ; words by Franz BrendalBeginn des Endes ; words by Theodor StormSchein und Sein, 10 Songs for voice and piano ; words by Wilhelm BuschDrei Terzette nach slawischen Volksliedern for soprano, alto, tenor and piano Eros, Cantata for soprano, tenor and orchestra Der Apfelbaum am Wegrand for voice and piano ; words by Mihai BeniucEpilog ; words by Bertold BrechtCantata piccola for voice and piano ; words by Wilhelm Busch

Honors, memberships

Literature