Trnka—who? Mistaken attributions and their effects

Monday, August 6, 2018

It is not surprising that music bibliographers find it difficult enough to distinguish between composers with common names, but that this also happens with somewhat rarer names is something we are going to illustrate today using an example from the RISM A/I series (works by a single composer printed to 1800).

RISM A/I number T 1262 (RISM ID no. 992002574) is a volume of twelve three-part canons by the composer and doctor Wenzel Trnka von Krzowitz (1739-1791). This man is not unknown to musicology because he created, among other things, the musical model for Mozart’s notorious canon KV 233 (382d) (see Wolfgang Plath’s essay on the subject, cited in RISM as PlathT 1991, or Trnka’s article on Wikipedia). In the supplement volume to A/I, another twelve four-voice canons (TT 1262a; RISM ID no. 991004429) are by the same Trnka.

The Rondoletta for piano four-hands, also attributed to Wenzel Trnka in the supplement volume, does not seem to fit the mold, though (TT 1262b; RISM ID no. 991011408). One thing that jumps out right away is the opus number 29, which makes you automatically wonder where the other 28 are. The answer is relatively simple. This is a different Trnka, with the similar first and middle names Johann Wenzel (1782-after 1849). Not much is known about this Trnka, however, as you can tell by looking at the old article in MGG 1. He actually should not even be a case for RISM A/I, given how late his year of birth is. Plath also noted the potential for confusion and states that “there are no scholarly publications about Trnka —neither this one nor the other Trnka— that one could have built upon” (p. 252).

A bit of searching in the publisher’s catalogs by Alexander Weinmann, the Karlsruher Virtueller Katalog (KVK), the Hofmeister Monatsberichten, the Wiener Zeitung, etc. quickly results in a filled-out list that also goes beyond opus 29. Trnka research is hereby open! Additions are always welcome.

Wenzel Johann Trnka (1782 - after 1849)

