Kaspar Kummer

Kaspar Johann Kummer[1] (1795–1870) was a German flautist, professor and composer.

Kummer was born on 10 December 1795 in Erlau in Thuringia (in Sankt Kilian.) [2] He taught himself the flute while learning violin, horn, trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, cello and double bassoon.[3]

Kummer was taught by Neumeister for a year, then took training in music theory from the Cantor of Schleusingen, Gottlob Abraham Stäps. From 1835, he worked as a flautist at the chapel of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and took over direction of their orchestra in 1854.[4]

His published compositions ran to over 150 opus numbers, mostly involving the flute, but also including lieder, etc.

He also had several students, including Friedrich Kiel[5] and Felix Draeseke.[6]

He died in May 1870, probably on 21 May, in Coburg.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ sometimes Caspar or Gaspard. Spelling, in publications and otherwise, would often vary
  2. ^ a b Musicsack - http://www.musicsack.com/PersonFMTDetail.cfm?PersonPK=100007153 - has Erlau, Scheusingen, Hungary. Thuringia from German Wikipedia.
  3. ^ German Wikipedia. Note that there are bassoon works by a "G. Kummer" (which have been uploaded to IMSLP), but they are not generally or probably by "Gaspard" Kummer but rather by his contemporary, a bassoonist Gotthelf Kummer. (The trouble with initials.)
  4. ^ German Wikipedia.
  5. ^ "Friedrich Kiel (Obituary)". The Monthly Musical Record. XV (178). October 1, 1885. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  6. ^ "Nachlass Felix Draeseke" (in German). SLUB Dresden. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2014.

Further reading


Stub icon

This article about a German composer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a German classical musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.