Peter Cornelius - Works

Composer, born in Mainz, WC Germany, the nephew of Peter von Cornelius. Going to Weimar in 1852, he became devoted to Liszt, Wagner, and the New German school, and produced his famous comic opera, Der Barbier von Bagdad (1858, The Barber of Baghdad), and his grand opera, Der Cid (1865).

Cornelius played violin and composed lieder from an early age, and began studying composition with Heinrich Esser in 1841. Cornelius lived with his painter uncle Peter von Cornelius in Berlin from 1844 to 1852, during which time he met prominent figures such as Alexander von Humboldt, the Brothers Grimm, Friedrich Rückert and Felix Mendelssohn. During his last few years in Berlin, Cornelius wrote music criticism for several major Berlin journals and entered into friendships with Joseph von Eichendorff, Paul Heyse and Hans von Bülow.

Cornelius's first mature works (including the opera Der Barbier von Bagdad) were composed during his brief stay in Weimar (1852–1858).

Works

Cornelius's relatively small musical output consists mostly of Lieder (about 100), duets (23) and choral works (many for men's chorus).

Operas

Der Barbier von Bagdad - comic opera in 2 acts, composed 1855-1858 (premiered in Weimar, 15 December 1858) Der Cid - lyric drama in 3 acts, composed 1860-1865 (premiered in Weimar, 21 May 1865) Gunlöd - opera in 3 acts, composed 1866-1874, incomplete completion by Karl Hoffbauer - 1879 (premiered in Weimar, 6 May 1891) completion by Waldemar von Bausznern - 1906 (premiered in Cologne, 15 December 1906)

Chamber Music

Introduction, Andante and Polonaise, op. 2 Violin Sonata #1 in C major (1840) Violin Sonata #2 in E-flat major (1844) Violin Sonata #3 in E major (1846) 4 string quartets: String Quartet #1 in A-flat major (1841) String Quartet #2 in C major (1841) String Quartet #3 in G major (1842) String Quartet #4 in D major (1842)

Notable Choral Works

Versuch einer Messe über den Cantus firmus in der dorischen Tonart - SATB and organ (1852) 3 Chorgesänge, op. 11 (1871, to texts by Heinrich Heine and Friedrich Rückert) "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" - SATB, SATB (Heine) "An den Sturmwind" - SATB, SATB (Rückert) "Jugend, Rausch und Liebe" - SSATTB (Rückert) 3 Männerchöre, op. 12 (1872-3) "Der alte Soldat" - 6T, 3B (text by Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff) "Reiterlied" - TTBB, TTBB (Eichendorff) "Der deutsche Schwur" - TTBB (Cornelius)