Without opus number Title Publisher Year Source found / Note
- 12 Danses Villageoises, pf 4hands, [1me Livraison?] Diabelli (PN ?) 1821 WeinmannC 1983; MGG1
- 12 Danses Villageoises, pf 4hands, 2me Livraison Diabelli (PN 851) 1821/22 WeinmannC 1983 (A-Wgm); MGG1
- 12 Böhmische National-Ländler mit Trios, pf Cappi & Diabelli (PN 1189) 1823 (WZ: 26.2.1824) WeinmannC 1983 (A-Wgm); MGG1; D-B (Imagekat I)
- Grande Polonaise, pf Diabelli   MGG1
- 8 Allemandes Pennauer 1827 MGG1; WeinmannP 1981
- Elegante Walzer Weigl WZ: 19.2.1829 Possibly op. 19 / 20
(part of 16?) Marsch des löbl Inf.Rgt. Gr. Giulay, pf 4hands Sauer & Leidesdorf (PN?) 1825 WeinmannS 1972
17? 12 Walzer, Czakan Leidesdorf (PN?) 1830 WeinmannS 1972
- Galopp, Pfte Leidesdorf (PN?) 1835 WeinmannS 1972
- Soirée-Galop mit Trio, pf Weigl (PN 2902) 1830 HofmeisterMB; D-B (Imagekat I)
- Pickenick-Galopp sammt Trio, pf 4hands? Weigl (PN 2816) WZ: 19.2.1829 WeinmannW 1982; D-B (Imagekat I)
- Sicheres Geleite, Gedicht v. Adolph Berger, V, pf, arp/guit Lyra (Wien) Jg. 1, 1839, Nr 30. 1839 A-Wn
- Des Hauses letzte Stunde, V, pf B & H 1840? US-LOs
- Die nächtliche Heerschau B & H 1839? US-LOs
- Galoppe (Klänge des Frohsinns Heft 7) Berka & Comp. WZ: 7.2.1835  
Opus        
1-9 ?      
10 Seconde Polonaise brillant Pennauer 1826 A-Wst; WeinmannP 1981
11 12 Walzer, pf Sauer & Leidesdorf (PN 859) 1826 MGG1; WeinmannS 1972 (A-Wgm)
12 Marche funebre a l’occacion de la mort S.M. Alexandre I, Empereur de Russie, pf 4hands Weigl (PN 2507) 1825? WeinmannW 1982; D-B (Imagekat I)
13 6 Polonaises, pf Weigl (PN 2510) WZ: 22.8.1826 PL-Tu; D-B (Imagekat I)
14 Jubel-Marsch zur Feyer der Wiedergenesung des Landesvaters im März 1826, pf 4hands Weigl (PN 2511) 1826 WeinmannW 1982; D-B (Imagekat I)
15 6 charakteristische Ländler, pf Weigl (PN 2515) 1826 WeinmannW 1982; A-Wst; D-B (Imagekat I)
16 3 große Märsche d. löbl Inf.Rgt.60, pf 4hands Sauer & Leidesdorf (PN 929) WZ: 21.9.1826 WeinmannS 1972; D-Dl
17 12 Walzer für Czakan und Pianoforte ? Bei Haslinger z.h. WZ: 27.2.1827 Not in Weinmann Hasl.!
18 Die Hirtenschalmei, 6 Ländler, pf Weigl (PN ?) 1827 WeinmannW 1982
19 6 Walzer samt Trio, pf Weigl (PN ? ) 1827 WeinmannW 1982
20 12 Walzer, pf Weigl (PN ?) 1827 WeinmannW 1982
21 Großer Parademarsch d. löbl. Inf.Rgt.60, pf 4hands Leidesdorf (PN 956) WZ: 25.6.1827 WeinmannS 1972; D-B (Imagekat I)
22 6 Gedichte (Um Mitternacht, Rheinweinlied, Geisternähe, Petrarchische Bettler-Ode, Vergißmeinnicht, Der Traum) V, pf Weigl (PN ?) WZ: 27.4.1827 WeinmannW 1982
23 12 Walzer, pf, Csakan Leidesdorf (PN ?) 1827 WeinmannS 1972
24 6 Ländler mit Trios, Czakan, pf Leidesdorf 1828 WeinmannS 1972
25 12 Walzer, pf Leidesdorf (PN ?) 1828 WeinmannS 1972
26 3 militärische Märsche, pf 4hands Weigl (PN 2786|2787|2788) 1828? D-B (Imagekat I)
27 Rondino (G), pf 4hands Weigl (PN 2862) 1829 HofmeisterMB; D-B (Imagekat I)
28 Walses brilliantes et caracteristique av. Trios, pf Weigl (PN 2700) 1828? D-B (Imagekat I)
29 Rondoletta/o, pf 4hands Leidesdorf (PN 1120 oder 1119) 1829 WeinmannS 1972 (A-Wgm); RISM TT 1262b; Hofmeister MB; D-Dl
30 Walses elegantes, pf Weigl (PN 2847) 1829 WeinmannW 1982; Hofmeister MB; D-B (Imagekat I)
31 ?      
32 ?      
33 Sentimentale Ländler, pf Mollo (PN 1971) 1829 MGG1; WeinmannM 1964 (A-Wgm)
34 ?      
35 Rondino, pf 4hands Leidesdorf (PN 1183) 1829 MGG1; WeinmannS 1972; A-Wn
36 12 Allemandes, pf Leidesdorf (PN ?) 1830 WeinmannS 1972; HofmeisterMB
37 6 Danses Villageoises, pf 4hd Weigl 1830 Hofmeister MB
38 Valses plaisantes, pf Leidesdorf (PN 1211) 1830 WeinmannS 1972; A-Wn
39 ?      
40 3 Defilir-Märsche d. löbl. k.k. Inf.Reg.Pr. Gustav v. Wasa, pf Leidesdorf (PN 1273) 1832 D-B (Imagekat I)
41 Großer Festmarsch (E), pf Witzendorf ? Rottensteiner2013
42 Valses plaisentes Witzendorf ? Rottensteiner2013

Abbreviations: D-B (Imagekat I): Alphabetischer Imagekatalog I der Musikabteilung
HofmeisterMB: Hofmeister Monatsberichte online
MGG1: Hilde Hellmann-Stojan, “Trnka, Johann Wenzel,” Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, ed. by Friedrich Blume, vol. 13, clmn. 716
Rottensteiner 2013: Birgit Rottensteiner, “Die Anfänge des vierhändigen Klavierspiels in Wien,” thesis, Universität Wien, 2013
WeinmannX 19XX: Complete publisher’s catalog (of any given publisher. Abbreviations are as they are in RISM).
WZ: Wiener Zeitung, searchable online through ANNO

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