From the Library's Treasure Chest: A RISM Concert in Cologne

Dr. Steffen Voss

Friday, October 23, 2015

The library at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne (RISM siglum: D-KNh) houses a comprehensive collection of music manuscripts, with an emphasis on vocal music from the first half of the nineteenth century. These items are from older holdings that were taken over from the institution’s predecessor, the Konservatorium für Musik Cöln.

A particularly special collection consists of manuscripts that were owned by the Cologne music patron Erich Verkenius (1776-1841), whose collection, which originally numbered over 800 volumes, was donated to the conservatory by his daughter in 1872. Although major portions of this collection were destroyed during World War II, some very valuable manuscripts from this collection survived.

In addition, the library also owns valuable music autograph manuscripts and manuscript copies from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including autographs by the longtime director of the conservatory, Ferdinand Hiller. Steffen Voss from RISM Germany (Munich office) made a sensational discovery in the course of cataloging this collection for RISM last year: he identified previously unknown lieder by the Dutch composer Anna Merkje Cramer (1873-1968).

On Tuesday, October 27, at 7:30 PM, Voss will give a talk as part of the concert “Aus dem Schatzkästchen der Bibliothek” (From the Library’s Treasure Chest) in the Kammermusiksaal at the Musikhochschule. He will have the opportunity to present several of the more interesting manuscripts. Students at the Hochschule will perform selections from these treasures including lieder by Anna Cramer, chamber music by Hiller, and an unknown arrangement of Richard Wagner’s “Siegfried-Idyll” for piano sextet.

Image: Ferdinand Hiller, via Wikimedia Commons

Category: Events